Monthly Programs

Update on Tick Borne Diseases in East Tennessee

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pictures of various ticks

Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 7pm EST on Zoom

Dr. Richard Gerhold, will update us on tick-borne diseases in East Tennessee at this Zoom program Thursday, March 30 at 7pm EST.. Dr. Gerhold will discuss updates on tick abundance and prevalence, as well as the spread of the Asian longhorned tick. He will also cover the various pathogens that can be transmitted, their geographical and temporal variations, diagnostics tests, and prevention. This is an important subject for everyone in our region as tick diseases spread from other regions.

Dr. Gerhold, who holds a BS degree in wildlife science and a DVM degree, both from Purdue University, is an associate professor of parasitology in the Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Tennessee, where he researches Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. In addition to the latter, his research interests include wildlife and public health associated parasite epidemiology and transmission, protozoa transmission and ecology, and avian diseases.

The program is co-sponsored by Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning. The program is free, but participants will need register to receive a Zoom link. The recording will be sent to everyone who registers. Closed captions will be available.

Contact Michelle Campanis, mcampani@tennessee.edu, University of Tennessee Arboretum Education Coordinator, with questions or registration issues.


Its Time to Migrate North: Birds on the Move! with Stephen Lyn Bales

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Photo by Betty Thompson

Thursday, April 6, 2023, at 7pm Eastern Time on Zoom

 Many birds migrate south for the winter to find food because they primarily eat insects or fruit. Over the next few weeks millions will be returning north passing over our homes on their way to northern breeding grounds. They fly at night in order to not overheat and spend their days in our trees looking for food. It is estimated that if a Blackpole Warbler were burning gasoline instead of body fat it would be getting 720,000 miles per gallon!

Join Michelle Campanis, education coordinator at the University of Tennessee Arboretum, and naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales via Zoom for an overview of migratory birds in East Tennessee. The program is free and closed captions are available. You must register for your Zoom link for the live presentation and the recording will be sent to everyone that registers.

Contact Michelle Campanis, mcampani@tennessee.edu, University of Tennessee Arboretum Education Coordinator, with questions. or registration issues.


Group hiking
Third Saturday Hike at the UT Arboretum