Highlands Biological Station

Mushrooms of the Carolinas and Southern Appalachian Region
2022-08-14 - 2022-08-20 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Dr. Alan Bessette and Arleen Bessette (Authors of multiple mushroom field guides)
** This workshop is currently full and has an extensive waitlist. If additional spots open up we will let the public know via social media and on our website.
This workshop will focus on the mycological diversity of North & South Carolina, and the Southern Appalachian Region. Activities will consist of lectures/presentations on topics such as (but not limited to): Identification Techniques, Major Groups of Fungi, Ecology, Edibility & Toxicity; daily field work (forays); and laboratory/class activities where participants will be introduced to the use of field keys, microscopy, documentary photographic techniques, and more. Designed for beginners wanting a solid introduction to mycology, and for more advanced individuals wishing to pursue their personal mycological interests, this workshop facilitates learning in a relaxed group setting in a unique and mycologically rich area.
Click here for the syllabus.
Prerequisites: None
Cost: $500 course fee + on-site housing for $300 per person for duration of workshop

Spiders of the Southern Appalachians
2022-08-01 - 2022-08-12 | NC
Instructors: Dr. Sarah Stellwagen (UNC – Charlotte) and Dr. Kefyn Catley (Western Carolina University Emeritus)

Spiders are one of the most diverse groups of animals, and the many different ecosystems within and surrounding the southern Appalachians provide an ideal setting for collecting and learning about these unique organisms. This course will present a comprehensive introduction to spider natural history including systematics, morphology, behavior, physiology, and ecology. Specimens will be collected during daily field trips, and identification skills practiced in the laboratory. This year, the course will also include a day which focuses on Opiliones (daddy-long-legs), a related arachnid order.

Prerequisites: general biology, ecology, or permission of instructor
Cost: $1000 course fee + $600 housing fee (if staying on-site)
Click here for the syllabus.

Lichen Identification Workshop
2022-07-29 - 2022-07-31 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Dr. Jessi Allen (EWU) and Dr. James Lendemer (NYBG)
This course will focus on lichen identification, both in the lab and in the field, including basic morphology and chemical tests, keying, and sight identification of common genera. We will also discuss the ecological and evolutionary importance of lichens.
Prerequisites: None
Cost: $300 course fee with on-site housing available for $120/person (Thursday night – Monday morning)
Click here to register.

Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies - Session 2
2022-07-25 - 2022-08-05 | NC
Instructor: Dr. John Morse (Clemson University Emeritus)
Please note that both sessions of this course are identical – you only need to sign up for 1 session.
Natural history and taxonomy of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera), including systematics, ecology, and behavior of larvae and adults, with emphasis on those aspects important in ecological studies, biological monitoring of water quality, and sport fishing. Insects will be collected from mountain stream habitats, and identifications will be done in the laboratory.

Prerequisites: Students are expected to have prior training in zoology, but not necessarily entomology.
Cost: $1000 course fee + $600 housing fee (if staying on-site)
Click here for the syllabus.

Bryophyte Identification
2022-07-25 - 2022-07-29 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Ed Schwartzman (Joe Pye Ecological Consulting)
Please note that this course may not be taken for graduate credit.
The Southern Appalachians are an area of high bryophyte diversity, and this course will introduce students to common and some rare mosses, liverworts, and hornworts of the region. The class will survey bryophyte diversity by visiting and sampling from a variety of habitats in the vicinity around Highlands, NC. Laboratory work will involve extensive use of microscopes, and identifications will rely on microscopic characters and use of dichotomous keys. Students will explore diagnostic features for bryophyte identification and learn common taxa in the field and closeup using microscopes. Lectures will cover differences among mosses, liverworts, and hornworts as well as morphological features used to distinguish bryophyte taxa. No prior bryology experience or studies are necessary to take the course, though students should be willing to work with microscopes and use diagnostic keys for identification in the lab. The course is geared towards botanists, natural resource professionals, naturalists, and students. Prerequisites: a botany, plant science, or plant taxonomy course or permission of instructor.
Prerequisites: None
Cost: $500 course fee + $300 housing fee (if staying on-site)
Click here for the syllabus.

