Grasses of the Southern Appalachians
2023-05-08 - 2023-05-12 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. Paul McKenzie (USFWS, Emeritus)
This class will include a detailed description of the grass flower, inflorescence type, habitat and ecological associations, Tribal affinities, distribution, and habit differences. The class will be taught in four parts: 1) power point presentation and classroom instruction, 2) examination of important features with hand lens and dissecting scope, 3) team keying of grass specimens, and 4) field identification.
Dichotomous keys, hard copy print outs of power point presentation, and other handouts will be provided by the instructor. Tips for proper collection; processing; label development; herbaria deposition of grass specimens; and suggested websites/electronic tools helpful in grass study will also be discussed.
Suggested references/materials recommended or required (*) include the following:
1. Hand lens (*): A 16x is preferred over a 10x loupe.
2. Clark, L.G. and R.W. Pohl. Agnes Chase’s First Book of Grasses- (1996)- the Structure of grasses explained for beginners. 4th Smithsonian Books. Washington, D.C. 127 pp. This book is inexpensive and an absolute must for anyone wanting to understand grass identification.
3. “Plant Identification Terminology- An Illustrated Glossary” by James G. Harris and Melinda Woolf Harris (2001)- Second Edition. Because dichotomous keys will often use terms related to various plant structures or texture that some students are unfamiliar with, a good illustrated glossary that both defines and illustrates terms is highly recommended for any plant identification course. I have yet to find one better than this one and at $20.95 for a paper back copy from Amazon, it is a steal
Pre-requisites: None, but individuals with experience in plant taxonomy or have taken another plant identification class will grasp the material quicker.

BEE Kind | Compassion & Reciprocity: Lessons from the Pollinator Garden
2023-05-09 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Halifax) | HBS North Campus, 111 Lower Lake Road, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Tuesday, May 9th | 10 – 11 AM
Highlands Biological Station’s North Campus (111 Lower Lake Road)
FREE | No registration necessary
There are many lessons that can be gleaned from nature. Studies show that spending time in the natural world can raise our awareness of the other species that share this world with us and build our own capacity for compassion. By better understanding our role in the complex system of biodiversity we can not only bring peace and kindness to ourselves but create a ripple effect that increases our capacity to be kinder and more considerate of others. Bees and their flower partners demonstrate reciprocity and show how cooperation can lead to fruitful ventures. Join Sonya Carpenter on May 9th, at 10:00 am in the pollinator garden of the Highlands Biological Station to learn about reciprocity in the natural world.
Weather dependent.
Mental health awareness starts with kindness! This event is being held as part of BEE Kind, an initiative from the Counseling Center of Highlands and Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation to raise awareness about the month of May as Mental Health Awareness Month.

Mosquitoes of the Southern Appalachians
2023-05-15 - 2023-05-19 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. Brian Byrd (Western Carolina University)
Check back later for a description and pre-requisites.

Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies
2023-05-15 - 2023-05-26 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. John Morse
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.

Pre-requisites:Students are expected to have prior training in zoology, but not necessarily entomology

BEE Kind | Forest Bathing Walk (5/20)
2023-05-20 17:00 - 20:00 | HBS North Campus, 111 Lower Lake Road, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Saturday, May 20th | 5 – 8 PM | Register HERE
Highlands Biological Station’s North Campus (111 Lower Lake Road)
$20/ person | Registration required
Join Robin Hancock of Renewal by Nature for a forest bathing walk through the Highlands Botanical Garden. This rather intense, yet relaxed, practice renews us in a way that allows our inner peace and health to radiate beyond the Forest Therapy walk and positively impact our day to day experiences. In addition to the psychological and emotional benefits, Forest Therapy has a positive impact on human physiology in the form of improved biometric measures and function.
Each walk is 3 hours in length, and consists of a series of invitations crafted to encourage the participants to connect with nature through their senses. Events are rain or shine, unless the weather is threatening.

Mental health awareness starts with kindness! This event is being held as part of BEE Kind, an initiative from the Counseling Center of Highlands and Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation to raise awareness about the month of May as Mental Health Awareness Month.

