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.

Imprints of Nature: Block Printing on Paper and Textiles with Sara Method July 7th - 9th, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM In this three-day workshop students will learn how to carve nature-inspired images into rubber blocks and print them on paper and textiles. No experience in printmaking or art is necessary, this is an opportunity to have fun making art together. Learning objectives: 1. The student will learn a history of block printing techniques. 2. The student will learn how to translate photographs and sketches of plants into simplified drawings for carved patterns. 3. The student will learn how to hand-carve flexible rubber blocks. 4. The student will learn how to print the blocks on paper and textiles. Each day will begin with a demonstration of the techniques to be covered for the day and we will have some work time before breaking for lunch. After lunch, students will have time to practice their techniques and make prints. Basic materials will be supplied and covered by the materials fee (TBD). Students will leave the workshop with tools, materials and finished printed items. Note: We will be going into the field at the station to draw and sketch on the first day, so please dress accordingly. Sara Method is an artist living and working in the mountains of western North Carolina. Her work engages the environment through a variety of media including fibers, sculpture, photography, and printmaking. Method’s reduction linocuts investigate the abstracted patterns observed in the landscape during her daily commute while her photography and textiles focus on growth and life-cycles that exist on the periphery in the world of plants, fungi, mosses, and lichen. Method received her BA in Painting from Salem College in 2002, an MA in Art History from the University of Notre Dame in 2008 and is a 2020 MFA candidate in Studio Art at Western Carolina University. Click here to apply.

Explore the wonders of the Blue Ridge on all-day hikes! Adventure to waterfalls in the area, take a dip in a mountain lake, and follow our streams as they rush down to rivers. Please Note: This camp includes an optional campout Thursday night on the Highlands Biological Station property. Campers will cook dinner and breakfast over a fire, play games, and learn basic outdoor skills. This camp also includes an optional kayaking trip down the Little Tennessee River all day Friday. Registration required.

July 7th 9 pm-10 pm Nature Center Nights: Starlight Stroll Unlock the history and mystery of the cosmos as we study the night sky! Hear stories of the stars from different cultures and learn to identify summer constellations. Please bring a flashlight for this adventure! This program is weather-dependent.

July 7th - 9th, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM In this three-day workshop students will learn how to carve nature-inspired images into rubber blocks and print them on paper and textiles. No experience in printmaking or art is necessary, this is an opportunity to have fun making art together. Learning objectives: 1. The student will learn a history of block printing techniques. 2. The student will learn how to translate photographs and sketches of plants into simplified drawings for carved patterns. 3. The student will learn how to hand-carve flexible rubber blocks. 4. The student will learn how to print the blocks on paper and textiles. Each day will begin with a demonstration of the techniques to be covered for the day and we will have some work time before breaking for lunch. After lunch, students will have time to practice their techniques and make prints. Basic materials will be supplied and covered by the materials fee (TBD). Students will leave the workshop with tools, materials and finished printed items. Note: We will be going into the field at the station to draw and sketch on the first day, so please dress accordingly. Sara Method is an artist living and working in the mountains of western North Carolina. Her work engages the environment through a variety of media including fibers, sculpture, photography, and printmaking. Method’s reduction linocuts investigate the abstracted patterns observed in the landscape during her daily commute while her photography and textiles focus on growth and life-cycles that exist on the periphery in the world of plants, fungi, mosses, and lichen. Method received her BA in Painting from Salem College in 2002, an MA in Art History from the University of Notre Dame in 2008 and is a 2020 MFA candidate in Studio Art at Western Carolina University. Click here to apply.

Southern Appalachian Mayflies, Stoneflies, & Caddisflies : June 29 - July 10 Dr. John Morse, Clemson University Natural history and taxonomy of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera), including systematics, ecology, and behavior of larvae and adults, with emphasis on those aspects important in ecological studies, biological monitoring of water quality, and sports fishing. Insects will be collected from diverse mountain stream habitats, and identifications will be performed in the laboratory. Students may opt to take the Society for Freshwater Science’s Taxonomic Certification exam of eastern EPT to genus at the end of the course (http://www.sfstcp.com/). Prerequisites: General biology, ecology, or permission of instructor Click here to apply.

Explore the wonders of the Blue Ridge on all-day hikes! Adventure to waterfalls in the area, take a dip in a mountain lake, and follow our streams as they rush down to rivers. Please Note: This camp includes an optional campout Thursday night on the Highlands Biological Station property. Campers will cook dinner and breakfast over a fire, play games, and learn basic outdoor skills. This camp also includes an optional kayaking trip down the Little Tennessee River all day Friday. Registration required.

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.

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.