Area leaders in conservation and identification will deliver presentations and lead hikes at this year’s Roan Mountain Winter Naturalists’ Rally on Saturday, Feb. 13.
A conservationist and photographer who played a crucial role in the protection of the 10,000 acre Rocky Fork tract, David Ramsey, will teach about the importance of photography for conservation. While his efforts to preserve Rocky Fork involved meeting with congressmen and other political leaders, photography was a vital tool.
“If you’re trying to get people behind you, let them see what the area looks like. You need the photographs,” said David Hall, winter rally director and a friend of Ramsey.
The two met incidentally in Rocky Fork, after which time, Ramsey explained the development prospects of some who intended to build in the wilderness area.
“As I hiked and saw marks on all these huge trees that were supposed to come down, David clued me in on the fact that people were trying to build mega homes there,” said Hall.
After years of presenting his biological and photographic evidence to politicians and organizations, the area is now a 2,000 acre state park surrounded by 7,600 acres of federal national forest.
Ramsey hails from Unicoi County, and his great-great-grandfather enjoyed exploring these same wooded areas. Ramsey was named Field and Stream’s 2011 “National Hero of Conservation” as well as being a recipient of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Stan Murray award. His presentation will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the state park conference center.
At 11 a.m., Gary Kauffman, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will teach about the affects of invasive species and foreign diseases and insects on native plants.
Kauffman is a botanist and ecologist for North Carolina National Forests, which cover 1.1 million acres across four forests: the Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie and Croatan. His lecture will focus on the Roan’s rare plants in both the balds and forests, and the threats they face from balsam and hemlock wooly adelgid, beech bark disease and non-native invasive plants.
Lunch is scheduled at noon and will feature a presentation on edible and medicinal plants of forest and field by RMSP Seasonal Interpretive Ranger Amanda “AJ” Smithson.
Lunch will be catered by City Market, and those who wish to place orders must register by February 9. The registration form is included with this article and is also available online at friendsofroanmountain.org. Registration for programs or hikes may be done in advance or at the event and costs $5 for adults.
Three hikes are offered after lunch at 1 p.m., and are accessible for participants of all ages, as well as for leashed dogs.
1. Jamey Donaldson of the Baatany Goat Project will lead a hike to the alder balds on the Roan. Though goats will not be present, hikers will be able to see the invasive plant species and the effect of goats eating the unwanted plants. Dress warm for this hike. Some plants growing on the balds only grow in a handful of other places in the world and are often a point of interest.
2. Marty Silver, a Warrior’s Path State Park legend with wildlife and children, will lead an animal tracking hike near the Doe River.
3. Frosty Levy, a biology professor at ETSU, will lead a winter tree identification walk in the park. Hall said though most trees don’t have leaves this time of year, participants will learn how to identify trees based on bark, buds and other characteristics.
For more information, contact Hall at 423-772-3500 or by email at davetree@charter.net.