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Mammalogy is the study of warm-blooded vertebrates that have hair or fur, produce milk to feed their young, and have more complex brains than other animals. Some of the mammals you can observe at Gateway Nature Preserve include but are not limited to: Virginia Opossum, Raccoon, and Gray Squirrel.

Ask A Naturalist: Mammals

Mammalogy is the study of warm-blooded vertebrates that have hair or fur, produce milk to feed their young, and have more complex brains than other animals. Some of the mammals you can observe at Gateway Nature Preserve include but are not limited to: Virginia Opossum, Raccoon, and Gray Squirrel.

Have you ever gone on a hike and returned home feeling itchy and developing an unexpected rash? If so, you might have encountered poison ivy! People of all ethnicities and skin types are at risk for developing poison ivy dermatitis. Poison Ivy grows in most of the United States except for Alaska and Hawaii. It can grow as a vine or a small shrub. You can identify it by looking at the leaves. “Leaves of three, leave them be.”

Ask a Naturalist: Poison Ivy Awareness

Have you ever gone on a hike and returned home feeling itchy and developing an unexpected rash? If so, you might have encountered poison ivy! People of all ethnicities and skin types are at risk for developing poison ivy dermatitis. Poison Ivy grows in most of the United States except for Alaska and Hawaii. It can grow as a vine or a small shrub. You can identify it by looking at the leaves. “Leaves of three, leave them be.”

Did you know that there is a new accessible birding platform at Gateway Nature Preserve? Visit the southern meadow area to access the platform and see how many of the following birds you can observe and hear.

Ask a Naturalist: Think “Railroad” When Birding

Did you know that there is a new accessible birding platform at Gateway Nature Preserve? Visit the southern meadow area to access the platform and see how many of the following birds you can observe and hear.

 Did you know that the Gateway Nature Preserve is an ecoEXPLORE Hotspot? This means that it is a great place to explore and submit wildlife observations that are especially helpful to scientists. ecoEXPLORE has over 500 Hotspots across North Carolina. It is so exciting that we can have such a place right in the middle of the city!

Ask a Naturalist: Entomology Season at Gateway Nature Preserve

Did you know that the Gateway Nature Preserve is an ecoEXPLORE Hotspot? This means that it is a great place to explore and submit wildlife observations that are especially helpful to scientists. ecoEXPLORE has over 500 Hotspots across North Carolina. It is so exciting that we can have such a place right in the middle of the city!

 Have you seen our new educational signage along Gateway’s Forest Discovery Trail? Seven new interpretive signs along the trail share information about unique characteristics in the area around them, including tree species that you can discover for yourself!

Ask a Naturalist: Come Explore our New Forest Discovery Trail Signage

Have you seen our new educational signage along Gateway’s Forest Discovery Trail? Seven new interpretive signs along the trail share information about unique characteristics in the area around them, including tree species that you can discover for yourself!

Have you ever wanted to get outside and try birding, but don’t know where to start? Let me give you some useful tips to get started on spotting some birds!

Ask a Naturalist: Birding at Gateway Nature Preserve

Have you ever wanted to get outside and try birding, but don’t know where to start? Let me give you some useful tips to get started on spotting some birds!

 A meandering creek slows down the movement of sediments in the inner bends. The resulting creek view is beautiful, with sandy beaches that allow easy access to the water to observe creek wildlife and wade in the coolness during the summer.

Ask a Naturalist: Salem Creek Through Gateway Nature Preserve

A meandering creek slows down the movement of sediments in the inner bends. The resulting creek view is beautiful, with sandy beaches that allow easy access to the water to observe creek wildlife and wade in the coolness during the summer.

Invasive plant species can produce large quantities of seed, which are often distributed by birds, wind, or humans, allowing the seed to move great distances. These plants have aggressive root systems that spread long distances from a single plant and often grow so densely in the soil that they smother the root systems of surrounding vegetation.

Ask a Naturalist: Introduced and Invasive Plants of Gateway

Invasive plant species can produce large quantities of seed, which are often distributed by birds, wind, or humans, allowing the seed to move great distances. These plants have aggressive root systems that spread long distances from a single plant and often grow so densely in the soil that they smother the root systems of surrounding vegetation.

 Night is the time for many creatures to become active to forage for food, perform mating rituals and raise young ones. The organisms that become active during the nighttime are called nocturnal as opposed to diurnal, which means active at daytime. Much like diurnal animals, nocturnal organisms have physical features and adaptations that help them see, navigate, hunt, pollinate, and forage in the dark.

Ask a Naturalist: Nocturnal Wildlife Around Us

Night is the time for many creatures to become active to forage for food, perform mating rituals and raise young ones. The organisms that become active during the nighttime are called nocturnal as opposed to diurnal, which means active at daytime. Much like diurnal animals, nocturnal organisms have physical features and adaptations that help them see, navigate, hunt, pollinate, and forage in the dark.

Snakes are an important part of our natural surroundings. Without them, we may end up using immense amounts of toxic chemicals to kill harmful pests and inflict even greater environmental damage. Learning about snakes helps avoid contact that could result in an injury on both sides.

Ask a Naturalist: Snakes Around Us

Snakes are an important part of our natural surroundings. Without them, we may end up using immense amounts of toxic chemicals to kill harmful pests and inflict even greater environmental damage. Learning about snakes helps avoid contact that could result in an injury on both sides.

Tick populations are expanding in their range, and tickborne diseases such as Lyme disease are on the rise in every geographical location in the US except Alaska. Climate change and warming temperatures create perfect conditions for ticks to survive in new locations.

Ask a Naturalist: Ticks, Tickborne Diseases, and Thinking Beyond Safety Precautions

Tick populations are expanding in their range, and tickborne diseases such as Lyme disease are on the rise in every geographical location in the US except Alaska. Climate change and warming temperatures create perfect conditions for ticks to survive in new locations.

Regardless of what age we live in, plants have been the origin of all medicines to treat illness and diseases. Here are a few notable native and local plants of the Piedmont North Carolina that are valuable in producing the medicines we use today.

Ask a Naturalist: Local Plants of Medicinal Value

Regardless of what age we live in, plants have been the origin of all medicines to treat illness and diseases. Here are a few notable native and local plants of the Piedmont North Carolina that are valuable in producing the medicines we use today.