Join us at the Nature Center to make your very own Bark Book! Enjoy a stroll through the forest to create unique texture impressions of different tree bark patterns, and learn some tips and tricks to help you identify your findings. Making your own Bark Book is a great way to explore nature, learn about trees, and create art! March 13-14 & 27-28 FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Spring is right around the corner, and we’re already seeing some fresh pops of green! We will kick off the ecoEXPLORE Botany Field Season with a plant scavenger hunt along the Botanical Garden trails and the Boardwalk. Participants will work to complete a plant identification challenge while gaining a deeper understanding of the natural world around them. ecoEXPLORE is a community science program created by the North Carolina Arboretum, where children of all ages can learn to identify wildlife around them, help scientists track wildlife activity, and earn fun badges and prizes all at once! To learn more, please visit https://www.ecoexplore.net/. March 13-14 & 27-28 FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Join us at the Nature Center to make your very own Bark Book! Enjoy a stroll through the forest to create unique texture impressions of different tree bark patterns, and learn some tips and tricks to help you identify your findings. Making your own Bark Book is a great way to explore nature, learn about trees, and create art! March 13-14 & 27-28 FREE | Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Become a wildlife explorer and discover what’s living right in our backyard! Join us at the Highlands Nature Center to participate in an ecoEXPLORE BioBlitz. As a nationwide Citizen Science event, the purpose of a BioBlitz is to find and identify as many different species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. Participation is simple– spend some time outside on our beautiful walking trails, snap some photos of any nature you notice, and upload them into the iNaturalist app. Your photo contributions will help numerous researchers and scientists study the unique biodiversity of our special place in the Southern Appalachians!  FREE Thursday - Saturday in April Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Become a wildlife explorer and discover what’s living right in our backyard! Join us at the Highlands Nature Center to participate in an ecoEXPLORE BioBlitz. As a nationwide Citizen Science event, the purpose of a BioBlitz is to find and identify as many different species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. Participation is simple– spend some time outside on our beautiful walking trails, snap some photos of any nature you notice, and upload them into the iNaturalist app. Your photo contributions will help numerous researchers and scientists study the unique biodiversity of our special place in the Southern Appalachians!  FREE Thursdays - Saturdays in April Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Become a wildlife explorer and discover what’s living right in our backyard! Join us at the Highlands Nature Center to participate in an ecoEXPLORE BioBlitz. As a nationwide Citizen Science event, the purpose of a BioBlitz is to find and identify as many different species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. Participation is simple– spend some time outside on our beautiful walking trails, snap some photos of any nature you notice, and upload them into the iNaturalist app. Your photo contributions will help numerous researchers and scientists study the unique biodiversity of our special place in the Southern Appalachians!  FREE Thursdays - Saturdays in April Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Become a wildlife explorer and discover what’s living right in our backyard! Join us at the Highlands Nature Center to participate in an ecoEXPLORE BioBlitz. As a nationwide Citizen Science event, the purpose of a BioBlitz is to find and identify as many different species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. Participation is simple– spend some time outside on our beautiful walking trails, snap some photos of any nature you notice, and upload them into the iNaturalist app. Your photo contributions will help numerous researchers and scientists study the unique biodiversity of our special place in the Southern Appalachians!  FREE Thursdays - Saturdays in April Drop-in from 10 am - 3:30 pm Program provided by:

Mindful Birding Friday, May 1, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Instructor: Topher Stephens Mindful Birding is a practice of heightening our awareness and opening our senses—and our hearts—to the beauty of the natural world. Unlike traditional bird walks where identifying and listing species is the primary goal, this workshop invites participants to slow down and experience birds in a more attentive and reflective way. Throughout the day, we will move slowly through the landscape, allowing ourselves the rare opportunity to observe individual birds with patience and curiosity. While we will certainly help participants spot birds and notice some of their distinctive characteristics, our focus will be on presence, observation, and connection rather than checklists. Using birds as our guides, participants will explore ways to deepen their relationship with the living landscape while also becoming more aware of their own internal experiences of awe, joy, and wonder in nature. Through quiet observation, guided reflection, and gentle discussion, this workshop creates space to engage with birds—and the environment around us—in a more mindful and meaningful way. Mindful Birding is designed to be welcoming and accessible to everyone. No experience with birding or mindfulness practices is necessary. In fact, we will all be cultivating a “beginner’s mind,” approaching the natural world with openness, curiosity, and fresh attention. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to slow down, tune in, and rediscover the simple yet profound experience of being present in nature. Please Bring • Binoculars if you have them (loaner pairs will be available if needed) • A lightweight Crazy Creek–style camp chair or small foam pad for sitting • Weather-appropriate layers and comfortable outdoor footwear

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.

COURSE FULL - Join the waitlist via the link provided below 2 Credit Hours May 18–22, 2026 Instructor: Dr. Paul Manos, Duke University Cost: $500.00 This course welcomes students, professional biologists, and plant enthusiasts alike. Centered on the rich botanical diversity of the Highlands Plateau, it provides both an introduction and a refresher on studying vascular plant diversity. Through a community-based lens, participants will explore the flora of the Blue Ridge during field excursions and hands-on identification exercises. Course objectives include: Understanding key distinguishing features among lycophytes, ferns, and seed plants. Learning field characteristics of common and rare species and the habitats they occupy. Developing confidence in using identification keys. Gaining a clearer understanding of the ecology of major regional plant communities and the biogeography of their species. This immersive field experience offers a strong foundation for anyone interested in the botanical richness of the Southern Appalachians. Join the waitlist: https://wcu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_elgLT5HEInl8Uey