In this Issue:
2000 Celebration for Umstead Forms
2000 Celebration Profile: Musician Bett Padgett
RDU Airport Applies Nitrogen Fertilizer to Runways
The surprise blizzard January 24, 2000
Umstead Visitor Center Programs
Umstead Coalition Hikes, Service Activities
SATURDAY
APRIL 22, 2000
(30th anniversary of Earth Day!!)
This year's Celebration comes on Saturday, April 22, the 30th Anniversary of Earth Day. The Celebration is a community event for the appreciation, use, and preservation of William B. Umstead State Park and the Richland Creek Natural Area. The Celebration combines fundraising with other activities. Come to any or all of the events:
Ø6K (3.4 Mile) walk / fun run in the Natural Area of Umstead. Participants can get pledges to raise money for the Park State Park. (music and free refreshments along the way)
ØMusic (Bett Padgett; Victoria Axelrod; Larry Nixon, David Blevins and Steven Gage and more!)
ØEnvironmental Education Exhibits
ØFree Food near the music stage
ØDoor Prizes
Funds raised will be used to support environmental education and land acquisition for Umstead State Park.
To pre-register for the fund-raising walk, fill out the Registration form on PAGE 2 and mail to the Umstead Coalition, Box 10654, Raleigh, NC 27605. Bring the filled out pledge form on page 3 with your pledge payments to the Celebration event. (forms also available at: http://umsteadcoalition.org)
Minimum requested pledge for the Fun Run is $25 for adults, $10 children under 12. People who want to attend the Celebration but not participate in the Fun Run / Walk should make a $25 donation. Staff volunteers get free entry.
To VOLUNTEER to be on the Celebration staff or to get more information, contact:
Umstead Coalition office phone: (919) 852-2268
Umstead Coalition Web site: http://umsteadcoalition.org
"Celebration for Umstead" Profile:Musician Bett Padgett
Bett Padgett, a native of Durham, remembers the day in the late 50’s or early 60’s when her new neighbors moved in the beautiful big white house next door. Merle Umstead and her daughter "little Merle". Mrs. Umstead seemed to enjoy visits from the neighborhood kids, sharing home baked goodies and telling them stories. So, its no surprise than Umstead State Park has been a very special place to Bett and her family who make treks nearly every evening to run and play with the dogs, or just enjoy the outdoors. Bett, guitar instructor at North Carolina State University for twenty years, and singer/songwriter for ten years has felt inspiration in the wilderness at Umstead Park and Schenck Forest to write music and lyrics.
Bett does not write the typical folk song, pop song, country or jazz song. Her music is in a class all to itself, as it can't be compared to any other. She takes stories, legends, history and present events and sets them to music after careful research. She weaves pictures and emotions together through a combination of lyrics and imaginative melodies. She is dedicated to preserving traditional songs through new arrangements and to keeping alive the concept of ongoing folk music. She strives to instill interest in songs of the past, which are quickly being forgotten, as they are not a part of today's music education.
Her song: Hatteras: If a Lighthouse Could Speak took her to Manteo, NC to speak at a public hearing in favor of moving the lighthouse, a momentous event in North Carolina's history. The CD Hatteras: If a Lighthouse Could Speak is a tribute to the memories and love people have of the Cape Light. She has found working on this project to be a most rewarding experience, meeting people who have grown up knowing the lighthouse and hearing many heartfelt stories. Bett felt it necessary to save the lighthouse in order to preserve a part of North Carolina's rich history. She was an advocate of the relocation due to the environmental dangers to our volatile shoreline. To celebrate the successful relocation Cape Hatteras National Seashore will receive 50% of the profit from sales of the CD. She is honored that the CD is carried in the National Park Bookstore and to be asked by the National Park Service to sing at the relighting ceremony in November. Music from the CD has been used in numerous documentaries and featured in North Carolina magazines and publications.
Bett has graced the stage in many venues over the years, but recently has discovered that her most favorite places to play are where people are gathered for a specific purpose such as outdoor festivals. She particularly enjoys donating her talent to events to raise conscious for environmental and preservation concerns. You can catch her on April 22, 2000 (also Earth Day) at the Celebration for Umstead. No doubt you will hear her sing some folk songs of the Ebenezer community. And no doubt she will be thinking about Merle Umstead and those home made cookies!
