Learn about the “submarine” bird outdoors
What American bird can stay under enable them to thrive in frigid air and water for up to 15 seconds in a cold mounwater. tain stream, and why would it? Donnelly is a professor and the director Biologist Roark Donnelly will give a presentation about the submarine bird Monday, Aug. 5, at the Highlands Civic Center. Donnelly will present a slide lecture entitled “American Dippers and the The Water Ouzel is a species of bird Future of Fishery Restoration in the that submerges itself underwater for West.” The prosurvival purposes. gram begins at 7:30 p.m. with refreshments at 7 p.m. of the urban ecology program at Oglethorpe These birds, also known as Water University in Atlanta and an instructor at Ouzels, look like a cross between a wren the Wilderness Field Station at Coe College and a thrush. They have several special in Iowa. The talk is sponsored by the adaptations to their aquatic world, which Highlands Plateau Audubon Society.
Lecture to focus on Little T, Chattooga rivers
Folkmoot center gardens get TLC
Smoky Mountain News
arrived for Folkmoot USA. The Richland Creek Garden Club, Waynesville’s first garden club, spruced up the Folkmoot Friendship Center gardens with new flowers, native plants and a good weeding. Main Street Waynesville wasn’t the only The group planted flowers at the place to get a spit and polish before visitors entrance to the Folkmoot center, focusing and performers from around the world on native plantings to show off the floral beauty that is part of Western North Carolina’s culture and heritage. The group also performed much-needed maintenance of the established plantings in front of the center. The Richland Garden Club, named after Richland Creek, was established in 1949 as the first garden club in the Waynesville area and still maintains many garden plots and plantings in town. “Even though our primary purpose is to provide a forum for members to learn more about horticulture, gardening, and how to Richland Creek Garden Club members and Folkmoot put what we grow to its best use, I representatives David Stallings (second from left) and also want to inspire members to put that knowledge into practice Karen Babcock (third from left) stand in front of the and take it into our community,” Folkmoot Friendship Center in Hazelwood. said club President Patty Felder.
July 31-Aug. 6, 2013
An upcoming lecture will explore, in depth, the past and the folklore surrounding two of the regions most prominent rivers. Historian and author Brent Martin will give a lecture titled “Dividing Spring: History and Mythology of the Little Tennessee and Chattooga Headwaters” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Highlands Nature Center. Martin is a writer, educator and conservationist, and lives in the Cowee community of Western North Carolina. During Martin’s career in conservation he has worked for the Armuchee Alliance, Georgia Forestwatch, the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee and The Wilderness Society, where he currently serves as Southern Appalachian regional director in Sylva. He is also a studied historian and the author of three chapbook collections of poetry. The talk is part of this summer’s ongoing Zahner Conservation Lecture Series. www.highlandsbiological.org or 828.526.2221.
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