BEE Kind | Forest Bathing Walk (5/21)
2023-05-21 09:00 - 12:00 | HBS North Campus, 111 Lower Lake Road, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Saturday, May 21st | 9 AM – 12 PM | Register HERE
Highlands Biological Station’s North Campus (111 Lower Lake Road)
$20/ person | Registration required
Join Robin Hancock of Renewal by Nature for a forest bathing walk through the Highlands Botanical Garden. This rather intense, yet relaxed, practice renews us in a way that allows our inner peace and health to radiate beyond the Forest Therapy walk and positively impact our day to day experiences. In addition to the psychological and emotional benefits, Forest Therapy has a positive impact on human physiology in the form of improved biometric measures and function.
Each walk is 3 hours in length, and consists of a series of invitations crafted to encourage the participants to connect with nature through their senses. Events are rain or shine, unless the weather is threatening.

Mental health awareness starts with kindness! This event is being held as part of BEE Kind, an initiative from the Counseling Center of Highlands and Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation to raise awareness about the month of May as Mental Health Awareness Month.

Pollinator Party Walk
2023-05-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Sunday, May 21 | 2 – 3:30 PM | Registration required HERE
FREE admission

This Endangered Species Day, join Mainspring Conservation Trust & Highlands Nature Center for an easy stroll through the Highlands Botanical Garden to learn about some of our endangered pollinators, from bees & wasps to butterflies & moths!
Meet at the Highlands Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road).

Introduction to Plant Ecophysiology in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
2023-05-22 - 2023-06-02 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. Howie Neufeld (Appalachian State University)
A short course on basic plant ecophysiology instrumentation and techniques, designed for beginners and advanced students alike. Students will learn the operating principles behind plant gas exchange (photosynthesis and transpiration), pigment extraction, and plant-water relations. This will include measuring plant water stress and hydraulics, which is how plants move liquid water in their stems. Students will become proficient in the use of portable gas exchange systems, pressure chambers for measuring water stress, hydraulic conductance systems, and fluorescence systems for measuring leaf stress. Much of the course will be field-based and measurements will be done on native plants in the lab and field; weather permitting, students will take field trips to different plant habitats in the Southern Appalachians and learn about the environmental factors governing growth and survival in these unique areas. After mastering the instrumentation and theory during the first week, students will work in groups to plan and conduct a field experiment during the second week, the results of which will be presented at a mini symposium at the conclusion of the course.
Pre-requisites: Students must have completed the introductory biology sequence at their institution

NCN: Salamander Meander (Members Only)
2023-05-26 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Friday, May 26 | 9 – 10 PM
Limited spaces | Registration required HERE (registration opens Monday, May 22)
FREE admission, donation appreciated

Kick off Highlands Nature Center’s summer season by searching for salamanders in the Botanical Garden! Discover strange and fascinating facts about our slimy amphibian friends, then join our Education Specialists on a walk through the gardens to find local species. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! We will meet in the amphitheater behind the Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road). This program is weather-dependent.

NatureTime StoryTime
2023-05-29 10:30 - 11:15, 2023-06-12 10:30 - 11:15 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
May 29 | June 12 | June 19 | June 26
10:30 AM
Highlands Nature Center
FREE | No registration necessary
Join local storyteller Ms. KK at the Highlands Nature Center as she reads fun books and sings silly songs all about the great outdoors. After the StoryTime fun, Ms. KK will take you on an interactive adventure walk! This program is geared towards elementary-aged children, but all nature explorers are welcome. New Nature Themes each week (such as): Cute Critters, Buggin’ Out, Frogs & Reptiles Oh My!, Going Camping, and More!
About Ms. KK:
A beloved storyteller, Ms. KK always puts her heart, energy, and infectious personality into every performance. Her enthusiasm and overall love of books is contagious. Ms. KK believes that when you open a book it opens up a world with endless possibilities. Whether she is performing virtually or in person, Ms. KK will make sure everyone has fun! Honestly, if I can make a child smile it makes my whole heart shine. Ms. KK taps into her former acting, improv, and voice-over skills as well as my years as a storyteller on YouTube and in Public libraries, to make every performance full of fun and joy!

