Fun Exploring Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

Hi y’all! My name’s Leanna Mahle and I’m a senior majoring in Environmental Studies and Public Policy.

Imagine being surrounded by some of the most beautiful natural sites and you’ll soon find yourself in the Outer Banks. This is where this week’s blog post starts.

One thing I have been loving is the exploration of many of the natural areas around us. We have been lucky enough to be a quick drive over from Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge was established in 1984 to preserve pocosin wetlands and has since then become 152,000 acres of sanctuary for animals ranging from black bears to the critically endangered red wolf.  It has also become a sanctuary and place of adventure for people.

We have made it a habit to visit. In the first few weeks were able to explore places like Twiford and Sawyer Lake Road and saw black bears! It was fun to learn that many of the farmers in the Refuge utilize cooperative farming, meaning wildlife is allowed to eat parts of the crops and the farmers will later be compensated for anything that was lost. This helps balance the need for human and wildlife food while maintaining the Refuge’s main goal of protection.

Black bear spotting. (Look very, very closely at the black spot near the middle of the photo.)

Later we visited Stumpy Point, a small community near the Refuge. We had gone to see what kind of infrastructure was put in place in an area prone to sea level rise. Many of the houses close to the water had small rock walls to protect them, but keep in mind, this is only allowed on the sound side in NC. Also while there, we saw different tree species, all kinds of butterflies, and… the Dare County Bombing Range. Personally, I thought that was hilarious. Don’t worry, we didn’t get any closer than the sign.

Stepping out in Stumpy Point to appreciate the views.
Us posing with the Bombing Range sign.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And most recently, we explored the Palmetto-Peartree Preserve. This has to have been one of my favorite places so far. It has access to marsh grass and trails, all of which really showcase some of the most beautiful species. We saw all kinds of mushrooms, some of which I could identify and others I couldn’t. I am by no means a mycologist but an avid fan of exploring and stumping the iNaturalist app. I have truly loved going through and seeing all that the Refuge offers. If you’re ever in the area don’t forget that there is camping nearby and plenty of opportunities to see unique wildlife.

Palmetto-Peartree Preserve marsh grasses and sign.
Fly Agaric mushroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing y’all the best!

-Leanna Mahle ’22