Rock Outcrop and Cliff Face Communities
2022-07-18 - 2022-07-22 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructors: Laura Boggess (Mars Hill University) and Gary Kaufmann (USDA Forest Service)
This course may not be taken for graduate credit.
The Southern Appalachians are an area of high bryophyte diversity, and this course will introduce students to common and some rare mosses, liverworts, and hornworts of the region. The class will survey bryophyte diversity by visiting and sampling from a variety of habitats in the vicinity around Highlands, NC. Laboratory work will involve extensive use of microscopes, and identifications will rely on microscopic characters and use of dichotomous keys. Students will explore diagnostic features for bryophyte identification and learn common taxa in the field and closeup using microscopes. Lectures will cover differences among mosses, liverworts, and hornworts as well as morphological features used to distinguish bryophyte taxa. No prior bryology experience or studies are necessary to take the course, though students should be willing to work with microscopes and use diagnostic keys for identification in the lab. The course is geared towards botanists, natural resource professionals, naturalists, and students. Prerequisites: a botany, plant science, or plant taxonomy course or permission of instructor.
Prerequisites: None
Cost: $500 course fee + $300 housing fee (if staying on-site)
Click here for the syllabus.

Drawing Leaves in the Studio and Leaves (Part 3 of 3)
2022-07-14 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax) | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Margie Bauer (Natural science illustrator and artist)
This 3-part course is to improve your drawing skills when drawing leaves. While each session may be taken by itself, the skills from the previous class(es) will be used in subsequent classes. Before students apply the botanical drawing skills in each session, students will be lead through a meditation process that will help our creative side flow.
Click here for the syllabus.
Prerequisites: Basic drawing skills
Cost: $50/session
Click here to register.

Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies - Session 1
2022-07-11 - 2022-07-22 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

Comparative Temperate/Tropical Ecology
2022-07-10 - 2022-07-28 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Dr. Jim Costa (WCU/HBS) and Dr. Travis Knowles (Francis Marion University)
An introductory exploration of the ecology and biogeography of temperate-zone and tropical biodiversity hotspots, from the southern Appalachians to Andean Ecuador. Based at two mountain biological field stations (Highlands Biological Station in Highlands, NC and Wildsumaco Biological Station, Sumaco Biosphere Reserve, Ecuador), we will take a field-based comparative approach to exploring southern Appalachian and Amazonian Andean montane ecology and biogeography in the spirit of the explorer-naturalists of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. We will consider the geological context of the Appalachians and Andes, comparative biogeography / ecology of these respective regions in terms of the ecological and historical factors that shape their biota, big-picture patterns of latitudinal and elevational diversity gradients, principles of forest community structure and function, and examine comparative species composition and interactions in selected groups as well as soil structure and microbiota.
Prerequisites: Introductory Biology sequence, at least one course at the 200 level or above in Biology, Environmental Science, or Geosciences/Natural Resources Management, or permission of instructor.
Click here for the syllabus.
Stay tuned for updates regarding cost and travel information.

Drawing Leaves in the Studio and Field (Part 2 of 3)
2022-07-07 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax) | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

Drawing Leaves in the Studio and Field (Part 1 of 3)
2022-06-30 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax) | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

Landscape Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians
2022-06-27 - 2022-07-08 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructors: Dr. Bill Peterman (Ohio State University)
Amphibians are among the most imperiled taxa globally, with habitat loss and degradation posing the greatest threats. Landscape ecology and conservation biology provide an appropriate lens to address these threats. This course will provide an overview of landscape ecology and conservation biology principles as they pertain to amphibian ecology and life history. Students will gain an understanding of course topics through lecture, discussion of primary literature, as well as hands-on exercises and field excursions. Students will also obtain a foundational understanding of GIS technologies through lab exercises. There will be an emphasis on the salamander diversity of the Southern Appalachians and their habitats throughout the course.
Prerequisites: Zoology, Herpetology or Vertebrate Biology; Ecology or Population Biology; or permission from instructor
Cost: $1000 course fee + $600 housing fee (if staying on-site)
Click here for the syllabus.