Nature Center Holiday Hours
2023-05-29 12:00 - 16:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Highlands Nature Center is Open for Memorial Day Weekend!
Extended Holiday Hours: Sunday, May 28, 12 – 4 PM
FREE admission

NCN: Salamander Meander
2023-05-30 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Limited spaces | Registration required
Tuesday, May 30 | 9 – 10 PM | Register HERE
FREE admission, donation appreciated

Search for salamanders in the Botanical Garden! Discover strange and fascinating facts about our slimy amphibian friends, then join our Education Specialists on a walk through the gardens to find local species. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! We will meet in the amphitheater behind the Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road). This program is weather-dependent.
This program is open to the public.

NCN: Salamander Meander
2023-05-31 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Limited spaces | Registration required
Wednesday, May 31 | 9 – 10 PM | Register HERE
FREE admission, donation appreciated

Search for salamanders in the Botanical Garden! Discover strange and fascinating facts about our slimy amphibian friends, then join our Education Specialists on a walk through the gardens to find local species. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! We will meet in the amphitheater behind the Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road). This program is weather-dependent.
This program is open to the public.

Southern Appalachian Mammals
2023-06-05 - 2023-06-16 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructors: Dr. Rada Petric (UNC-Chapel Hill) and Dr. Ed Pivorun (Clemson University)
This course will emphasize the mammalian fauna of the Southern Appalachians. We will have traditional lectures on mammalian anatomy, evolution, orders, physiology and ecology for about 1 ½ hours every morning. Field work will emphasize live trapping techniques. Mammals tend to be nocturnal. Thus, all traps will be set out in the late afternoon and will be checked early the next morning. These efforts will allow the student to become familiar with as many living local species of mammals as possible. The field work will examine the importance of specific habitats for the distribution and density of specific species. After a short break, we will move into the lecture setting until noon. In the early afternoon, after lunch, we will spend another 1 ½- 2 hours to do some more of the traditional mammalogy labs on anatomy, identification and keying. An interactive DVD/flash drive provided to each student contains high resolution images of the skulls of each species native to the Appalachian forests. This is an excellent study aid that is used in conjunction with the actual skulls and study skins of each species.
Pre-requisites: Introductory biology, zoology, or permission of the instructor.

Owl Prowl
2023-06-06 19:00 - 19:45 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 6th (Register HERE)
Time: 7pm – 7:45pm
FREE, all ages welcome
Registration required
Who-oo goes there? Join Balsam Mountain Trust for a special meeting with their live owl ambassadors and learn more about these amazing nocturnal raptors. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

Going Batty
2023-06-07 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 7th (Register HERE)
Time: 9pm-10pm
FREE, all ages welcome
Discover the nocturnal mammals who take to the skies! Learn about the fascinating world of bats, then join naturalists in the Botanical Garden to seek them out. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

Biology and Conservation of Birds
2023-06-12 - 2023-06-23 | NC
Instructor: Dr. Rob Bierregaard (Drexel University & Academy of Natural Sciences)
Bird diversity is extremely high in the southern Appalachian mountain and Blue Ridge Escarpment region, an area that includes a wide range of plant community types over a nearly 4000-foot range in elevation. This basic course in ornithology covers morphology, systematics, ecology, conservation, and behavior of birds. Daily field trips in the local area will acquaint students with the rich bird fauna of the region.
Pre-requisites: Introductory biology, ecology, or permission of instructor.
For more information, visit https://highlandsbiological.org/summer-2023-academic-courses/

A Buggy Evening
2023-06-13 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 13th (Register HERE)
9 – 10 PM
FREE, all ages welcome
Registration required
Experience the world of our smallest nocturnal creatures—insects! Learn to identify unique and beautiful insects then join naturalists to look for fireflies and nocturnal creepy crawlies in the Botanical Garden. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

A Buggy Evening
2023-06-14 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 14th (Register HERE)
9 – 10 PM
FREE, all ages welcome
Registration required
Experience the world of our smallest nocturnal creatures—insects! Learn to identify unique and beautiful insects then join naturalists to look for fireflies and nocturnal creepy crawlies in the Botanical Garden. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

Zahner Lecture 1
2023-06-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Lecture 1 – Birds, Big Data, and Citizen Science: Understanding the Impacts of Global Change
Featured Speaker: Allen Hurlbert, Ph.D.; Professor of Biology; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Date: Thursday, June 15th
Time: 6pm – 7pm
Cost: FREE
Sponsored by Kim & Rich Daugherty and Kathy & Bestor Ward.
As the world undergoes various facets of environmental change – from warming to habitat loss to shifts in seasonality – everyday people can help scientists understand the impacts on natural ecosystems through citizen science. In this talk, Dr. Allen Hurlbert will provide examples of how citizen science has enhanced our understanding of how global change is impacting birds, as well as insect bird food, across North America, and how you can help these efforts.

