At Highlands Biological Station, our volunteers are the heart and soul of everything we do. They bring boundless enthusiasm, a love for nature, and a shared passion for conservation and education. Each volunteer has a unique story to tell—whether it’s a favorite garden spot in our Botanical Garden, the joy of guiding visitors through our trails, or the fulfillment of contributing to vital ecological research.
In this section, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on the incredible individuals who dedicate their time and energy to making the Station a thriving community. Through their stories, you’ll discover what inspires them, the memories they cherish most, and how their efforts are helping us connect people with the natural world.
We invite you to explore their journeys and perhaps be inspired to join our growing family of volunteers!
12/2/2024 – Ken Conover
“I am grateful to the Station’s founders and early supporters who had the vision to create an academic research station and a naturalistic botanical garden here in the southern Appalachians.
I have learned so much about the natural world by taking classes and workshops and attending symposia and lectures at the Station over the past 25 years.
It pleases me to be part of the Station’s long history of community involvement and volunteerism by helping to maintain the Botanical Gardens and by leading the Station’s Botanical Gardens and Grounds Planning and Advisory Committee to enhance the gardens.
And last but not least, the friendships forged with other volunteers have enriched my life. “
11/12/2024 – Bryding Adams
“I volunteer because I enjoy learning about our diversity on the plateau and spending time with others who have similar interests.
My favorite aspect is learning new things about native plants and sharing information with other volunteers.
Favorite garden – hmm hard to say, but love the bog garden and the huge old growth trees.
I got interested in the archives and history of HBS because the more you work there you understand the almost 100 years of research that has been happening there and how exciting that is and how it has grown and fostered a love of the plateau environment by many students as well as young and old visitors.
I volunteer in the archives because I love getting the materials organized and finding out more and more about the evolution of the station.”
-Bryding Adams