You can hear sound clips from her recordings and learn more about her through her website: www.bettpadgett.com
Wilderness First Aid Classes
April 8-9 (Charlotte) and April 29-30 (Raleigh). An eighteen-hour, two-day class in Wilderness First Aid will be conducted in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC.
The course includes classroom study, hands-on practice, and results in a two-year certification. The class does not include CPR certification. It provides an in-depth introduction to patient assessment, musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries, splinting, and a variety of other topics.
The cost is $140. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. For additional information phone (703) 836-8905 or visit http://wfa.net.
Other dates and places of classes are listed at http://wfa.net. WFA is a not-for-profit organization in Alexandria, VA.
Noise and Operations Monitoring System for the RDU Airport
Noise and operations monitors will become increasing important as the airport considers and designs major airport projects in the near future for RDU. For example, the expansion of terminal A, interim gates, capital upgrades to the general aviation/cargo area, and future third runway. Most major airports have NMS.
The Airport Noise Abatement Committee (ANAC) of the RDU Airport Authority recommended in October 1998 that the Airport Authority (AA) purchase a permanent Noise Monitoring System (NMS) for RDU. The City of Durham, Town of Cary, Wake County Commissioners, and the Umstead Coalition have formally endorsed the ANAC request.
In November 1999, the RDU Airport Authority agreed to "move forward." In January 2000, the Airport Authority budgeted $60,000 for Harris, Miller, Miller & Hanson Inc. (consultants in noise and vibration control) to study and recommend system designs for permanent noise monitoring at RDU. The Airport Authority draft objectives for the NMS include (paraphrased):
ØQuantifying noise impacts at the locations of the fixed-site monitoring;
ØTimely production of annual noise contours in order that the Authority can document the aircraft noise environment described by the noise contours and changes thereto;
ØMaking data from the noise and operations monitoring system available to the public; and
ØEnhancing the Airport Authority's relations with the community by monitoring the actual noise and making noise monitoring information (more readily) available.
The Chairman of the ANAC is appointed by the Chair of the Airport Authority. The current Chairman of the ANAC is Airport Authority member James Hyler, Jr. (Wake County's appointee). Mr. Hyler convened one meeting of the ANAC in 1999 (December) and again in February 2000. The ANAC members have made specific recommendations to the Airport Authority to enhance the objectives to include more frequent contours (e.g., quarterly, monthly), enhance the types of information that will be available to the public, and set a target date for system installation and operation.
A NMS would increase the accuracy of noise contours and allow for timely generation of the noise contours. Annual noise contours are currently produced for RDU. However, the contours are based upon a summary of aircraft engine types and estimated with models. The contours are verified with a limited amount of noise monitoring from portable monitors. The current system requires a tremendous amount of manual data entry and manipulations . As a result, the last completed contours are for 1997.
There are a large number of quality noise monitoring systems on the market which have similar features and provide reports. In 1998, the RDU ANAC saw demos of the Tracor Inc. (hardware and software) and the LeTech Inc. (software only) systems. ANOMS (Airport Noise and Operations Monitoring System) is another widely used system, which is sold by the RDU noise consultant Harris, Miller, Miller & Hanson Inc. Tracor is used at Dallas Fort Worth Airport. The LeTech Inc. system is used by noise consultants for modeling.
Some features of noise monitoring systems include:
ØNoise Monitors
ØFlight Track and Operations Data (from FAA data tapes)
ØAir Quality and Meteorology (with an optional weather station)
ØLand Use Analysis (optional software)
ØPoint and Click Report Generation
ØAutomatic Noise Contours
ØThree Dimensional Animated Flight Tracks and Noise Events
A permanent noise monitoring system meets the goals of a well informed public, with data supplied when people need it, not years later. It can provide information about single events, the kind of questions most asked.
