September & October 2020 Events Calendar
Between capturing the remaining vestiges of summer and welcoming fall, there is a lot to appreciate about September! Can you join us for one of the following events?
Schoolhouse Wetland Comes to Life
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.
BRDC Responds to Virtual Learning by Offering Outdoor Programs to Local Youth
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!
Seeking Applications for Naturalist/Educator
Blue Ridge Discovery Center is seeking applications for a Naturalist/Educator (N/E) and help connect our regional youth and adults to one of the greatest natural treasures in the east. This is an excellent opportunity to make an impact in our community while building naturalist skills.
Summer Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally Announcement
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!
BRDC Summer Camp Announcement
We have made the decision to scale back on summer camps due to the ongoing threat of Covid-19. We are canceling all camps for the month of June and are limiting participation for the rest of summer to a level that ensures we can meet safety guidelines. At the core of our decision-making process is first and foremost our ability to provide a safe environment for participants along with staff. Secondly, as a community-funded non-profit, part of our decision-making process is how to best serve our community in a time of great need.
Special Poetry Reading by Barbara Kingsolver for BRDC
Acclaimed writer and trained biologist Barbara Kingsolver settled into the Blue Ridge Discovery Center cottage to read from her forthcoming poetry book, How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons), for a remote, online audience of Naturalist Rally participants. This intimate setting and Kingsolver's gentle nature provides an inspiring window for anyone that takes a moment to listen.
Wonders Revealed: A Recap of the Spring MRNR
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!
Remote Rally Going Strong
Another stellar day on the iNaturalist Project! The leaderboard shows 97 observers with over 2,800 observations and 840 species…WOW! This is so awesome!
Remote Rally Update!
The Mt Rogers Naturalist Rally: Backyard Edition is off to a fantastic start! It is delightful to have so many participants in our iNaturalist project. We love seeing you getting outside to Explore, Discover, and Share with us.
The MRNR Usual Suspects: A Note from the Artist
“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.”
Cabell Foundation Challenge Met!
In May 2019 the Cabell Foundation of Richmond challenged Blue Ridge Discovery Center to raise $200,000 through community support for a 1:1 match. What has transpired in less than a year’s time turned out to be worth even more than that.
Expert Guides "Rally" for MRNR Webinars
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.
Celebrate Earth Day with us!
This Wednesday, April 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! Will you celebrate with us?
BRDC Welcomes Ali Singleton as Landscaper/Educator
Blue Ridge Discovery Center is growing! On March 1, 2020, Ali Singleton joined the BRDC team as our first Landscaper/Educator.
Grayson County & BRDC: A Relationship Worth Investing In
On the sunny Sunday of March 1, 2020, over 50 members of the Grayson County community joined Blue Ridge Discovery Center staff and board members at the New River Wildlife and Conservation Club in Fries, Virginia, to “make new friends, build relationships, and strengthen our community.”
Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas: Final Season Kick-off Meeting
Join the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas 2 (VABBA2) team for their Final Atlas Season Kick-off Meeting at VDGIF Headquarters in Henrico on March 14th!
Youth HBSP Birding Expedition
Huntington Beach State Park (HBSP) hosts some of the best winter birding in South Carolina and was the destination for our recent youth birding expedition.
Birding Burke's
Per usual, the weather was cool and damp, but that had no bearing on the birds or the company when ten of us traveled the approximately 10-mile radius of the high elevation limestone valley known as Burke’s Garden. The reason for our February visit? Birds.