Thursday, March 11, 7pm EST with Andrea Ludwig
Join us on Thursday, March 11 at 7pm EST to learn more about how having a “Tennessee Smart Yard” can help us gain ground for having clean waterways. Register here to receive your link for this free Zoom program. This program is co-sponsored by Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning.
Residential areas are a significant part of our Tennessee landscapes, making residents a critical stakeholder group in watershed management strategies.The University of Tennessee Extension along with its partners is empowering residents with information on how to nurture a healthy, ecologically-sound landscape that provides benefits both for humans and our environment. Our latest efforts have created an online platform for residents to learn from our experts from the comfort and safety of their own homes and at their own pace.Tennessee Smart Yards – ” keeping Tennessee’s land and water healthy, one yard at a time“.
Presenter: Dr. Andrea Ludwig, Associate Professor of Ecological Engineering in the Biosystems Engineering and Soil Department at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Ludwig is the co-director of Tennessee Smart Yards, a sustainable landscaping educational program that seeks to certify private property across the state as “Tennessee Smart Yards.” Dr. Ludwig has worked as the State Stormwater Management Specialist for UT Extension since 2010. In addition, she holds a PhD in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech.
For any issues with registration or questions about the program contact Michelle Campanis, University of Tennessee Arboretum Education coordinator at mcampani@tennessee.edu
FROGGY WENT A COURTIN’, TUESDAY MARCH 23RD, 7PM EST with Stephen Lyn Bales
Froggy went a courtin’! Tuesday, March 23rd at 7pm, EST. Spring is here and local frogs are active. There are 15 species of frogs and toads in the Tennessee Valley. In each case, the males croon to attract the attention of the females. But each species croaks at a different time and from different locations. You often do not see them because they are camouflaged to blend into their watery places, but you certainly hear them. Join local natural historian Stephen Lyn Bales via Zoom for this presentation hosted by the UT Arboretum Society. The class is free, you do not even have to leave home, but registration is required. To register click HERE To contact Stephen Lyn or buy one of his UT Press books go to Instagram @stephenlynbales
Tuesday, April 6 CICADA- A- RAID-A! BROOD X with Stephen Lyn Bales
Cicada a-raid-a! Brood X! It sounds like a sci-fi movie. We have been waiting 17 years for their return. Ta-da! They are almost here. After living underground since 2004, it is time for their emergence by the millions, shed their larval skin and fly away to buzz for a mate en masse. Join local natural historian Stephen Lyn Bales for a look at all things cicada plus this year’s huge emergence. This creepy-crawly presentation via Zoom is hosted by the UT Arboretum Society. The class is free, you do not even have to leave home. To register go to utarboretumsociety.org. The program will be recorded so please register to receive link. To contact Stephen Lyn or buy one of his UT Press books go to Instagram @stephenlynbales or email him at hellostephenlyn@yahoo.com
The Sunny Birds of Summer
Thursday May 6, 2021 7 PM EDT
Stephen Lyn Bales
The Sunny Birds of Summer! Thursday, May 6th, 7pm EST – Join UT Arboretum for our First Thursday Nature Supper Club May 6 as we celebrate the bird species that are with us only during the warm months, their nesting season. You provide your own stay-at-home supper and local natural historian Stephen Lyn Bales will entertainingly teach via Zoom about birds such as the wood thrush, catbird, indigo bunting and the gorgeous prothonotary warbler. The class is free, but you need to register at utarboretumsociety.org to receive your Zoom link. The program will be recorded so register even if you cannot watch the day of program. If you have any problems with registration contact UT Arboretum Education Coordinator, Michelle Campanis at mcampani@tennessee.edu To contact Stephen Lyn go to hellostephenlyn@yahoo,com
Conserving our East Tennessee Bald Eagles and Birds of Prey” with Dr. Robyn Miller of the American Eagle Foundation
Thursday May 13, 2021 7:00 PM EDT
American Eagle Foundation has a longstanding history in the conservation of bald eagles and other birds of prey. Over the course of over 30 years, they have released 180 bald eagles back into the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. The conservation efforts of citizens, lawmakers, and organizations like us have culminated in the bald eagle’s triumphant comeback from the brink of extinction. Recent studies have found that the population has quadrupled since the last count!