Douglas Lintelman-RDU Airport Noise Abatement
Committee Member (City of Raleigh appointee)
Editors note: The Umstead Coalition Airport Watch Committee continues to hold discussions with the RDU airport staff and Authority members to facilitate minimizing airport noise and development impacts on Umstead State Park. We have worked toward the establishment of permanent noise monitoring in Umstead State Park and neighborhoods around the airport for many years. Neighborhood groups have also worked on this effort.
RDU Airport Applies Nitrogen Fertilizer To Runways - An Environmental Concern
During the recent snow and ice storms, the RDU airport applied 60 tons of urea or 55,200 pounds of nitrogen on the runways and some of the other payments on the airport property (as reported by the News and Observer on 2/2/2000). We have concerns regarding the environmental damage such a spike of nitrogen loading will have on the lakes and stream in Umstead State Park and also the downstream Neuse River.
The Neuse River is seriously polluted by runoff from various sources containing nitrogen nutrients. Due to the high nitrogen pollutant levels in the Neuse, the NC General Assembly enacted the NC Clean Water Act requiring an overall thirty percent reduction in nitrogen delivery to the Neuse River. This will require active participation by all land owners and dischargers.
Considering the airport is in the Crabtree Creek watershed, there is little doubt that much of the nitrogen applied to the airport runways and other pavement will find its way to the Neuse River. The sediment pond(s) that temporarily hold some of the runoff from the airport property provide little treatment of nitrogen fertilizer since most of the nitrogen will leave the site in the dissolved phase with the water flow. Much of the runoff from the airport runways flows into the streams and lakes in Umstead State Park and into Crabtree Creek.
It is certainly understood that airport operations and safety are prime considerations. However, there are other means that can be used for de-icing the runways. It has been reported that several nearby airports have chosen to use acetate-based de-icers in place of the urea. The higher cost has been given by the RDU airport staff as the reason for not making use of the acetate-based de-icers. It seems the much higher cost is the damage to the environment and society. The situation is even more severe because the application of fertilizer was applied as a spike/shock to the water environment. For example, the drinking water supply in Greensboro and High Point following the recent snow/ice storms has been degraded due to the use of fertilizers as de-icers (News and Observer, 2/7/00).
Considering the infrequent need for runway de-icing at RDU the average cost over several years for the acetate-based de-icing material should not be difficult to manage.
The Umstead Coalition has made a request to the RDU airport and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that the airport:
ØDonate any remaining urea fertilizer to nearby farming operations;
ØPurchase acetate-based de-icing material;
ØInstitute a policy of not applying nitrogen-based de-icing products on pavement; and
ØAdd nitrogen discharge concentration and loading limits to their NPDES storm water permit.
To emphasize our concern, let's put some numbers in perspective:
Ø60 tons of urea contains 55,200 pounds of nitrogen. The price of a 50 pound bag of urea at Southern States is $9.30 or $0.186 per pound of urea or $0.404 per pound of nitrogen. With no reduction assumed for volume sales, 60 tons of urea would cost $22,320.
ØEven if acetate-based de-icing material was 10 times the cost of urea, the cost would have been $223,200 – far less than the millions that Raleigh and Cary just spent on upgrading their sewage treatment plants. And far less than the farmers in the Neuse River Basin have spent in best management practices and operational upgrades to reduce nitrogen losses to the Neuse River Basin.
ØThe Town of Cary’s North wastewater/sewage treatment plant discharges 5.5 MG/day or 2,007 million gallons per year (365 days) with a maximum discharge limit of 3 mg N/l into Crabtree Creek. Utilizing the conversation factor of 8.34 to convert each mg/l concentration of pollutant in one million gallons to pounds, the Cary’s North plant discharges an estimated nitrogen loading into Crabtree Creek of 50,228 lbs. per year of nitrogen. The North Cary plant treats approximately 50% of Cary or 45,000 residents plus commercial/retail uses. Cary recently spent millions of public dollars to substantially reduce its nitrogen discharge levels to 3 mg N/l.
ØFor an interesting comparison, raw sewage entering a typical sewage treatment plant is typically about 60-70 mg N/l.
