Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve
1024 Ft. Bragg Rd.
Southern Pines, NC 28387
Website: ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/wewo/main.php
Located in Southern Pines, Weymouth Woods was established in 1963 as an 898-acre natural preserve. Early settlers called this area the Pine Barrens because of its extensive open forests of longleaf pines. Today, the preserve protects a remnant of the plant and animal communities—reminiscent of the pine barren days of long ago—and works to preserve the natural features unique to the Sandhills.
Educational materials about Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve have been developed for grades five through seven and complement North Carolina’s competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The program introduces students to the life history of the longleaf pine. Major topics include fire ecology, prescribed burning and plant and animal adaptations. Accompanying the program is a teacher’s booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators. To learn more about environmental education programs, visit ncparks.gov/Education/main.php.
The Exhibit Hall at the preserve affords visitors a deeper look into the significance of the longleaf pine forest. Ecological and historical exhibits cover topics from prescribed burning to geology, from flora and fauna of the park to the historical naval stores industry in the Sandhills. The hall also includes an underground diorama where visitors can crawl beneath the forest to view wildlife that seek shelter there. The Exhibit Hall is located in the park visitor’s center and is open from 9 am until 6 pm daily. Interpretive programs are held in the auditorium every Sunday at 3 pm, April through November.
Birders, listen-up. More than 500 animal species—including 160 bird species—call Weymouth Woods home, making it seem anything but barren. Rangers at Weymouth Woods offer programs about the preserve, bird and wildlife walks, special exploration events and other programs, such as annual bird banding and counting. Six well-marked, easy-to-hike trails cover more than four miles of the preserve. Hike the bogs, longleaf pine groves, swampland and other ecological areas. Don’t forget the bug spray, binoculars and camera. Admission is free.