The UT Arboretum Society presents the American Eagle Foundation for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives of our resident raptors, including our charismatic bald eagle ambassadors! As Dr. Miller guides you on a virtual tour, you will learn about eagle and other raptors’ roles within our ecosystem, how AEF cares for them, and how we can help protect them.
Register to receive your Zoom link. The program will be recorded so you may view later if unable to attend at scheduled time. Contact Michelle Campanis, UT Arboretum Education Coordinator with any questions or registration issues: mcampani@utk.edu
Our presenter: While completing her PhD in literature at Auburn University, Dr. Miller started volunteering at a local raptor facility in 2012. She decided to pursue raptor education as a full-time career upon graduating and joined American Eagle Foundation’s team in 2018. As an educator and falconer, she hopes to share her partnership with raptors as a force for good, inspiring a passion for avian conservation in the hearts of generations to come.
Birdability: Because Birding is for Everybody and Every Body!
Thursday May 27, 2021 7:00 PM EDT
Birding is an activity that can bring so much joy and empowerment to everybody, but not everybody is able to go birding easily. Birdability is a non-profit organization focused on removing barriers to access for birders with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, intellectual or developmental disabilities (including autism), mental illness, being Deaf or Hard of Hearing and other health concerns; and bringing the joy of birding to people with disabilities and other health concerns who aren’t yet birders. Learn about why this should matter to you (even if you don’t have an accessibility challenge), ways to be a more welcoming and inclusive birder, the Birdability Map (and how to submit a Birdability Site Review) and our resources for birders (and potential future birders) with accessibility challenges… because birding is for everybody and every body! Learn more and find resources at birdability.org This program is co-sponsored by Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and the UT Arboretum Society.
Presenter: Freya McGregor, OTR/L, CIG is the Birdability Coordinator and Occupational Therapist. Birding since childhood, her ‘dodgy’ knee often creates an accessibility challenge for her. With a background in blindness and low vision services, she is passionate about enabling all birders and potential future birders to enjoy birding and nature as much as she does.
First Thursday Nature Supper Club
Bad Bird Dads and Good Bird Fathers
Thursday June 3, 2021 7:00 PM EDT
Stephen Lyn Bales
Bad Bird Dads and Good Bird Fathers. Join UT Arboretum for our First Thursday Supper Club June 3 as we celebrate Father’s Day. You provide your own stay-at-home supper and we provide the nature as local naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales will entertain and teach us via Zoom about fatherhood in birds. Are mourning doves good fathers? Are bluebirds? Join us and find out.
Registration for this free online event is required to receive your Zoom link. Contact Michelle Campanis regarding any questions or registration issues: mcampani@tennessee.edu
To contact Stephen Lyn go to hellostephenlyn@yahoo,com
Eco-epidemiology of Tick-Borne Diseases in the Southeast US
Thursday June 24, 2021 7:00 PM EDT
Dr. Richard Gerhold
Anyone who spends time outdoors in warm weather needs to be aware of diseases that can be transmitted by ticks. According to the CDC, tick-borne illnesses doubled in the U.S. between 2014 and 2016. Because ticks are so small, people might not even notice when they’ve been bitten by one.
Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and the UT Arboretum Society will cosponsor Zoom program with Dr. Richard Gerhold, an assistant professor of parasitology in the Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences at UT’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Gerhold holds a B.S. in wildlife science and a DVM from Purdue University, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in veterinary pathology from the University of Georgia. He completed a two-year National Science Foundation-funded post-doctoral fellowship at UT’s Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries Department, researching Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
Registration for this free online event is required to receive your Zoom link. Contact Michelle Campanis regarding any questions or registration issues: mcampani@tennessee.edu
The Mystery Of Monarch Metamorphosis
Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 7:00 pm EDT
Stephen Lyn Bales
Click Here to register on the UT Arboretum Society website to receive your Zoom link.
Join the Arboretum Society for our First Thursday Nature Supper Club on Thursday, July 1st as we learn about monarch metamorphosis. You provide your own stay-at-home supper, and we provide the nature as local naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales will entertain and teach us via Zoom. According to “Scientific American,” over 80 percent of all life on Earth are insects with over 50 percent of those going through complete metamorphosis. It happens all around our homes all throughout the year, but few of us ever witness it. Bales will show us both monarch butterfly metamorphosis and migration and follow one monarch he documented with his camera from egg to first flight.
