In accordance with Western Carolina University’s holiday schedule and protocol, the Highlands Biological Station will be closed to the public from Wednesday, December 24, 2025, through Friday, January 2, 2026. Please note that while our Botanical Gardens will remain open daily from dawn to dusk, all public facilities, offices, and indoor spaces will be closed during this time. We encourage you to plan your visit accordingly. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Station in the new year!

Join us at the Nature Center to learn about the winter wildlife found across the Highlands Plateau. Our Education Specialists will be ready to welcome folks back with engaging conversations, interesting facts about our local flora and fauna, and a self-guided “specimen search” through our botanical gardens. January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Do you think you can identify an animal by its fur? Drop in for a few minutes, or stay and pair the ‘Who’s Out There?’ activities with this hands-on opportunity to see and feel a variety of animal skins! January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Join us at the Nature Center to learn about the winter wildlife found across the Highlands Plateau. Our Education Specialists will be ready to welcome folks back with engaging conversations, interesting facts about our local flora and fauna, and a self-guided “specimen search” through our botanical gardens. January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Do you think you can identify an animal by its fur? Drop in for a few minutes, or stay and pair the ‘Who’s Out There?’ activities with this hands-on opportunity to see and feel a variety of animal skins! January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Join us at the Nature Center to learn about the winter wildlife found across the Highlands Plateau. Our Education Specialists will be ready to welcome folks back with engaging conversations, interesting facts about our local flora and fauna, and a self-guided “specimen search” through our botanical gardens. January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Do you think you can identify an animal by its fur? Drop in for a few minutes, or stay and pair the ‘Who’s Out There?’ activities with this hands-on opportunity to see and feel a variety of animal skins! January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Join us at the Nature Center to learn about the winter wildlife found across the Highlands Plateau. Our Education Specialists will be ready to welcome folks back with engaging conversations, interesting facts about our local flora and fauna, and a self-guided “specimen search” through our botanical gardens. January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Do you think you can identify an animal by its fur? Drop in for a few minutes, or stay and pair the ‘Who’s Out There?’ activities with this hands-on opportunity to see and feel a variety of animal skins! January 16th & 17th | 30th & 31st FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

2 Credit Hours May 4–8, 2026 Instructor: Dr. Paul McKenzie, Retired Endangered Species Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Volunteer and Independent Contractor This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the identification, morphology, and ecology of grasses native to the Southern Appalachian region. Through a combination of lectures, lab-based keying exercises, and immersive field excursions, students will develop the skills necessary to recognize and differentiate grasses from related plant groups such as sedges and rushes. Classroom sessions will include detailed instruction on floral morphology, focusing on the structure and variation of grass flowers. Students will examine illustrative photographs and diagrams, review terminology essential to grass identification, and receive a full-color copy of the instructor’s presentation materials. Laboratory components will emphasize hands-on identification techniques using multiple dichotomous keys and a curated collection of over 200 pressed grass specimens housed at the Highlands Biological Station Herbarium. Field trips to local habitats will provide practical experience observing grasses in diverse landscapes and ecological settings. During past field excursions to the Buck Creek Barrens in Clay County, participants have encountered multiple timber rattlesnakes—students should therefore come prepared with appropriate field attire and exercise caution in these environments. Depending on the timing of the course, heavy grass pollen may also be present; students with allergies are encouraged to bring suitable sinus medication. Students enrolling for academic credit will complete an open-book final examination designed to reinforce key identification skills and botanical concepts.