ØThe City of Raleigh has one sewage treatment plant
and it discharges into the Neuse River basin at a rate of 35 MG/d. For a cost of over $8,000,000 the City of Raleigh recently completed upgrading their plant to reduce their discharge concentrations
from 20 to 6 mg N/l. This resulted in an estimated reduction
of nitrogen loading to the Neuse River of 1,491,609 pounds of nitrogen per year to a current level of about 639,260 pounds of nitrogen per year.
Raleigh's $8,000,000 investment is equivalent to $5.26/pound of nitrogen that have
been prevented from entering the Neuse River (calculation was simplified and didn't account for amortizing over
the life of the upgrade).
ØIt’s also interesting to compare the nitrogen utilized by the airport in this de-icing event to the amount of nitrogen in the waste of animals. To produce 55,000 pounds of nitrogen in the untreated waste (as if the animals made direct deposits to the stream) it would be equivalent to (but, this would be distributed over a full year and prior to required treatment.):
2,150 finishing hogs/year
240 dairy cows/year
68,500 chickens/year
16,200 turkeys/year
HOWEVER, as required by NC and federal regulations, animal waste is usually treated by a series of treatments which reduce the nitrogen content substantially and then usually applied to farm land as fertilizer which is taken up by the growing plants – hence, much of the nitrogen does not reach the water system.
Ø55,200 pounds of nitrogen would be equivalent of about 15,000,000 gallons of hog waste that has already undergone treatment by lagoons and then piped directly into the Neuse River (note: direct piping of manure is not an allowed practice in North Carolina).
Ø55,200 pounds of nitrogen could be used to fertilize about 275 acres of corn or hay.
We also have a concern regarding the effects of the glycol-based de-icing solution for de-icing the flight surfaces of aircraft before take-off. Ethylene glycol is known to be an environmental hazard. Chronic toxic effects may include shortened life span, reproductive problems, lower fertility, and changes in appearance or behavior. Chronic effects can be seen long after first exposure(s) to a toxic chemical. Ethylene glycol has been demonstrated to have a moderate chronic toxicity to aquatic life.
Currently, RDU airport does not attempt to collect and then treat or recycle/reuse this material. In contrast, other airports have taken steps to recover the ethylene glycol (http://www.airportnet.org/depts/publications/airmags/am7892/environm.htm). Since it is used in a rather defined area – near the passenger gates - it is possible to collect much of the material with a properly constructed drainage system.
- Bob Morris and Jean Spooner
The weather outside was frightful. The surprise blizzard January 24, 2000 dumped knee-deep snow on the Park and bent over many trees.
The Park was closed from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2nd. Little permanent damage was done to plants or animals.
William B. Umstead State Park Visitor Center Programs – Free
http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/wium.html.
Please call the Park Visitor Center at 571-4170 for more information and reservations.
March 11th : LEAVE IT TO BEAVER
Join a ranger for a short hike to learn about nature's engineers. You’ll see signs of the beaver’s presence at William B. Umstead State Park and learn more about their habits and habitats. Meet in the picnic area off the last parking lot at 11:00am. The parking lot is approximately 2 miles in from the Hwy 70/Glenwood Avenue entrance. Please call 571-4170 for more information and reservations.
March 18th : ROT SQUAD
Join a ranger for a short hike down Oak Rock Trail to discuss how a forest will recycle itself. Meet in the small parking area at the Oak Rock trail head at 1:00pm. The hike will last 1 hour. Please call 571-4170 for more information and reservations.
March 25th : PADDLING ON BIG LAKE
Join a Ranger for a leisurely canoe trip around a portion of Big Lake. Experience spring season from the water’s edge. Meet the Park Ranger in the Big Lake parking lot where canoes, life jackets, and paddles will be provided. Dress in appropriate clothing that you won’t mind if it gets wet. Spaces are limited so reservations are required for this program. Program from 8:30am -~ 11:00 a.m. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
April 1st : APRIL FOOLS
Join a Ranger at the Reedy Creek parking lot for a 1 mile hike at 10:00am. We will talk about some of the ‘April Fools’ of the park...animals that are likely to be getting in gear for the coming spring and summer at William B. Umstead State Park.
