The BRDC Cottage Rain Garden, funded through the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP), has been completed!

Each year, the Tuesday following Thanksgiving is known as Giving Tuesday. For 2020, Giving Tuesday falls on December 1st. This global movement gives everyone the power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on. We all have gifts to give, and this year you can make the greatest impact by contributing to the community while supporting the next generation of stewards and community leaders.

BRDC is growing! Lauren and Chris joined the team this year and are busy helping us meet our mission as we work to create the Center for a grand opening in 2021.

Let your Seedling Scientists explore nature in a program designed specifically for preschool aged children.

Over the course of the last month, the space in front of the schoolhouse has undergone a significant transition at the hands of dedicated volunteers. What was recently a grass lawn is now a complex rain garden where wetland is skirted by meadow in a diverse habitat teeming with native plants.

For Fall 2020, many schools within the Blue Ridge Discovery Center service region are moving to virtual (online) learning, and some school schedules include dedicated time off each week. During this unique time, BRDC saw an opportunity to provide regional youth with weekly outdoor experiences ranging from nature hikes and journaling to scientific inquiry and data collection. Space is limited, so register today!

Due to ongoing safety protocols surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blue Ridge Discovery Center Summer Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally has been canceled. However, you can still connect with BRDC and Explore, Discover, and Share the wonders of the place you call home!

The first-ever remote version of the Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally has concluded, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. During this 10-day Backyard Edition, we invited participants to “explore, discover, and share the wonders of the place they call home.” And explore, they did!

“Apparently, a naturalist is every one of these people. People who are fascinated by nature and seek to find its treasures, uncover its secrets. Finally I had found a collection of these naturalists rallying together to explore, discover, and share the wonders of a globally spectacular region. A place I would now call home.”

The heart of the Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally lies in the naturalists: those who participate and those who share their areas of expertise with others by guiding field trips. For our first ever Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally: Backyard Edition, some of our favorite MRNR guides will be leading programs remotely to get you inspired and engaged in the wonders of the place you call home.

This Wednesday, April 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! Will you celebrate with us?

Blue Ridge Discovery Center is growing! On March 1, 2020, Ali Singleton joined the BRDC team as our first Landscaper/Educator.

After sneaking a peek at winter birds this weekend, you’ll have an opportunity to connect with friends in Grayson County, enjoy a wine dinner at Abingdon Vineyards, share your ideas during the Master Plan Meeting II, and catch the only preview of Barbara Kingsolver’s forthcoming poetry book before its release!