The Umstead Coalition |
Learn more about many of our projects and events to support Umstead State Park below. |
PHOTO & ILLUSTRATION CONTESTS
The Annual Photo Contest - Catch the Spirit of William B. Umstead State Park” feature photography of the Park, its structures and nature, so get out your cameras, pick out your best shots and submit an entry to our contest. Entry categories:
The Annual Illustration Contest - Catch the Spirit of William B. Umstead State Park” showcase some of the wonders of Umstead State Park using graphic illustrations. Winners are featured in an annual calendar and Exhibit at the Park Visitor Center. The deadline for the 2021 contest is June 27, 2021. View Past Winners>> |
New Book! The Mushrooms of Umstead State park
The Mushrooms of Umstead State Park is a mushroom photo-book with up to date (as of publishing) scientific names and relevant details of morphology. This book is intended as a basic guidebook to orient interested folks in identifying the wild and varying fleshy fungi of Umstead State Park and the surrounding Piedmont region from a long time naturalist (mycology and entomology) and PhD. With some 400 author shot photos of specimens all existing in Umstead State Park, Raleigh, NC. You can purchase a Kindle edition on Amazon or you can purchase a PDF version via The Umstead Coalition. Note: All proceeds go to the author, Geoff Balme, to cover his costs to product this amazing work. |
Solar Panels for the Umstead State Park Visitor Center
The 5kw solar photovoltaic (PV) system not only produces electricity for the Visitor Center and helps reduce our dependence on energy derived from fossil fuels, but also provides an educational component for the public to learn about renewable energy. A small wall mounted tablet delivers real time solar energy production data to visitors and allows park staff to educate the public about the system and the benefits of solar power. Southern Energy Management, a local B-corporation with nearly 1000 solar installations under their belt, was our partnering contractor. |
Butterfly Wildflower Gardens
Two small sites selected for the butterfly wildflower gardens are along the most popular walking route from the parking lot to the bathhouse and picnic areas. High visibility to the majority of visitors will enable encouragement to create Monarch butterfly habitat in their yards as well. The installation of the Monarch butterfly gardens was concurrent with the forest rain garden installation and entirely installed by volunteers. |
Forested Rain Gardens / Bioretention Areas
The parking area that drains to the stormwater control measure is 1.3 acres, of which 1 acre is impervious. This project will result in several environmental and user benefits, including: reduced runoff volume and intensity of stormwater runoff due to the infiltration into special soil media we will install in the medians. The native trees and shrubs will provide much needed shade in the hot, steamy parking lot. The shade will also reduce the thermal impact to the downgradiant streams. More information: |
Cedar Ridge Trail is Open with Rerouting
The repairs and re-route bring the trail up to current multi-use trail standards using sustainable trail construction standards including grade reversals, rolling dips, water turnouts to minimize erosion, and granite screenings to the top surface. Improved ditching will be added in some sections and bench cuts were used for sections that are re-routed. This project was made possible by a grant through the Umstead Coalition from the NC Recreation Trails Program with match assistance from The Umstead Coalition, volunteers, the Umstead 100, Carolina Godiva Tract Club, NC Road Runners Club, Great Outdoor Provision Company and Park staff. See the Cedar Ridge Reroute Concept Map and Trail Grade Reversal Technique. |
Triangle I-40 Bikeway (along I-40)
AND, the Triangle Bikeway would serve as a vital connection to the RDU Forest trail system at Lake Crabtree County Park, RDU Airport, and Umstead State Park via the Old Reedy Creek Road Corridor. More information and status: Triangle I-40 Bikeway |
Umstead State Park Exchange of Land will improve US 70 entrance and enable additional lands for Umstead State Park. The Umstead Coalition is in full support of the transfer of lands and funds to improve the entrance at US70, as well as securing funds for much needed Park lands that are contiguous to our Park. We requested Conditional Uses on the rezoning request that prohibit commercial heavy truck usage on the land across US70 (this request was only partially included). We have also requested vegetative buffers along US70 (this request was approved by Raleigh City Council).
This is the perfect opportunity for Umstead and the RDU Airport to work together. We can use these funds to help provide RDU with funds and purchase the critical Odd Fellows Tract from the RDU Airport.