April 9th : SPRING TREE IDENTIFICATION
Meet at the Visitor Center at 10:00am. Walk Sal’s Branch Trail with a Ranger and learn a variety of trees that are sprouting a new season’s leaves. The hike will last approximately 1 ½ hours.
April 9th : BIRDS OF PREY
Learn about those magnificent hunters from above. Mounted and live specimens will be used for up close viewing. Meet at the Visitor Center at 2:00pm for this 1 ½ hour program.
April 15th : WILDLIFE HIKE
Meet a Ranger at 9:00am at the Bike and Bridle Trail Head for this one hour hike. Bring your binoculars and walk through the woods of William B. Umstead State Park to discover animal signs.
April 15th : FIELDS TO FORESTS
Hike with a Ranger for two hours through the forests of William B. Umstead State Park. Learn how these forests, through the process of succession, developed from farming fields. Meet at the Park Visitor Center off the Highway 70 entrance at 10:00am.
May 6th : NATURE’S ENGINEERS
Meet a Ranger in the Reedy Creek parking lot at 2:00pm. We will talk about Beavers and how they change the ecology of the area. Bring your boots and look for the Beaver’s trademark tree stumps.
May 7th : COMPANY MILL HIKE
Hike with a Ranger to the Company Mill site and learn about the grist mill that once operated at this site. Meet at the Reedy Creek parking lot at 2:00pm. The hike is approximately 2 miles andwill last 1 ½ hours.
May 13th : BIRDS OF PREY
Learn about those magnificent hunters from above. Join a Park Ranger and a falconer to learn about the raptors of this area. Live specimen on hand. Meet at the Visitor Center at 2:00pm for this 1 ½ hour program.
May 20th : BIG LAKE BY BOAT
Paddle Big Lake in search of fauna and flora. Meet a Ranger at the boathouse at 9:00am (1 ½ hour program). Space is limited so reservations are required! Some canoe skills are necessary. Canoes, life jackets, and paddles will be provided. Dress in appropriate clothing that you won’t mind if it gets wet. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
May 21st : OH DEER!
Meet at the Park Visitor Center, located off the Highway 70 entrance, at 1:00pm. Join a Ranger for a hike through deer habitat for a discussion on the life cycle of the Eastern White-tailed deer. This program will last approximately 1 ½ hours.
June 3rd : SUMMER BLOOMS
Meet a Ranger at the Park Visitor Center, located off the Highway 70 entrance, at 10:00am for a description of some of the summer Wildflowers found in the park. There will be a short slide show presentation and a walk along Sal’s Branch to try to find some of them.
June 17th : CCC AT CRABTREE CREEK
Civilian Conservation Corps operated a camp in Crabtree Creek Recreational Demonstration area - what came to be William B. Umstead State Park. Watch a slide show of the construction of park facilities by the CCC and WPA (Works Progress Administration). The program starts at 2:00 in the Visitor Center Auditorium and will last approximately 1 hour.
June 18th : DISCOVERY HIKE
Join a Ranger for a leisurely hike to discover the sights and sounds of William B. Umstead State Park. Meet in the large picnic area parking lot, located off the Glenwood Avenue/Hwy 70 entrance at 2:00pm. This program will last approximately 1 ½ hours.
June 24th : TREE LEAF IDENTIFICATION
Learn how to identify trees by their leaves. If you have a tree identification book bring it with you! Meet a Ranger at 9:00am in the small parking lot off the Glenwood Avenue entrance for this one hour hike.
June 24th : WOODS WANDER
Meet a Ranger at the small picnic area observation deck at 1:00pm. You will join a Ranger for a short hike on and off trail to discuss natural forest processes and wildlife habitat. Program is approximately 1 ½ hours.
June 25th : WOODS WANDER
Meet a Ranger at the small picnic area observation deck at 1:00pm. You will join a Ranger for a short hike on and off trail to discuss natural forest processes and wildlife habitat. This program will last approximately 1 ½ hours.
