Highlands Biological Station

CANCELED: Mushrooms Workshop Begins (14th-19th)
2020-09-14 | NC
Mushrooms of the Carolinas with Alan & Arleen Bessette, and Mike Hopping
September 14th – 19th
This course will focus on the varied mycological diversity of North & South Carolina. Macro and micro-morphological features will be emphasized to aid students in identifying specimens to Family, Genus & Species.
Activities will consist of lectures on topics such as: Key Identification Features, Major Groups of Fungi, Ecology, Edibility and Toxicity; field work (forays); and laboratory identification/study during which students will improve their skills in the use of field keys and microscopy, as well as photographic techniques as a means of documentation. Participants will also gather and record a field collection showcasing the rich diversity of fleshy fungi found in the Carolinas.
Designed for the beginner who wants a solid introduction to mycology and fleshy mushrooms of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, as well as for those participants looking for the opportunity to pursue their personal mycological interests, this seminar allows for individual guidance in a relaxed group setting with fellow mycophiles.
Click here to apply.

LIVESTREAM: A Garden in Every Season Tour
2020-09-07 11:30 - 12:30, 2020-08-03 11:30 - 12:30 UTC | NC
There is always something changing in the Highlands Botanical Garden! Take a guided tour to see what’s new in our demonstration gardens and among the hundreds of species that call our campus home.
Tours are on the 1st Monday of every month from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Tours are weather dependent.
This tour will be live streamed on the HBS Facebook page (@highlandsbiologicalstation).
The Highlands Biological Station is a multi-campus center of Western Carolina University.
For more information, call (828) 526-2623.

CANCELED: Nature Center open for Labor Day Weekend
2020-09-06 12:00 - 16:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
The Highlands Nature Center will be open Sunday, Sept. 6th, 12 pm – 4 pm for Labor Day Weekend.

Virtual Zahner Lecture: Monitoring Bird Populations at HBS
2020-08-27 18:00 - 18:30 | Zoom
Photo of Tufted titmouse by Greg Clarkson.
On August 27th: “Monitoring Bird Populations at Highlands Biological Station: A Long Term Survey” with Mark Hopey, Southern Appalachian Raptor Research (SARR).
In this webinar, Hopey will discuss the Highlands Biological Station’s newest research endeavor as it recently became home to a new bird banding station for the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program – an initiative that began just over 30 years ago to assess trends in avian demographics in a wide range of habitats in North America.
This webinar will be hosted on Zoom. Registration is required. To register, copy and paste this link into your browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_s5vqC4uZS6q2Gfp-YFuwtg

Virtual Zahner Lecture: Microplastics
2020-08-20 18:00 - 18:30 | Zoom
On August 20: “The New Pollution: Microplastics in the Little Tennessee River and its Tributaries” with Jason Love, Associate Director, Highlands Biological Station.
In this webinar, Love will give a brief overview of microplastic pollution and talk about his research on microplastics found in the Little Tennessee and Tuckasegee Rivers.
This webinar will be hosted on Zoom. Registration is required. To register, copy and paste this link into your browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WpmT1wJJRDODsoybpEcz2w

Nature 101: Leaf It To Me
2020-08-18 13:00 - 13:30 | Facebook
Have you ever been stumped by a tree’s unique foliage? You’re not alone! Join Paige, our Nature Center Education Specialist, on the HBS Facebook page as she covers tips and tricks for identifying several common trees (and their leaves) on the Highlands Plateau. We’ll be online to answer any questions you have.

