Black Bear Bonanza! (All Day Drop-In)
2025-10-25 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Halifax) | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Join us at the Nature Center for drop-in learning about black bears!
All ages welcome | FREE | No registration required!
Program funded by:

Enchanted Forest - Cancelled - But Stop By This Weekend!
2025-10-28 17:00 - 18:30 | Highlands Biological Station Amphitheater, 930 Horse Cove Road, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
🌧 UPDATE: Enchanted Forest Cancelled
Due to Monday’s rain, our forest trails are too soggy and slippery for tonight’s Enchanted Forest event — but the fun isn’t over! 🎃
Join us this Friday & Saturday (Oct 31–Nov 1) for a self-guided Halloween Scavenger Hunt through the Highlands Botanical Garden between 10 AM–4 PM.
Then, head inside the Highlands Nature Center for hands-on activities, trick-or-treating, and Halloween crafts! Make your own treat bag, grab some goodies, and show off your costume. 👻
📍 Highlands Nature Center | 930 Horse Cove Rd
🎟️ FREE | No registration required
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The Highlands Biological Foundation invites you to The Enchanted Forest!
A family-friendly program Tuesday, October 28, 5:00-6:30 pm.
Come trick-or-treating along the forest trails of the Highlands Botanical Garden and learn more about some creatures that we associate with Halloween!
FREE | No registration necessary
Costumes encouraged!
Meet in the amphitheater behind Highlands Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Rd).
Weather dependent
Program funded by:

A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story
2025-10-29 16:00 - 18:00 | Lewis Hall, 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NC, 28717, United States
A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025Time: 4:00 PMLocation: Lewis Hall, 160 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, NCAdmission: Free and open to the public
In 1915, a young, charismatic Japanese man with a mysterious past entered the Appalachian culture of Asheville, North Carolina. Suspected of being a spy and targeted by the Ku Klux Klan, he persevered with a passion for photography and for the mountains he adopted—bringing to life the landscapes that would become the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian Trail.
A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story dives deep into the life of the man known as George Masa through groundbreaking genealogical and historical research. The film reveals how and why Masa left Japan, his stormy period in the Pacific Northwest, and his journey to the Southern Appalachian Mountains, where he reinvented himself as a talented and influential photographer, filmmaker, businessman, mapmaker, hiker, and friend to many.
Told through a cinema verité style and featuring passionate researchers, archivists, historians, and activists in both the United States and Japan, the film blends anime-style imagery with hundreds of Masa’s own photographs to illustrate his extraordinary story and the timeless beauty of the region.
Ultimately, A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story celebrates how one inspired man from Japan overcame fear, intimidation, and loneliness to capture images of another culture and landscape that became personally redemptive and deeply influential in shaping the conservation legacy of the Southern Appalachians.
Hosted and sponsored by:Cashiers Historical SocietyAlbert Carlton–Cashiers Community LibraryHighlands Biological FoundationHighlands-Cashiers Land TrustHighlands Historical Society

Snake Feeding
2025-11-01 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-11-08 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-11-15 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-11-22 11:00 - 11:30 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Saturdays in November (through 11/22)
Watch our resident snakes enjoy their lunch while learning all about these fascinating reptiles!
Program provided by:

Morning Bird Walk
2025-11-15 08:00 - 09:00 | HBS North Campus, 111 Lower Lake Road, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Eyes to the skies! Birders of all skill levels are welcome to join us as we take an easy walk around the garden to find our feathered friends.
Binoculars available to borrow.
All ages welcome
FREE | No registration required
Meet at 111 Lower Lake Rd
Weather dependent
Program funded by:

Nature Center Wrap-Up (Drop-In)
2025-12-05 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-12-12 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-12-13 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-12-19 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-12-20 10:00 - 15:30 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
Join us at the Nature Center to get into the holiday spirit and create personalized gift wrap and handmade cards! Enjoy this fun and festive activity together as a family, or as a chance to wrap up the holiday magic. We will have plenty of supplies to go around for everyone to get creative. We look forward to seeing you!
December 5th | 12th & 13th | 19th & 20th
FREE | Drop-In, from 10 am – 3:30 pm
Program provided by:

Winter Break Closure
2025-12-24 - 2026-01-02 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
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!