July 16th : WORLD WAR II AT CAMP CRABTREE
During World War II, the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp was used by the U.S. military to provide recreation to foreign sailors while their ships were being repaired. Come look at some photographs of this era. The slide show starts in the Visitor Center Auditorium at 2:00pm and lasts approximately 45 minutes.
July 22nd : FROM FIELD TO FOREST
Meet a Ranger at the Bike and Bridle Trail Head at 10:00am for this1 ½ hour program. Bring your binoculars if you have them and hike through areas of William B. Umstead State Park to learn about its history.
July 22nd : LUNCH HIKE WITH A RANGER
Join a Ranger at 1:00pm at the Oak Rock Trail Head parking area for a short hike to discuss nature and William B. Umstead State Park. This program will last approximately 1 hour.
July 22nd : ROT SQUAD
Join a Ranger at the Oak Rock Trail Head parking lot at 3:00pm. This 1 hour program will be a short hike down Oak Rock Trail to discuss how a forest recycles itself.
July 23rd : ROT SQUAD
Join a Ranger at the Oak Rock Trail Head parking lot at 1:00pm. This 1 hour program will be a short hike down Oak Rock Trail to discuss how a forest recycles itself.
Umstead Coalition Spring Activities
For information on where and when to meet, call the activity leader listed. Activities are free; as activity leader about brining dogs, children. Note: For all Rod Broadbelt’s hikes, bring lunch and water; call 363-6611 before 8:00 p.m. for details.
March 11 Stream Watch. Help us monitor the health of Richland Creek. Meet 10:00 at Richland Lake on Reedy Creek Road (off Blue Ridge). For information: Jean Spooner, 828-5859 (h) or Uli Gratzl, 828-2625.
March 18 Wilderness Hike, 5-6 hours. Meet 8:00 a.m. on Ebenezer Church Road next to Crabtree Creek bridge (just downhill from J&H Stables). Bring lunch and water. Could be very wet area so wear your best hiking boots. For information: Rod Broadbelt 363-6611 before 8:00 p.m.
March 25 Volunteer Park Work Day. For information: Tom Weber 463-0104.
April 1 Wildflower Hike. For information: Frank Briden 844-1566.
April 8 Forest Community Types. For information: Mark Wolinsky 755-9945.
April 15 10 Mile Hike. Will see some ruins and Sycamore Lake dam, some off trail hiking. Meet at Umstead Parking lot off Harrison Avenue at 8:00 a.m. For information: Rod Broadbelt 363-6611 before 8:00 p.m.
April 22 2000 CELEBRATION FOR UMSTEAD - Earth Day (30 year anniversary). For Information call 852-2268; to volunteer call Tom Weber 463-0104.
April 29 Nature Hike. For information: Jennifer D’Arcy 782-6939.
May 6 Park History Hike. For information: Tom Weber 463-0104.
May 13 Nature Hike with the NC Parks and Recreation Naturalist. For information: Tom Howard 556-7494 (h) or 846-9991(w).
May 20 Volunteer Park Work Day. For information: Tom Weber 463-0104.
May 27 Biodiversity Hike. For information: Frank McKay 844-7436.
June 3 Volunteer Park Work Day. For information: Tom Weber 463-0104.
June 10 13 Mile Hike, Loblolly Trail to Carter Finley Statium.. Meet at Umstead Parking lot off Harrison Avenue at 8:00 a.m. For information: Rod Broadbelt 363-6611 before 8:00 p.m.
June 17 Richland Creek Stream Watch. Help us monitor the health of Richland Creek. Meet 9:30 a.m. at Richland Lake on Reedy Creek Road (off Blue Ridge). For information: Richard Tibbs 468-8081 or Jean Spooner, 828-5859 (h).
July 15 12 Mile Hike. Meet at Umstead Parking lot off Harrison Avenue at 8:00 a.m. For information: Rod Broadbelt 363-6611 before 8:00 p.m.
December 2 Richland Creek Stream Watch. Help us monitor the health of Richland Creek. Meet 9:30 a.m. at Richland Lake on Reedy Creek Road (off Blue Ridge). For information: Richard Tibbs 468-8081 or Jean Spooner, 828-5859 (h).