Learning from the Best of the Best!
What if you could look 10 years into the future, 20 years or 50 years? A few weeks ago, Blue Ridge Discovery Center had our very own crystal ball! Thanks to a small grant from the Harris and Francis Block Foundation we had the opportunity to study and learn from our counterparts at some of the best science centers, schools and field labs in the country! The trip took us to the Central Colorado Rocky Mountains, where the landscape and culture provided an ideal compare and contrast to the Blue Ridge Mountains!
Signs of Fall in the Blue Ridge
Seasonal changes in flowering are well known but the specific reasons for spring/summer/fall timing are not always so clear. For example, the famous witch hazel is now blooming in the woods and it is one of the few woodland trees to do so this time of year.
7th Graders Discover Hawk Migration
Jim Keighton of Blue Ridge Birders hosted BRDC and 19 Grayson Highlands seventh graders for a day of counting migrating hawks.
2nd Annual BRDC Science Fair
BRDC is excited to announce the 2nd Annual BRDC Science Fair in partnership with Grayson County Public Schools! All 6th and 7th-grade students in Grayson County Public Schools are included.
Monarch and Milkweed
This month, we shared the life cycle, habitat requirements, and the migration of the Monarch butterfly.
Nature in the Blue Ridge as Summer Comes to a Close
The nights have been getting cooler but the days are still sunny and warm. Most plants have bloomed and are setting seeds and fruit. Some birds have migrated and most can hardly be heard anymore. There is a frenzy of insect activity on the remaining flowers.
Summer Naturalist Rally Celebrates the Ecology of the Blue Ridge
Spectacular weather helped make the 2nd annual Mount Rogers Summer Naturalist Rally a wonderful success. The summer gathering is a great addition to the very successful Mount Rogers Naturalist Spring Rally, held for the last 43 years, giving naturalists an opportunity to observe species that change along with the seasons.
An August Nature Ramble
We have enjoyed exploring the mountains around Boone for its considerable natural wonders. In August the birds have mostly finished breeding and reduced their vocalizations, so we enjoy watching insects and anything else in the natural world that draws our attention.
I was surprised to find that in August the most common large butterfly near Boone is the pipevine swallowtail.
Discovery Camp
While camping along Fox Creek in Grayson County, campers were immersed into the wonders of the Blue Ridge.
Camp on the Fly
Not only did these kids learn and hone in on their fly rod casting skills but they caught 9 species of fish!
The Hidden Life of Trees
For July 2017, the BRDC Book Club read and discussed The Hidden Life of Trees.
"In The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods and forests and explains the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration he has observed in the woodland and the amazing scientific processes behind the wonders of which we are blissfully unaware.
An Expedition on the New
Carrying all provisions in canoes and kayaks, camping at canoe-in-only campgrounds or on private, remote islands allowed these campers to see and experience the beauty and tranquility of the New River.
BRDC Partners with Galax for Hands-On Summer Day Camp Fun
Continuing a successful relationship built through afterschool programs and weekend field trips during the 2016 and 2017 school years, BRDC partnered with Galax Public Schools this summer to offer four unique, weeklong camps in June and July. The camps were hands-on, experiential learning based, outdoor skills focused, and offered free of charge to 3rd-7th grade Galax students.
Discovery Day Camp
31 kids had a fun-filled week of exploration as part of BRDC's Discovery Day Camp. From splashing in the water and examining what lives in a mountain stream, learning to use a map and compass, studying birds, bugs, flowers and rocks, nature arts and crafts, fun games and songs, to the age old pastime of dropping handcrafted vessels into the creek, exploring the Blue Ridge has never been so much fun!
Join BRDC for the Summer Naturalist Rally!
EXPLORE THE NATURAL HISTORY OF MOUNT ROGERS, THE CROWN JEWEL OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
The Summer Rally gives us a chance to explore Mt. Rogers in a different season. We have assembled a wide variety of field trips with leaders who are experts in their field and able to make it understandable and interesting for everyone from inquisitive amateurs to accomplished naturalists.
Stock Donations, a Powerful Way to Support Vital Causes
With the stock market continuing to hit record highs (The Dow Jones industrial average continues to clear 21,000), now more than ever is an excellent time to consider a stock donation to Blue Ridge Discovery Center.
Announcing 6 Camp Scholarships in partnership with Friends of Mount Rogers!
BRDC is seeking applicants for six full scholarships ($795 value) to our Discovery Camp, July 31 - August 5, Ages 9-12 or 13-15. Location: Base Camp, Troutdale, VA
Birding Adventure in the High Country
6 kids went on a gravity-defying adventure in the high country participating in BRDC’s inaugural Ornithology Camp. For four days and three nights, the kids camped out and honed their ornithology skills, searching for bird species that inhabit the diverse appalachian ecosystems of southwest Virginia.
Travel Down the Rapids of the New
New River Expedition: Wed-Sat, July 19-22 for ages 12-15. Want to experience a true river expedition? Join our crew and travel down the rapids of the New River while pitching camp on remote islands!
Searching for Big Red
For the Spring Naturalist Rally, Austin Thomas and I set out with a group in search of Big Red- a very large red spruce that is the second largest of that species recorded in Virginia. The rain cleared out and we had partly cloudy skies when we set the GPS coordinates for Big Red. With measurements of 77 inches circumference, 108 feet height and crown 26 feet recorded in 2010, our group was excited to stand at the base and take current measurements to update the tree's current status.