Who’s Out There? (Drop-in Station)
2026-01-16 10:00 - 15:30 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
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:

The Skin You're In (Drop-In Station)
2026-01-16 10:00 - 15:30, 2026-01-17 10:00 - 15:30, 2026-01-30 10:00 - 15:30, 2026-01-31 10:00 - 15:30 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
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:

Who's Out There? (Drop-In Station)
2026-01-17 10:00 - 15:30, 2026-01-30 10:00 - 15:30, 2026-01-31 10:00 - 15:30 | Highlands Nature Center, 930 Horse Cove Rd., Highlands, NC, 28741, United States

Grasses of the Southern Appalachians
2026-05-04 - 2026-05-08 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
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.

Introduction to the Vascular Flora of the Blue Ridge
2026-05-18 - 2026-05-22 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
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

Identification and Conservation of Wetland Plants
2026-05-25 - 2026-05-29 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
2 Credit Hours
May 25–29, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Joey Shaw, UT-Chattanooga
This course is designed for anyone wishing to strengthen their skills in observing, collecting, identifying, and assessing the ecological “quality” of wetland plant species. Accurate identification is essential not only for understanding wetland integrity and ecological condition, but also for conducting professional wetland delineations.
Whether you are new to wetland flora or looking to sharpen existing skills, this course offers a supportive environment for learners at multiple levels. Students should have a basic understanding of botanical terminology and plant structures, but there is no expectation that everyone enters with the same experience. Participants may focus on different plant groups—woody species, graminoids, or others—collecting specimens that align with their individual interests.
Each day features a field excursion to a local wetland within roughly an hour of the Station. Students will collect plant specimens of interest, then return to the lab for hands-on identification work using dichotomous keys, online herbarium resources, and other reference materials. Together, we will use tools such as coefficients of conservatism to better understand the ecological integrity of the wetlands we explore.
While the range of wetland types will be limited to what is found regionally, the focus of the course is on building practical, adaptable identification skills. Throughout the week, Dr. Shaw will serve as a guide in interpreting key couplets, terminology, and diagnostic features. Students will also be encouraged to develop their own reference collections; the final portion of the course will be devoted to assembling and refining these materials.
A working draft of the instructor’s forthcoming Second Edition of the Guide to the Vascular Plants of Tennessee will serve as the primary key for species identification, and copies will be provided.

Biology of Southern Appalachian Salamanders
2026-05-25 - 2026-06-05 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
4 Credit Hours
May 25 – June 5, 2026
Instructors: Kenneth H. Kozak, Ph.D. (University of Minnesota) & Joseph H. K. Pechmann, Ph.D. (Western Carolina University)
The Southern Appalachians are home to one of the richest and most ecologically significant salamander assemblages on Earth. This immersive field- and lab-based course introduces students to the extraordinary diversity, biology, and evolutionary history of these remarkable amphibians.
Through a blend of lectures, guided discussions, hands-on laboratory work, and targeted field excursions across multiple Appalachian mountain ranges, students will explore foundational and advanced concepts in evolutionary biology and ecology. Topics include reconstructing evolutionary histories, species concepts and delimitation, life-history variation, population and community dynamics, and the role of salamanders in forest ecosystems. Readings from primary literature will deepen understanding of current research and methodologies.
Students will gain experience identifying regional taxa, conducting field and laboratory analyses, and interpreting evolutionary and ecological data—while engaging directly with the landscapes that make the Southern Appalachians a global hotspot for salamander diversity.
Prerequisites: Introductory biology, ecology, or evolution, or permission of the instructors.

True Sedge Workshop: A Weeklong Dive into the Genus Carex
2026-06-01 - 2026-06-05 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
2 Credit Hours
June 1–5, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Joey Shaw, UT-Chattanooga
True sedges are famously challenging to identify. With numerous species often growing side by side in the same microhabitats, reduced and specialized floral structures, unique terminology, and diagnostic features that may rely on very small measurements—or even mature material—students of botany can easily feel overwhelmed. It is no surprise that sedges are among the plant groups learners struggle with most.
This course focuses on two primary goals:
Building fluency in sedge terminology and learning how to confidently apply and interpret that terminology when using identification keys.
Understanding the key characteristics that distinguish the many taxonomic sections of the genus Carex—the largest and most complex sedge genus—as well as how to separate Carex from other spring-flowering sedges.
Using herbarium specimens, newly collected material, and additional plant samples provided in class, we will assemble an in-room reference collection organized by genus and Carex section. This hands-on approach allows students to compare specimens directly, reinforcing both visual recognition and taxonomic concepts.
This workshop is designed to strengthen identification skills and build confidence in working with this large and intricate group of plants. For most participants, our focus will remain at the level of distinguishing Carex sections rather than resolving species-level identifications—though students wishing to work at the species level are welcome and encouraged to do so!