Biology and Identification of Ferns
2023-06-19 - 2023-06-23 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. Joey Shaw (UT-Chattanooga)
Students will obtain a comprehensive understanding of the seedless vascular plants, or cryptogams, or pteridophytes, including ferns and fern allies like lycopodium, and obscure taxa like the Appalachian gametophyte. Within the framework of classification, taxonomy, and evolution, we will dive deeply into studies of life cycles, morphology, basic anatomy, ecology, taxonomy, and nomenclature. We will take daily field trips within the Southern Appalachians and within a couple hours drive to collect specimens, bring them back to the laboratory, and identify them to species. The majority of our time will be spent either collecting in the field or keying species in the laboratory; that is, we will use the exercise of keying species to learn the important characters for identifying Southern Appalachian pteridophytes. Students will be encouraged to assemble reference collections and the last hours of the course will be spent assembling these collections. We will use various sources for species identification, but the Guide to Tennessee Vascular Plants of Tennessee will be the main key for species identification.
Pre-requisites: This course is designed for professional biologists, naturalists, and undergraduate/graduate students that who have an interest in ferns, plant taxonomy, or field botany and who have some experience with dichotomous keys.  No previous experience with ferns is required, but if you have experience I can probably take you further in your knowledge. That is, I have often taught this class and others to a diverse crowd of student’s wide spectrum of knowledge bases. Depending on the different field trips, participants should be prepared to put in at least a couple of 12-hour days.

For more information, visit https://highlandsbiological.org/summer-2023-academic-courses/

NatureTime StoryTime
2023-06-19 10:30 - 11:15 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 19 & June 26
10:30 AM
Highlands Nature Center
FREE | No registration necessary
Join local storyteller Ms. KK at the Highlands Nature Center as she reads fun books and sings silly songs all about the great outdoors. After the StoryTime fun, Ms. KK will take you on an interactive adventure walk! This program is geared towards elementary-aged children, but all nature explorers are welcome. New Nature Themes each week (such as): Cute Critters, Buggin’ Out, Frogs & Reptiles Oh My!, Going Camping, and More!
About Ms. KK:
A beloved storyteller, Ms. KK always puts her heart, energy, and infectious personality into every performance. Her enthusiasm and overall love of books is contagious. Ms. KK believes that when you open a book it opens up a world with endless possibilities. Whether she is performing virtually or in person, Ms. KK will make sure everyone has fun! Honestly, if I can make a child smile it makes my whole heart shine. Ms. KK taps into her former acting, improv, and voice-over skills as well as my years as a storyteller on YouTube and in Public libraries, to make every performance full of fun and joy!

Folklore & Explore
2023-06-20 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 20th (Register HERE)
9 – 10 PM
FREE, all ages welcome
Registration required
Curious about old wives’ tales, superstitions, & Sasquatch? Explore the natural, night-time beauty of the Botanical Garden while unearthing fascinating tales of Appalachian lore. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

Folklore & Explore
2023-06-21 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 21st (Register HERE)
9 – 10 PM
FREE, all ages welcome
Registration required
Curious about old wives’ tales, superstitions, & Sasquatch? Explore the natural, night-time beauty of the Botanical Garden while unearthing fascinating tales of Appalachian lore. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

Zahner Lecture 2
2023-06-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Lecture 2 - Native Plants for the Vegetable Garden

Featured Speaker: Adam Bigelow; Plant Nerd and Guide; Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions
Date: Thursday, June 22nd
Time: 6pm – 7pm
Cost: FREE
Sponsored by Vicki & Donny Ferguson.
Native plants benefit us, our gardens, and the landscapes and ecosystems we depend on. Learn about the benefits of native plants and the harm caused by invasive plants. We will discuss how native plants can attract beneficial insects, beautify vegetable and flower gardens, and provide nutrition to the dinner plate, and help fill all of the roles that plants provide to our vegetable gardens and landscapes.