Virtual Zahner Lecture: I Have Been Assigned the Single Bird
2020-08-13 18:00 - 18:30 | Zoom
On August 13th: “I Have Been Assigned the Single Bird: A Daughter’s Memoir” with naturalist, activist, and Florida writer Susan Cerulean.
In this webinar, Cerulean will share readings and insights from her just-released memoir from University of Georgia Press. In Single Bird, Cerulean trains a naturalist’s eye and a daughter’s heart on the issues of caregiving and service, both of beloved humans and the natural world. She explores an activist’s lifelong search to steward and advocate for wild shorebirds, particularly in the face of the climate crisis, as she also cares for her father at the end of his life.
This webinar will be hosted on Zoom. Registration is required. To register, copy and paste this link in your browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P7lRdiP0QjOGYxWgOhagfg

CANCELED: Intro. to Bryophytes Workshop
2020-08-11 | NC
Introduction to Bryophytes with Ed Schwartzman
August 11th
Bryophytes – mosses, liverworts, and hornworts – are colorful, yet often overlooked denizens of our mountain forests. The Highlands Plateau is a “hotspot” for bryophyte diversity due to our diverse habitats and ample rainfall.
Join botanist/naturalist Ed Schwartzman as you explore the grounds of HBS for these fascinating and beautiful organisms. Specifically, you will:
1. Learn the difference between mosses and liverworts, 2. Learn to identify diagnostic features of these taxa, 3. Become familiar with common moss and liverwort taxa, and 4. Explore bryophyte diversity in the field at HBS and closeup in the lab using both dissecting and compound microscopes.
Ed is a botanist/ecologist with a Master’s in Conservation Biology from the University of Maryland. His professional expertise includes botany, bryology, herpetology, and forest and wetland ecology. Ed previously worked as a biologist for the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) conducting natural area inventories in the NC mountains.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Nature Center begins fall hours
2020-08-09 10:00 - 16:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
The Highlands Nature Center follows its fall hours August 9th – October 24th.
Hours:
Open on Wednesday – Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm
Closed on Sunday – Tuesday

CANCELED: Field to Database Course Ends (3rd-7th)
2020-08-07 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Field to Database: Collecting Biodiversity Data in the Age of Global Databases August 3 – August 7
Dr. Joey Shaw, UC Foundation Professor of Biological Sciences, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga & Caleb Powell M.S. Candidate; The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
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 to key out and identify plant species that you might encounter and want to collect in the field, although you should have some cursory skills.
Prerequisites & Prior Training: 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 would certainly be open and we would make it interesting to anyone 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 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 digitizes Plantae specimens, including labels, transcribed text data & images.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Cliff & Rock Outcrop Course Ends (3rd-7th)
2020-08-07 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
Cliff & Rock Outcrop Communities of the Southern Appalachians: August 3 – August 7
Laura Boggess, Mars Hill University & Gary Kauffman, USFS, National Forest in NC (undergrad credit only)
Rock outcrop and cliff communities represent a small fraction of land area in the Southern Appalachians but contain a disproportionately large number of rare species and unique community types. This workshop will give you first-hand experience of several of these unique and beautiful habitats, including high elevation granitic domes, high elevation rocky summits, montane cliffs, and montane red cedar woodlands. We will spend part of each day in the field (with at least one full-day trip) as well as time in the lab, identifying species and discussing cliff-related scientific literature. We hope you will gain a better understanding and deeper appreciation of the diversity, ecology, and conservation value of Southern Appalachian outcrop and cliff communities.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology, ecology, or permission of instructor.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Geology of the Plateau Workshop
2020-08-05 | NC
The Geology that has shaped the Plateau with Bill Jacobs
August 5th
$60 for morning session, $100 for morning session and hike to High Falls
This workshop has grown out of Bill Jacobs’ recently released 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. Participants will learn the answers to questions such 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. After about 2 hours in the classroom, we will round out the morning with a short hike to Sunset and Sunrise Rocks, where some of the principles that Bill discusses are on display. After lunch, a smaller group (limited to 15) will join Bill for an expedition to High Falls, below Lake Glenville Dam. At this extraordinary site, participants can examine up close how complexly different rock groups have been 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 steep 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 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 The Nature Center. Additional information about both the book and its author may be found at www.GreatRockPress.com.
Bill is a graduate of Swarthmore College and Duke Law School. After retiring from his Atlanta-based legal career in 2011, he pursued his curiosity about the extraordinary landscapes of the Eastern Blue Ridge, particularly the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau and surrounding areas. His curiosity led through a wide array of on-line and in-person courses, and of academic, professional and popular books and papers – as well as lots of feet-on-the-ground field work, at times in challenging terrain. Eventually, it led to writing “Whence These Special Places?”, which focuses on how geologic history has shaped not just the overall landscape, but also individual mountains, waterfalls and other natural features. Bill lives in Asheville with his wife Susan and two dogs, but spends most of the summer in Cashiers. Either place, if he’s not geologizing or hiking with the dogs (or both), he’s often found on his bicycle.
Click here to apply.