Rock Outcrop and Cliff Ecology
2026-06-08 - 2026-06-12 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
2 Credit Hours
June 8–12, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Laura Boggess, Mars Hill University & Mr. Gary Kauffman, USFS (Emeritus)
Cliffs and rock outcrops are among the most striking and ecologically distinctive landscapes in the Southern Appalachians. These environments support rare, endemic, and specialized species shaped by extreme conditions and long-term geological processes—yet they remain understudied, in part due to their inaccessibility.
Highlands Biological Station lies within one of the most rugged and geologically diverse regions of the Appalachians, offering access to unique communities such as high-elevation granitic domes, rocky summits, cliffs, and montane red cedar woodlands.
In this weeklong, field-intensive course, we will explore the emerging field of cliff ecology and conservation. Most of our time will be spent outdoors, developing field skills, observing species assemblages, and examining how organisms interact with one another and with their physical environment. Through complementary lectures, readings, and discussions, we will consider the natural history of these ecosystems, the ways humans engage with them, and how we can shift our relationship toward stewardship and reciprocity.
By the end of the course, you will have built a strong foundation in cliff and outcrop ecology, connected with a community of like-minded peers, and deepened your relationship with the distinctive landscapes of the Southern Appalachians.

The Biology and Conservation of Birds
2026-06-15 - 2026-06-26 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
4 Credit Hours
June 15–26, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Rob Bierregaard, Acadamy of Natural Sciences/Drexel University (Retired)
This two-week intensive course offers a comprehensive introduction to avian biology, behavior, and conservation, grounded in both field experience and laboratory study. Mornings are spent on field excursions where students will develop bird identification skills by sight and sound while observing and interpreting behavior—examining not just what birds are doing, but why they do it.
Afternoon sessions begin with lectures covering key themes in ornithology, including the evolutionary diversification of birds, avian communication through songs and displays, migration ecology, and contemporary conservation challenges. Students will then synthesize their morning field observations and engage in hands-on laboratory work using study specimens, skeletal materials, raptor migration datasets, and their own field-recorded audio.
By the end of the course, students will build strong identification skills, deepen their understanding of avian ecology and evolution, and gain practical experience with the tools and methods used in modern ornithological research.

Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies: Session 1
2026-06-21 - 2026-07-02 | Highlands Biological Station, 265 North 6th St, Highlands, NC, 28741, United States
4 Credit Hours
June 21–July 2
Instructors: Session 1: Dr. John Morse, Clemson University & Dr. Alexander Orfinger, Dalton State College. Session 2: Dr. John Morse, Clemson University & Dr. Kelly Murray-Stoker, Emory University
Cost: $1,000.00
This immersive, two-week course provides a comprehensive introduction to the natural history, evolution, and taxonomy of the three major aquatic insect orders used in freshwater bioassessment: mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera). Through a combination of several field excursions to Appalachian mountain streams and focused laboratory identification sessions, students will develop the skills needed to recognize EPT larvae—typically to at least genus—and adults to family level.
Course topics include systematics, morphology, behavioral and physiological adaptations for freshwater life, and the ecological roles of EPT taxa in stream ecosystems. Fieldwork emphasizes diverse collecting techniques across multiple stream orders, while laboratory sessions provide structured practice with diagnostic characters and curated identification resources. Throughout the course, students engage with the principles that make EPT taxa foundational to ecological monitoring, water-quality assessment, and aquatic biodiversity research.
Ideal for students in ecology, entomology, environmental science, or freshwater biology, this course offers the rare opportunity to build taxonomic expertise through intensive hands-on training in one of the most biodiverse regions of the Southern Appalachians.
