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.

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.

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.

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.

July 21st, 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.

Fleshy Fungi of the Highlands Plateau: July 13 - July 24 Dr. Andy Methven, Savannah State University (download syllabus) Students will be introduced to the fleshy fungi (Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes) that occur on the Highlands Plateau during peak mushroom season. Emphasis will be placed on the analysis of macro- and micro-morphological features in the identification of genera and species as well as the ecological role of fungi in the ecosystem. Additional topics may be added depending on student interest. The daily routine will consist of a morning lecture followed by a field trip until early afternoon. Transportation on field trips will be in a biological station van. Collections will be examined and identified after returning from the field and an opportunity provided to assemble a collection of dried fleshy fungi. Microscopes and chemical reagents necessary for accurate species determinations will be available for use. The laboratory will be open in the evenings for additional study of collections. Prerequisites: Introductory biology, ecology, or permission of instructor. Click here to apply.

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.

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.

Conservation Genetics of Salamanders: July 27 - July 31 Dr. J.J. 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. Prerequisites: Introductory biology, ecology, or permission of instructor. Click here to apply.

Create art inspired by and made with nature! Practice weaving, try your hand at pottery, and mix up your own plant-based paper. Please Note: An exhibition of campers’ works will take place Friday at 1:30pm in the Nature Center with refreshments provided. All are invited to view the artwork and converse with the young artists. Registration required.