Fun was had by all!
On Saturday, August 15th Blue Ridge Discovery Center got together for a day of exploration capped off by a potluck party!
Recap of the Explorer’s Adventure Camp (August 3rd-5th, 2015)
For years people have requested that we provide some kind of camp for kids and this year things all fell into place at last. BRDC’s goals behind this camp, aligned with our mission, were to connect kids with nature through immersion, give them the opportunity to learn potentially life long enriching hobbies, and teach them 21st century skills including problem solving and critical thinking through interest-driven activities.
Fresh Water Snorkeling with Jim Herrig
Last Saturday we had the wonderful privilege of hosting Jim Herrig, from the US Forest Service, the man who developed the wildly successful Freshwater Snorkeling Program in the Cherokee National Forest! Jim and his assistant Michela packed all of their equipment up: snorkels, masks and wetsuits, and made a 6 hour trek north to give us a full demonstration of the program.
Canadian migrant arrives early on the New River
With the arrival of August it seems that summer is almost over, most birds have finished breeding, and cooler weather must be coming soon. But one of the surest signs of the approaching end of summer is the first arrival of migrating birds that breed in the far north.
Explorer Adventure Camp Photo Gallery
The 1st Annual Explorers Adventure Camp documented in photos.
Bluff Mountain Hike
Doug Monroe, Naturalist for the Bluff Mountain Nature Preserve, guided an eager group of individuals on a special hike through the Nature Conservancy property as part of the Blue Ridge Expeditions Program.
Biking for Natural History
Although the typical means of enjoying nature would be by walking, I have found that biking can be a great way to find natural wonders in any area which has biking trails. The rails to trails paths are ideal since they tend to be easy to ride while watching the passing nature show. One of our favorites is the New River Trail State Park in VA which has repaid repeated rides on the same trail segment to spot daily and seasonal changes in natural history.
Students explore the life of birds through BRDC's Avian Adventures
On Monday afternoon William Roberts (board member of Blue Ridge Discovery Center and Scott Jackson-Ricketts (program director of BRDC) introduced the art of birding to Mark Robinson’s biology enrichment class. After sharing names and a getting-to-know-one-another session, we began by holding up bird flash cards to determine what birds, if any, the students recognized.
Fishbugs and Snorkeling with the Scout Troop #5
A small pack from Boy Scout Troop #5 hauled their swimming trunks, snorkels and bug nets down to Big Wilson Creek in search of Southern Appalachain Brook Trout. Upon arriving we found a tea-colored tannin stained creek. Not to be deterred, the scouts geared up and entered the 62 degree water without hesitation.
BRDC sends two Grayson County Students to the National Environmental Summit for High School Students
Blue Ridge Discovery Center will be sponsoring Grace Vaughan and Lori Shupe of Grayson County High School with a full scholarships to attend The National Environmental Summit for High School Students at Catawba College.
Freshwater Snorkeling!
Earlier this summer Blue Ridge Discovery Center received a grant to implement a Freshwater Snorkeling program with the goal of connecting our youth to the lifeblood of the Blue Ridge Mountains. By immersing kids in a setting they have never experienced before, we will be generating a profound drive of curiosity, exploration and discovery. Armed with wetsuits, snorkels and masks, we are about cross that mirrored boundary.
(July 2015) American Chestnut: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree, by Susan Freinkel
"The American chestnut was one of America's most common, valued, and beloved trees—a "perfect tree" that ruled the forests from Georgia to Maine. But in the early twentieth century, an exotic plague swept through the chestnut forests with the force of a wildfire. Within forty years, the blight had killed close to four billion trees and left the species teetering on the brink of extinction."
Blue Ridge Expeditions: Hike on Bluff Mountain, Ashe Co, NC
The Blue Ridge Expedition hike of The Nature Conservancy's Bluff Mountain Nature Preserve was smiled upon by the weather gods as the fog lifted as the hike began and the rain fell as the hike ended. Hikers were treated with peak blooms of mountain laurel at Perkins Rock and the mesic glade and indian paintbrush in the meadow. Numerous red efts shared the trail without a single casualty which was a minor miracle considering there were thirty feet finding their way.
(June 2015) The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature, by David George Haskell
Biologist David George Haskell uses a one-square-meter patch of old-growth Tennessee forest as a window onto the entire natural world. Visiting it almost daily for one year to trace nature's path through the seasons, he brings the forest and its inhabitants to vivid life. Beginning with simple observations--a salamander scuttling across the leaf litter, the first blossom of spring wildflowers--Haskell spins a brilliant web of biology, ecology, and poetry, explaining the science binding together ecosystems that have cycled for thousands--sometimes millions--of years.
Blue Ridge Expeditions: Turk Mountain
A crew of 16 people met for the day’s adventure on Turk Mountain in Augusta County, Virginia. Our journey was one of scales: geological, ecological and cultural. Our expedition began with some flexing of the imagination, 550 million years ago upon white sand beaches.
Wrapping up 2015 Bird Sleuth program at Grayson County High School
We had two working classes: Becky Absher’s ecology and Deb Greif’s/Kathy Davis' math analysis. Working with both classes from March through April, Blue Ridge Discovery Center focused on acquainting the students with local birds, their habitats and behavior. Starting in early March, we divided up our instruction time between in-class studies and outdoor walks behind the school. Through Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology curriculum, called Bird Sleuth, we watched a series of videos dedicated to the skills of bird id and natural history. Outside, along Stinky Creek, we set up a few bird feeders to draw in common feeder birds, giving us the opportunity to put our new-found skills to test.
Nesting Bald Eagles Discovered along the New River in Grayson County, VA!
Every trip outdoors holds an opportunity for discovery, but a trip down the New River always seems to be teeming with wildlife. On this particular trip, Ellie and Roald discovered a successful nesting pair of Bald Eagles! This is a landmark discovery many of us have been looking forward to for years.
Trout in the Classroom
In 2014 we received generous support from Grayson National Bank to expand the participation in Trout Unlimited's Trout in the Classroom program. Their support allowed us to install two more tanks: one in Mrs. Murphy's 4th grade class at Piney Creek Elementary and one at Mr. Horton's Galax High School Ag class, for a total of three 50 gallon tanks including the one managed by Mrs. Perry's 7th grade class at Grayson Highlands.
Seed Pods of Matthews State Forest by Galax High School Art Program
The Seed Pods of Matthews State Forest poster has been completed! It is the fourth in an ongoing series of posters from the Blue Ridge Illustrated program.