Nature enthusiasts from across the region will soon be out in full force in Carter County.
With a loaded agenda, the Friends of Roan Mountain are sponsoring the 55th annual Fall Naturalists Rally Sept. 8-10 at Roan Mountain State Park.
Garry Barrigar, rally director, stated the purpose of the rally is to highlight the natural beauty Roan Mountain.
“We’ve been going strong for over half a century now,” Barrigar said. “The rally is a great way for people to celebrate the diversity of Roan Mountain and join together for fellowship and fun
Rallies are one of the key ways the Friends of Roan Mountain continue to give back, Barrigar added. Proceeds raised from the rallies allow conversation work and the ability for other projects to take place at the park.
Naturalists will be in for a fun lineup of activities, highlights by two speakers, Marty Silver and Dr. Andy Jones.
Silver, based with Warriors Path State Park, is an environmental educator and conversation officer for Tennessee State Parks. Dr. Jones is the director of science and ornithologist at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Interested participants can visit friendsofroanmtn.org to register for the three-day affair. Barrigar added that naturalists needed to preregister by Tuesday, Sept. 5, online for meals. Members of the Friends of Roan Mountain are able to attend free of charge.
“We always welcome people who want to join the Friends of Roan Mountain,” Barrigar said. “We have open registration available on our website.”
Development in Roan Mountain over the years has been a welcome site, the director said, adding the Friends of Roan Mountain is excited for the years to come.
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Schedule for the Fall Naturalists Rally
FRIDAY, SEPT. 9: (all activities at RMSP Conference Center)
5:30 p.m. – Registration
6:30 p.m. – Buffet dinner
7:30 p.m. – Using Sequences, Songs and Serendipity to Understand Eastern North American Bird by Dr. Andy Jones
9:00 p.m. – Moth party with Larry McDaniel
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9: (Unless otherwise noted, field trips will carpool from field adjacent to cabin area entrance)
6:30 a.m. Early Bird Trip Lee & Lois Herndon Chapter TOS
8:30 a.m. Field Trips include
1) Birds Lee & Los Herndon Chapter TOS
2) Great Goldenrods & Graminods – Hike to Grassy Ridge with Frosty Levy & Jamie Donaldson
3) Wildflowers with Guy Mauldin
4) Nature Hike Bingo! with Meg Guy
5) Mushrooms with Ken Crouse and Cindy Fowler
6) Spiders with T.J. Jones
7) Hughes Gap to Carver’s Gap with Tim McDowell
8) History of Roan Mountain with Jennifer Bauer
11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. RMSP Conference Center activities:
1) Flint Knapping with Bob Estep
2) Fossil Casting for all ages with Mick Whitelaw from ETSU
12:00 p.m. – Bag lunches at RMSP Conference Center, Nature slideshow with Marty Silver
2:00 p.m. Field Trips:
1) Steam ecology with Bart Carter and Gary Barrigar
2) Geology of Roan Mountain with Mick Whitelaw
3) Nature Hike with Will Miller
4) Nature Hike – Carver’s Gap to Roan High Knob with Pat Gagan
5) Wildlife tracking with Mary Silver
6) Mosses & Liverworts with Jim Goldsmith
7) Birds of the Roan Highlands with Dr. Andy Jones
8) Salamanders with Marquette Crockett.
6:30 p.m. – Buffet dinner at RMSP Conference Center
7:30 p.m. – Birds of Prey Program with Marty Silver
9:00 p.m. Moth party Larry McDaniel
SUNDAY, SEPT. 10
9:00 a.m. Field Trips:
1) Birds with Lee & Lois Herndon Chapter TOS
2) Rare Plants of the Roan Highlands with Gary Kaufman
2:00 p.m. Field Trips:
1) Butterflies and other insects with Don Holt
2) Birds of Prey with RMSP staff