VIRTUAL Yoga in the Garden
2020-08-03 17:30 - 18:30 | NC
Highlands Biological Foundation has partnered with Yoga Highlands to bring you Yoga in the Garden.
Grab your yoga mat, and join Rachel Kinback (CYT 500) of Yoga Highlands on the 1st Monday of the month (May-August) for virtual yoga in the Botanical Garden. The video will be posted on the HBS Facebook page at 5:30 p.m.
Come connect with nature and unwind your mind and body from the bustle of Mondays.
These yoga sessions are free to the public, but donations are accepted.

CANCELED: Field to Database Course Begins (3rd-7th)
2020-08-03 08:00 - 17:00 | NC

CANCELED: Cliff & Rock Outcrop Course Begins (3rd-7th)
2020-08-03 08:00 - 17:00 | NC

CANCELED: Appalachian Crafting Ends (Ages 10+)
2020-07-31 09:00 - 14:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
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.

CANCELED: Conserv Genet of Salamanders Course Ends (27th-31st)
2020-07-31 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
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.

CANCELED: Naturalists of S. Apps Workshop Ends (28th-30th)
2020-07-30 09:00 - 16:00 | NC
Mountains Piled Upon Mountains: William Bartram and Naturalists of the Southern Appalachians with Brent Martin on July 28-30
$325
July 28-30, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
William Bartram provides western North Carolina with one of our most important literary and artistic renderings of this landscape with his 1791 publication, Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws. Participants will explore the western North Carolina landscape and writings of William Bartram through daily field trips, readings, and meetings with authors. At the end of the three days, students will have experienced the landscape of Travels firsthand and will have gained insight into the 18th century literary and intellectual world of Bartram, along with the cultural and natural history of western North Carolina at that time. Cherokee history of this area and era will be a focus, as will the art and descriptions of the southeast through the eyes of other early explorers, such as Andre Michaux and Mark Catesby.
Brent Martin lives in the Cowee community in western North Carolina where he and his wife Angela Faye Martin run Alarka Institute, a nature, literary, and art based business that offers workshop and field trips. He is also the part-time director of the North Carolina Bartram Trail Society. He has served as the Southern Appalachian Regional Director for the Wilderness Society, Executive Director of Georgia Forestwatch, and Associate Director of the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee. He has an M.A. and ABD in History from Georgia State University and is a recipient of the Southern Environmental Law Center’s Southern Environmental Leadership Award. A collection of his natural history essays, The Changing Blue Ridge Mountains: Essays on Journeys Past and Present was recently published by History Press.
Click here to apply.

CANCELED: Salamander Meander
2020-07-28 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
July 28th 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: Naturalists of S. Apps Workshop Begins (28th-30th)
2020-07-28 09:00 - 16:00 | NC

CANCELED: Appalachian Crafting Begins (Ages 10+)
2020-07-28 09:00 - 14:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

CANCELED: Conserv Genet of Salamanders Course Begins (27th-31st)
2020-07-27 08:00 - 17:00 | NC

CANCELED: Animal Actors Ends (Ages 7-9)
2020-07-24 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)
2020-07-24 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: Fungi Course Ends (13th-24th)
2020-07-24 08:00 - 17:00 | NC
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.

CANCELED: A Buggy Evening
2020-07-21 21:00 - 22:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
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.

CANCELED: Animal Actors Begins (Ages 7-9)
2020-07-21 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)
2020-07-21 09:00 - 11:00 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

CANCELED: Habitat Hikers Ends (Ages 7-9)
2020-07-17 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.
