Students engaged in service-learning by assisting The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in collecting wiregrass seeds at Calloway Community Nature Park. The park, home to rare species like red-cockaded woodpeckers and Michaux's sumac, is undergoing habitat restoration to rejuvenate its longleaf pine ecosystems. As part of their service-learning, Conservation Biology students harvested wiregrass seeds, much of which will be donated to the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center. The tribe, in partnership with TNC, is implementing prescribed fires and habitat restoration, emphasizing the cultural significance of longleaf pine and wiregrass. The public seed collection event at Calloway provided a platform for community engagement, and TNC plans to plant the seeds for groundcover restoration. Conservation Biology is among various academic service-learning courses fostering community service at the University, supported by the UNCP Office for Community and Civic Engagement.