Registration for this free online event is required to receive your Zoom link. Contact Michelle Campanis regarding any questions or registration issues: mcampani@tennessee.edu
To contact Stephen Lyn go to hellostephenlyn@yahoo,com
Appalachian Woodland Edibles & Medicinals
Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 7:00 pm EDT
Melody Rose
Click Here to register on the UT Arboretum Society website to receive your Zoom link.
(Trillium grandiflorum)
Let’s journey through the vast and varied Appalachian mountain range with a close-up review of our woodland species. Gain a deeper appreciation of how our current knowledge of plants has evolved through generations of multiple cultural influences, while exploring the lore of our region by listening to the plants tell their stories. Registration for this free Zoom program is required. The program will be recorded and all registrants will be sent link for the recording after the program. Closed captioning is available for this program.
Our presenter, Melody Rose, serves as Extension Agent III in Greene County, Tennessee with the University of Tennessee Extension. Serving in this capacity, her main area of focus in Greene County is the Big Spring Master Gardener Program (BSMGA) and providing research-based horticulture informational programs, along with tobacco and fruit and vegetable programming. Melody grew up in a rural farming community in the Western North Carolina Mountains near Waynesville. There she gained an appreciation for bluegrass music (yep, she plays); burley tobacco (strong work ethic); and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains (HOME)! . Melody holds a BS in Agriculture with an emphasis in Agronomy from Berea College, Berea KY and a MS in Agriculture Leadership, Education, and Communications from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Registration for this free online event is required to receive your Zoom link. Contact Michelle Campanis regarding any questions or registration issues: mcampani@tennessee.edu
How To Build A Screech Owl Box
Thursday, August 5, 2021 at 7:00 pm EDT
Stephen Lyn Bales
Click Here to register on the UT Arboretum Society website to receive your Zoom link.
Join the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society for our First Thursday Nature Supper Club as we learn how to build a roost box for a screech-owl. Eastern screech-owls are the smallest owls that live in the woods around us. Like any animal they need food, water and shelter. Since screech owls are nocturnal, they look for a hollow tree or other safe place to roost during the day and raise their young. We will show you some of the important features needed to provide safe habitat when you build a roost box. There will be a question and answer session after the “how to” program. A PDF of the Screech Owl Box plans will be sent to all those that register for the class. Local naturalist, Stephen Lyn Bales, and UT Arboretum Education Coordinator, Michelle Campanis, will lead this how-to program.
This program will be recorded, and closed captioning is available. Please contact Michelle Campanis at mcampani@utk.edu with any questions or registration issues.
To contact Stephen Lyn Bales or buy one of his UT Press books, email him at hellostephenlyn@yahoo.com
Ranavirus: What It Is, and Why It Matters to Our Box Turtles in East Tennessee
Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at 7:00 pm EDT
Dr. Matt Allender
Click Here to register on the UT Arboretum Society website to receive your Zoom link.
Ranavirus can cause severe infections in amphibians, reptiles (including box turtles), and fish. It has a mortality rate of 90% to 100%, and there is currently no treatment. Join us as Dr. Matt Allender, director of the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab at the University of Illinois, will discuss his work in connection with the ranavirus in a free Zoom program cosponsored by TCWP, the UT Arboretum Society, and the Clinch River Environmental Studies Organization of East Tennessee (CRESO).
Dr. Allender is a zoo and wildlife veterinarian who received his DVM from the University of Illinois in 2004, and completed a residency in Zoological Medicine at the University of Tennessee and the Knoxville Zoo. He then joined the faculty at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois and jointly completed a PhD, studying the epidemiology of ranavirus in free-ranging turtles. He currently teaches, performs research, and provides clinical service for free-ranging and captive wildlife, and also volunteers for CRESO. Registration for this free event is required. Contact Michelle Campanis, UT Arboretum Education Coordinator, at mcampani@utk.edu regarding any questions or registration issues.
Come back to see our events!
Come back to see our events!
Come back to see our events!
Come back to see our events!