Geology of the Highlands Plateau
2022-06-23 09:00 - 18:00 (America/Halifax) | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Bill Jacobs, Author of Whence These Special Places? The Geology of Cashiers, Highlands & Panthertown Valley
This workshop has grown out of Bill Jacobs’ book, Whence These Special Places? The Geology of Cashiers, Highlands & Panthertown Valley. As reflected in both the book and his talks, Bill is particularly fascinated with how geologic processes, some dating back more than 500 million years, have produced today’s mountains and waterfalls. He will discuss such questions as:
– How did the rocks in our mountains form and get to where they now are, and how has that history determined the appearance of today’s landscape?
– What created the high-elevation area we call the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau?
– Little Sliding Rock and Glen Falls are both much-loved cascades on the Plateau, but one is so smooth you can slide on it and the other is a series of jagged precipices – why the difference?
– What in the world is Shining Rock, and is there anything else like it in the world?
– Why is Rock Mountain gently rounded while nearby Chimneytop has a chimney? What gives Whiteside Mountain its unique character, with precipitous cliffs standing high above a more gently rounded base?
The workshop format will provide time for a richer discussion than is possible in shorter talks, as well as for questions and examination of rock samples and geologic maps. To close out the classroom activities, Bill will provide a “virtual field trip” to numerous nearby sites, such as Sunset Rock, Glen Falls, Little Sliding Rock, Whiteside Mountain and Devil’s Courthouse, and the Cullasaja waterfalls, to help participants better appreciate the geology on display during their future visits to these special places.
After lunch (on your own) Bill will lead an optional excursion to High Falls, below Lake Glenville Dam. At this extraordinary site, participants can examine up close how different rock groups have been complexly mixed together, and how their different characteristics are reflected in both the exposed rocks and the overall shape of the falls. (Note – this excursion requires over 600’ of elevation gain on uneven surfaces, as well as rock-hopping around the base of the falls. It should be undertaken only by experienced, confident hikers).
As in the book, Bill will use language and concepts easily understood by non-scientists, with numerous photographs and illustrations. He will also provide several handouts, and will be delighted to respond to questions, whether about the book or the geology. Signed copies of Whence These Special Places? will be available for purchase through Highlands Biological Station’s Nature Center. Additional information about both the book and its author may be found at www.GreatRockPress.com.
Cost: $60 for morning session (9am – 12pm); $100 for morning session and hike to High Falls (strenuous) in afternoon (1pm – 6pm).
Click here to register.

Diversity and Identification of Southern Appalachian Leaf Litter Arthropods
2022-06-20 - 2022-06-24 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructors: Dr. Mike Caterino (Clemson University) and Dr. Paul Marek (Virginia Tech)

A hands-on introduction to field and lab methods for the sampling and identification of arthropods living in leaf litter. Litter sifting will be practiced in multiple habitats. Following Berlese extraction of specimens, students will learn to identify the major groups and conduct preliminary comparisons of diversity among samples and habitat types.

Prerequisites: General biology required. A course in general entomology would be useful but not critical.
Cost: $500 course fee + $300 housing fee (if staying on-site).
Click here for the syllabus.

Vascular Flora of the Blue Ridge
2022-06-13 - 2022-06-24 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. Paul Manos (Duke University)
The course is designed for students of all sorts, professional biologists, and amateur enthusiasts. The goals are to introduce plant diversity with a community-based approach through field observations of the flora of the Blue Ridge: to emphasize basic distinguishing features among lycophytes, ferns and seed plants; to focus on field characteristics of common and rare species and their habitats; to use keys to identify species; and to better understand the ecology of the major plant communities of the region and the biogeography of the species.
Prerequisites: One course in Introductory biology or ecology, training in natural history or permission of instructor
Cost: $1000 course fee + $600 housing fee (if staying on-site)
Click here for the syllabus.

Fireflies 101
2022-06-02 19:00 - 22:00 (America/Halifax) | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Dr. Luiz Silveira (WCU)
Did you know…

That fireflies are beetles?
That our planet is home to over 2,200 firefly species?
That all firefly species make light as larvae (immature stage), but many don’t do it in the adult stage?
That many fireflies can be identified by their species-specific flash pattern?
That over a dozen firefly species can be found on the Highlands Plateau?

Come join Western Carolina University entomologist Dr. Luiz Da Silveira for our first “Fireflies 101” workshop, where participants will learn about the natural history of fireflies, ways of observing and telling them apart, and what we can do to make our gardens more “glowing.” The workshop will conclude with a night walk around the Highlands Biological Station grounds and Botanical Garden, where we will learn to identify the fireflies we encounter and decipher their light-flash conversations.
Dr. Luiz Da Silveira is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Western Carolina University. He received his Ph.D. in Ecology at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Afterwards he worked one year as a post-doc at the University of Georgia. Luiz specializes on the taxonomy of South American fireflies and on global biogeography of the Lampyridae.
Cost: $150
Click here to register.

Fish of the Southern Appalachians
2022-05-30 - 2022-06-10 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. Mollie Cashner (Austin Peay University)
Stay tuned for course description and syllabus. Visit https://highlandsbiological.org/2022-academic-course-schedule/ for more information.

Biology of Plethodontid Salamanders
2022-05-23 08:00 - 2022-06-03 17:00 (America/Halifax) | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructors: Dr. Joe Pechmann (Western Carolina University) and Dr. Ken Kozak (University of Minnesota)
Stay tuned for course description and syllabus. Visit https://highlandsbiological.org/2022-academic-course-schedule/ for more information.

