Environmental Day

We started out Leadership Wilmington’s day on Environment with the fresh smells of compost at Piney Run Farms. Who needs coffee when you have compost? Riley Alber, owner of Wilmington Compost Company, gave us a tour of the farm and a demonstration of the power of compost and what the farm will grow to be.
 
From healthy soil to healthy plants, we walked New Hanover County Arboretum to find more than beautiful gardens but also best practices to address stormwater issues, experiments in blackberries and the therapeutic benefits that gardening can bring. With our legs stretched and our (my) future garden dreams out of hand, we went to Wilmington Chamber of Commerce for sustenance and further education.
 
Part two of the day began with Kat Pohlman, UNCW’s Chief Sustainability Officer and Leadership Wilmington alum from class of 2021. Kat shared student priorities and campus recent wins with recognition from the Green Ribbon program, a sustainability award. Understanding the impact and opportunity of Wilmington’s greatest property holder is one for all of our community to consider!
 
Most citizens in Wilmington have had water quality and regulation on the brain at some point during the last few years, so it was a great opportunity to hear from both Jennifer Adams, Corning NA Regional Environmental Performance Leader, and Lindsey Hallock, CFPUA Public and Environmental Policy Director. Both took time to talk about the challenges in our area and the environmental standards necessary to keep citizens and the environment healthy.
 
There was only one way to end a day about environmental education in Wilmington- on the water. Wilmington Water Tours was a gracious and educational tour guide sharing history’s impact on the area as well as the ongoing changes to the river.
 
We can’t wait until next month!

Kat Barrack