We’re excited to invite you to Ponds, People & Partnerships: Pond Maintenance, Wildlife Management & Working with People, a hands-on training focused on both the technical and communication skills needed to support landowners effectively. This workshop will cover practical pond maintenance, wildlife habitat planning, and how to build strong partnerships with agencies such as the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Natural Resources Conservation Service. Participants will hear directly from biologists, conservation professionals, and landowners, followed by a field visit and an interactive activity to help you build your own county resource contact network. This is a fun, practical training designed to strengthen your technical knowledge, communication skills, and ability to connect landowners with the right partners.

Date: April 2, 2026

Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: 209 N Graham Hopedale Rd., Burlington, North Carolina, 27217

Host District: Alamance SWCD

Fee: $10 (includes a fish fry lunch!)

Note: Space is limited to 30 individuals for this training.

Draft Agenda Overview

Morning – Classroom Session

Welcome, introductions, and training overview
Pond maintenance overview and aquatic weed identification
Fish management basics for private ponds
Wildlife plantings and Wildlife Management Plans
Partner roles in supporting landowners

Lunch

Fish fry and informal networking

Afternoon – Field & Interactive Session

Field visit with host landowners to view pond and wildlife plantings
Discussion of real-world management decisions and partner coordination with group activity
Group discussion, key takeaways, and wrap-up