Conservation Biology
2022-05-16 08:00 - 2022-05-27 17:00 (America/Halifax) | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Peter White (UNC – Chapel Hill)
The goal of this class is to review all the biological knowledge that is essential to conservation, ranging from genetics to populations to ecosystems and from small scales to broad ones, while focusing on the diverse and complex landscape of the Southern Appalachians. Some of the material may be review from general biology or ecology classes, albeit with new conservation-themed examples, and some will be new to you because the work in question is only carried out in a conservation context. Examples of competencies gained are the following: ability to evaluate the relative contributions of niche-environment relations and spatial-temporal constraints to biodiversity patterns and the consequence of these patterns for conservation design; understanding how genetic diversity is affected by effective population size; understanding how extinction risk is affected by the size, number, and distribution of populations; ability to construct, in a conceptual sense, population and metapopulation models; understanding concepts of ecosystem dynamics, resistance, resilience, and adaptability; ability to critically analyze modern conservation issues like invasive species, climate change and change in other ecological processes, habitat loss and fragmentation, trophic cascades, ecological restoration, and ex situ conservation. The key competency to gain is to think critically about scientific findings, to see where uncertainties and opportunities for new research lie, and to use the findings of biological science as a conservation tool box.
Prerequisites: General biology and ecology courses or permission of instructor
Click here for the syllabus.

Identification of Southern Appalachian Grasses
2022-05-16 - 2022-05-21 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. Paul McKenzie (US Fish and Wildlife Service Emeritus)
The purpose of this class is for participants to know the differences between grasses, sedges and rushes; obtain a thorough knowledge of the grass flower and variations among different grass Tribes in the SE Appalachians; have extensive practice using dichotomous keys in lab; and examine and identify grasses observed in the field using principles and concepts learned in class.
Prerequisites: None but participants who have experience using dichotomous keys in a plant identification class will be able to grasp the material sooner than those who don’t.
Cost: $500 course fee + $300 housing fee (if staying on-site)
Click here for the syllabus.

Highlands Field Site Students' End-of-Semester Project Presentations
2021-12-09 18:00 - 21:00 UTC | NC
Bats and hemlocks and salamanders, oh my! Join us as we celebrate the four months of hard work our 12 Highlands Field Site students have accomplished. These talented and determined students have been working hard to contribute to the understanding of the incredible biodiversity of our region. You can join them for their end-of-semester celebration where they will present their individual and group research project findings for our community. The presentations and reception will be held on Thursday, December 9th. Location and time to be determined. Stay tuned for more info.
For a sneak peek at the students’ research projects, see HBF’s fall newsletter HERE.

Science Slam
2021-12-08 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Halifax) | Hudson Library, 554 Main Street, Highlands, North Carolina, 28741
Highlands Biological Station and UNC-Chapel Hill’s Institute for the Environment students invite you to enjoy a selection of poetry and creative writing created during their semester studying the diverse environments of southern Appalachia while in residence at HBS. This COVID-safe event will take place at Hudson Library in Highlands on Wednesday, December 8th at 1:00 PM.

Holiday Creations
2021-12-04 13:00 - 16:00 UTC | NC
Kick of your holidays by making decorations from natural materials! Drop by the Highlands Nature Center after the Higlands Olde Mountain Christmas Parade to create twig stars, pine cone ornaments, and more! This event is free and great for all ages!

Highlands Olde Mountain Christmas Parade
2021-12-04 10:30 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | NC
The Highlands Nature Center will be a part of this year’s Christmas parade! Join us this holiday season for the annual parade down Main Street in Highlands to see what festive float we’ll have this year.

Nature Center Hours
2021-11-27 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York), 2021-11-20 10:00 - 16:00 UTC, 2021-11-13 10:00 - 16:00 UTC, 2021-11-06 10:00 - 16:00 UTC | NC
The Nature Center will be open from 10 AM – 4 PM. Advanced reservations suggested for groups of 6 or more. Admission is free.

Thanksgiving
2021-11-25 - 2021-11-26 | NC
Station and Foundation offices will be closed for Thanksgiving. The Botanical Garden will be open dawn-dusk but no staff will be on-site.

Nature 101 - Rock 'N Roll
2021-11-16 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | NC
What makes a rock, a rock? To find out, join the Highlands Nature Center for their November Nature 101 program “Rock ‘n Roll”! Beginning at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16th, you will learn how to identify rocks on campus, then put your knowledge to the test during a half-mile hike. Your rock-filled adventure will end at Sunset Rock, which is owned and protected by the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust. This event is weather dependent. Reservations and masks are required. To reserve your spot, visit https://highlandsbiological.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/highlandsbiological/eventRegistration.jsp?event=728&