Celebrating Bees w/ Spriggly's Beescaping
2023-06-24 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Saturday, June 24th at the Highlands Nature Center
FREE | Registration required for adult reading/walk

Join Highlands Nature Center & Spriggly’s Beescaping for a day all about our native bees!
Program Schedule:
10:30 – 11 AM: A reading of ‘Finding Home’ + a short presentation about native pollinators | Family-friendly | No registration required
12:30 – 1:30 PM: Join author Brannen Basham as he takes you on an in-depth experience featuring some of the fascinating North American plants and animals found at the Nature Center, along with a reading from his book ‘A Guide to the Wonderful World Around Us’ | Adult-oriented | Registration required for this program HERE (registration opens June 3)
2:30 – 3 PM: A reading of ‘Finding Home’ + a short presentation about native pollinators | Family-friendly | No registration required
Bee tube rolling and coloring activities will be available in between the reading events!

Field to Database: Collecting Biodiversity Data in the Age of Global Databases
2023-06-25 - 2023-06-29 | NC
Instructor: Dr. Joey Shaw (UT-Chattanooga)

*Note course runs Sunday-Thursday*
During this course, students will obtain a comprehensive understanding of how biological collections are made in the field and eventually uploaded to national and international data portals, like iDigBio or GBIF. We will help you to download and install important helpful apps and teach you how to use them in series to go from field to data portal. Students will leave the course having collected Plantae specimens, made labels, mounted specimens, and uploaded digital data to global portals. In addition to teaching and focusing on these skills, I can also help you key out and identify plant species that you might encounter and want to collect in the field, although you should have some cursory skills.
Pre-requisites: This course is designed for young professionals who will be making biological collections of plants or fungi (professors, conservation workers, graduate students, undergraduate students, and naturalists), although it is open to others with an interest in this subject. No previous experience is required. Depending on the different field trips, participants should be prepared to put in at least a couple of 12-hour days. It would be great if you have had at least a class in Field Botany, Plant Taxonomy, Local Flora, or similar, but that is not necessary either.
Course Outcome: Leave having collected and digitized Plantae specimens, including labels, transcribed text data & images.
For more information, visit https://highlandsbiological.org/summer-2023-academic-courses/.

Conservation Genetics of Salamanders
2023-06-26 - 2023-06-30 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Instructor: Dr. JJ Apodaca (Tangled Bank Conservation)
The field of conservation genetics is rapidly emerging as an exceedingly vital component of conservation biology. This course focuses on salamanders to explore the fundamentals, cutting edge techniques, theories, and issues surrounding conservation genetics. Salamanders are one of the most endangered vertebrate groups in the world and are extremely diverse in the southern Appalachians, making them an ideal focal group for an introduction to the world of conservation genetics. In this short course, participants will become familiar with how to design, carry out, and interpret a conservation genetic study. We will also focus on learning to identify, work with, and appreciate the local salamander diversity. Participants will become acquainted with commonly used laboratory techniques and current literature pertaining to the conservation genetics of salamanders. This course is designed for students and others interested in working in the field of wildlife management that want to learn more about conservation genetics.
Pre-requisites: Introductory biology, ecology, or permission of instructor.

For more information, visit https://highlandsbiological.org/summer-2023-academic-courses/.

NatureTime StoryTime
2023-06-26 10:30 - 11:15 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 26 at 10:30 AM
Highlands Nature Center
FREE | No registration necessary
Join local storyteller Ms. KK at the Highlands Nature Center as she reads fun books and sings silly songs all about the great outdoors. After the StoryTime fun, Ms. KK will take you on an interactive adventure walk! This program is geared towards elementary-aged children, but all nature explorers are welcome. New Nature Themes each week (such as): Cute Critters, Buggin’ Out, Frogs & Reptiles Oh My!, Going Camping, and More!
About Ms. KK:
A beloved storyteller, Ms. KK always puts her heart, energy, and infectious personality into every performance. Her enthusiasm and overall love of books is contagious. Ms. KK believes that when you open a book it opens up a world with endless possibilities. Whether she is performing virtually or in person, Ms. KK will make sure everyone has fun! Honestly, if I can make a child smile it makes my whole heart shine. Ms. KK taps into her former acting, improv, and voice-over skills as well as my years as a storyteller on YouTube and in Public libraries, to make every performance full of fun and joy!
