Highlands Biological Station

CANCELED: Nature Center open for July 4th Weekend
2020-07-05 12:00 - 16:00 UTC | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
The Highlands Nature Center will be open Sunday, July 5, 12 pm – 4 pm for July 4th Weekend.

CANCELED: Savvy Survivors Ends (Ages 7-9)
2020-07-03 09:00 - 13:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Discover what crafty creatures are all around us! Catch insects, salamanders, and more to study how they survive and learn all about their life cycles.
Registration required.

CANCELED: Crafty Critters Ends (Ages 4-6)
2020-07-03 09:00 - 11:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Find out the secrets to survival! Discover through games and art how animals hide in plain sight, forage for food, and live in strange worlds in our marvelous mountains.
Registration required.

CANCELED: Lichens Course Ends (June 29th - July 3rd)
2020-07-03 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Biology & Conservation of Lichens June 29 – July 3 Dr. Jessica Allen, Atlanta Botanical Garden & Dr. James Lendemer, New York Botanical Garden (download syllabus) Lichens grow all over the world, from the arctic to the tropics, where they are important in a multitude of ways including serving as shelter for small invertebrates, and food for animals from snails to caribou. In this course you will have a chance to learn about lichens in one of their centers of diversity, the southern Appalachians. We will take field trips to a variety of habitats to explore the species and ecological diversity of lichens. Lab work will cover lichen chemistry, morphology, and identification. At the end of the course you will have a new perspective on the diversity, evolution and ecology of lichens. * We will go on field trips to explore a variety of lichen communities characteristic of the southern Appalachians. Field trips will take place in natural areas up to 1.5 hours drive from HBS. Up to a total of 5 miles of hiking per day can be expected on days we go in the field. For all-day field trips you will need to pack a lunch. Prerequisites: General biology, ecology, basic understanding of evolution, and prior experience with basic skills of microscopy is strongly recommended.

July 4th Scavenger Hunt
2020-07-02 - 2020-07-05 | NC
Celebrate the coming holiday with an Independence Day themed nature scavenger hunt at the Highlands Botanical Garden! Beginning Thursday, July 2nd you and your family will be able to use our self-guided scavenger hunt guides to find plant species that resemble various colors and shapes that are associated with the 4th of July such as fireworks and stars. Scavenger hunt print outs will be available at the entrance to the Botanical Garden. Remember to leave natural objects where you find them.
To combat the spread of COVID-19, we ask that once you take one, you keep it and take it home with you as we want to minimize visitors touching the same surfaces and don’t want to find discarded guides in the garden. Remember to maintain social distance and wear face masks as mandated by the NC Executive Order.
For more information on this scavenger hunt, please contact HBF Nature Center Education Specialist Paige Engelbrektsson at (828) 526-2623.

CANCELED: Salamander Meander
2020-06-30 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 30th 9 pm-10 pm
Nature Center Nights: Salamander Meander
Kick off Highlands Nature Center’s summer season searching for salamanders in the Botanical Garden! Discover strange and fascinating facts about our slimy
amphibian friends, then join naturalists on a walk through the gardens to find
local species. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is
weather-dependent.

CANCELED: Savvy Survivors Begins (Ages 7-9)
2020-06-30 09:00 - 13:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

CANCELED: Crafty Critters Begins (Ages 4-6)
2020-06-30 09:00 - 11:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

CANCELED: Lichens Course Begins (June 29th - July 3rd)
2020-06-29 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Biology & Conservation of Lichens June 29 – July 3
Dr. Jessica Allen, Atlanta Botanical Garden & Dr. James Lendemer, New York Botanical Garden (download syllabus)
Lichens grow all over the world, from the arctic to the tropics, where they are important in a multitude of ways including serving as shelter for small invertebrates, and food for animals from snails to caribou. In this course you will have a chance to learn about lichens in one of their centers of diversity, the southern Appalachians. We will take field trips to a variety of habitats to explore the species and ecological diversity of lichens. Lab work will cover lichen chemistry, morphology, and identification. At the end of the course you will have a new perspective on the diversity, evolution and ecology of lichens.
* We will go on field trips to explore a variety of lichen communities characteristic of the southern Appalachians. Field trips will take place in natural areas up to 1.5 hours drive from HBS. Up to a total of 5 miles of hiking per day can be expected on days we go in the field. For all-day field trips you will need to pack a lunch.
Prerequisites: General biology, ecology, basic understanding of evolution, and prior experience with basic skills of microscopy is strongly recommended.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: EPT 2 Course Begins (June 29th- July 10th)
2020-06-29 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, & Caddisflies [Session 2]: June 29 – July 10
Dr. John Morse, Clemson University
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 sports fishing. Insects will be collected from diverse mountain stream habitats, and identifications will be performed in the laboratory. Students may opt to take the Society for Freshwater Science’s Taxonomic Certification exam of eastern EPT to genus at the end of the course (http://www.sfstcp.com/).
Prerequisites: General biology, ecology, or permission of instructor
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Animal Actors Ends (Ages 7-9)
2020-06-26 09:00 - 13:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Step into an animal’s paws for the week! Create camouflaged creatures, study skulls, and get a bird’s eye view on life.
Registration required.

CANCELED: Tiny Homes: Nature Edition Ends (Ages 4-6)
2020-06-26 09:00 - 11:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Jump into where the wild things live! Explore the many kinds of homes in our forests, from the tops of trees to deep underground, and find out what animals live in each place.
Registration required.

CANCELED: EPT 1 Course Ends (15th-26th)
2020-06-26 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, & Caddisflies [Session 1]: June 15 – June 26
Dr. John Morse, Clemson University
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 sports fishing. Insects will be collected from diverse mountain stream habitats, and identifications will be performed in the laboratory. Students may opt to take the Society for Freshwater Science’s Taxonomic Certification exam of eastern EPT to genus at the end of the course (http://www.sfstcp.com/).
Prerequisites: General biology, ecology, or permission of instructor
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Mammals Course Ends (15th-26th)
2020-06-26 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Southern Appalachian Mammals: June 15 – 26
Dr. Ed Pivorun, Clemson University & Ms. Rada Petric UNC-Greensboro (download syllabus)
This mammals 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.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology, zoology, or permission of the instructor.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: A Buggy Evening
2020-06-23 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 23rd, 9 PM- 10 PM
Nature Center Nights: A Buggy Evening
Experience the world of our smallest nocturnal creatures—insects! Learn to identify unique and beautiful insects then join naturalists to sample for fireflies, moths, and more in the Botanical Garden. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

CANCELED: Animal Actors Begins (Ages 7-9)
2020-06-23 09:00 - 13:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

CANCELED: Tiny Homes: Nature Edition Begins (Ages 4-6)
2020-06-23 09:00 - 11:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

CANCELED: Eco Trekkers: Highs and Lows Ends (Ages 10+)
2020-06-19 09:00 - 16:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Explore the wonders of the Blue Ridge on all-day hikes! Adventure to overlooks in the area, take a dip in a mountain stream, and see how the world changes as we go from high on mountaintops to low in the valleys.
Please Note: This camp includes an optional campout Thursday night on the Highlands Biological Station property. Campers will cook dinner and breakfast over a fire, play games, and learn basic outdoor skills. This camp also includes an optional zipline trip through the Highlands Aerial Park Friday afternoon.
Registration required.

CANCELED: Going Batty
2020-06-16 20:30 - 21:30 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 16th, 8:30 PM- 9:30 PM
Nature Center Nights: Going Batty
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.

CANCELED: Fishes Workshop
2020-06-16 09:30 - 15:00 | NC
Fishes of the Tuckasegee with Jason Meador
June 16th, 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Western North Carolina has the richest aquatic diversity in the state. Come see fish unique to this area, understand why they are found here and why they are vulnerable to extirpation.
Learning objectives:

Electrofishing Lower Caney Fork to assess stream quality using fish as bio-indicators. Students will learn electrofishing methods for wadeable mountain streams and fish identification.
Snorkel the Tuckasegee River. Students can observe fish (and other aquatic organisms) in their natural environment. Develop a better understanding of the importance of aquatic habitat and sources of habitat loss. Observe interactions among aquatic organisms.

We will begin with a presentation to cover an introduction of the area, safety, endemic species, and methods (30 minutes), 45 minute drive to E Laporte Park, electrofishing (1 hour), break for lunch, and then snorkel (1.5 hours). Price of workshop includes wetsuit and snorkeling gear.
Jason Meador is Mainspring’s Conservation Trust’s Aquatic Programs Manager. He is responsible for engaging youth and adults in the community in the work of Mainspring. He coordinates stream restoration activities and the Biomonitoring Program. Jason received his B.S. in Marine Sciences from North Carolina State University (2004). He later completed his M.S. in Forestry and Natural Resources (2008) with a concentration in fish/wildlife populations, specifically working with freshwater mussels.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Eco Trekkers: Highs and Lows Begins (Ages 10+)
2020-06-16 09:00 - 16:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

CANCELED: EPT 1 Course Begins (15th-26th)
2020-06-15 08:00 - 17:00 | NC

CANCELED: Mammals Course Begins (15th-26th)
2020-06-15 08:00 - 17:00 | NC

CANCELED: Salamander Bio Course Ends (1st-13th)
2020-06-13 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Biology of Southern Appalachian Salamanders: June 1 – June 13
Dr. Ken Kozak, University of Minnesota & Dr. Joe Pechmann, WCU (download syllabus)
The Southern Appalachians are renowned for the diversity of their salamander fauna. This course acquaints students with these salamanders and shows how studies of them have enhanced our understanding of such major evolutionary and ecological topics as the reconstruction of evolutionary histories, species concepts, life history evolution, and community structure. Each topic will include lectures, field and laboratory exercises, and discussions of original research papers. Field trips to significant salamander locations in different southern Appalachian mountain ranges highlight the course.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology, ecology or evolution, or permission of instructor.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Habitat Hikers Ends (Ages 7-9)
2020-06-12 09:00 - 13:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Spot the animals living all around us! Dig into the dirt, trek through streams, and look through your binoculars to uncover hidden habitats and the creatures that live there.
Registration required.

CANCELED: Who's Hoo? Ends (Ages 4-6)
2020-06-12 09:00 - 11:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Get to know your nature neighbors! Go searching for salamanders in streams, come across caterpillars creeping through the Botanical Garden, and learn about animal life cycles.
Registration required.

CANCELED: Bird Course Ends (1st-12th)
2020-06-12 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Biology & Conservation of Birds: June 1 – June 12
Dr. Rob Bierregaard, Drexel University & Academy of Natural Science
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. Numerous field trips in the local area will acquaint students with the rich bird fauna of the region.
Scholarships Available from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology, ecology, or permission of instructor.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Starlight Stroll
2020-06-09 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
June 9th 9 pm-10 pm
Nature Center Nights: Starlight Stroll
Unlock the history and mystery of the cosmos as we study the night sky! Hear stories of the stars from different cultures and learn to identify summer constellations. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

CANCELED: Habitat Hikers Begins (Ages 7-9)
2020-06-09 09:00 - 13:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

CANCELED: Who's Hoo? Begins (Ages 4-6)
2020-06-09 09:00 - 11:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
