(December 2014) 8. Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail

Emma Gatewood told her family she was going on a walk and left her small Ohio hometown with a change of clothes and less than two hundred dollars. The next anybody heard from her, this genteel, farm-reared, 67-year-old great-grandmother had walked 800 miles along the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail. And in September 1955, having survived a rattlesnake strike, two hurricanes, and a run-in with gangsters from Harlem, she stood atop Maine’s Mount Katahdin. There she sang the first verse of “America, the Beautiful” and proclaimed, “I said I’ll do it, and I’ve done it.”

Grandma Gatewood, as the reporters called her, became the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone, as well as the first person—man or woman—to walk it twice and three times. Gatewood became a hiking celebrity and appeared on TV and in the pages of Sports Illustrated. The public attention she brought to the little-known footpath was unprecedented. Her vocal criticism of the lousy, difficult stretches led to bolstered maintenance, and very likely saved the trail from extinction.

Author Ben Montgomery was given unprecedented access to Gatewood’s own diaries, trail journals, and correspondence, and interviewed surviving family members and those she met along her hike, all to answer the question so many asked: Why did she do it? The story of Grandma Gatewood will inspire readers of all ages by illustrating the full power of human spirit and determination. Even those who know of Gatewood don’t know the full story—a story of triumph from pain, rebellion from brutality, hope from suffering.

Hokie Bugfest!!

Photo Credit: WDBJ7 News

Clyde Kessler and Scott Jackson-Ricketts set up a BRDC booth at the 4th annual Hokie Bugfest.  This year's Hokie BugFest (HBF) attendance was 6,112 - a significant increase over 4,229 of last year.

Our set-up consisted of a selection of insect and spider field guides, drawing pads and colored pencils, encouraging the kids to draw their favorite bug.  Then Scott pressed the sketch into a button for the kids to take home.  Over 200 buttons were made at the BRDC table. 

(October 2014) 7. Mountain Nature, A Seasonal Natural History of the Southern Appalachians by Jennifer Frick-Ruppert

We're bringing this month's selection back to our region with Mountain Nature, A Seasonal Natural History of the Southern Appalachians by Jennifer Frick-Ruppert.

"The Southern Appalachians are home to a breathtakingly diverse array of living things--from delicate orchids to carnivorous pitcher plants, from migrating butterflies to flying squirrels, and from brawny black bears to more species of salamander than anywhere else in the world. Mountain Nature is a lively and engaging account of the ecology of this remarkable region. It explores the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachians and the webs of interdependence that connect them.

Within the region's roughly 35 million acres, extending from north Georgia through the Carolinas to northern Virginia, exists a mosaic of habitats, each fostering its own unique natural community. Stories of the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachians are intertwined with descriptions of the seasons, giving readers a glimpse into the interlinked rhythms of nature, from daily and yearly cycles to long-term geological changes. Residents and visitors to Great Smoky Mountains or Shenandoah National Parks, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or any of the national forests or other natural attractions within the region will welcome this appealing introduction to its ecological wonders."

Galax Middle School, Fall Enrichment Program

As Executive Director of BRDC, I would like to thank the Galax City School System, Bill Sturgill and Rebecca Cardwell.  Also both principals, Kristina Legg and Justin Iroler were instrumental in their guidance.  Aaron Horton rolled up his sleeves for some serious grunt work.  Below are the accounts from both program directors.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

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The National Fishing in the Schools program took on the task of teaching approximately 30 students the basics of fly fishing in a week. With 1 ½ hours/class, and two classes on each of five days we exposed these energetic kids to a hobby that has great potential for life long enrichment. 

During this crash course the students learned to tie special knots required to setup the fly line and attach the fly. They became thoroughly acquainted with all of the equipment of fly fishing including fly reels, rods, lines, leaders and flies. They kept a running journal to document what they learned and illustrated observations to reinforce the concepts of fly fishing. They participated in competitive relays to release some of the seemingly endless youth energy and studied the three most important aquatic macroinvertebrates: mayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies. They cast at bulls-eye targets to better understand the association between fish species and the different types of flies, while honing their casting skills. They learned the basics of fly casting that can be put to use on any open water. They learned about the culture of fly fishing by watching modern short films and reading famous writers like Norman Maclean. They also discussed conservation ethics including “Leave No Trace” and proper ways to handle a fish.  In the finale, they learned about fish species and tested their new skills with a competition casting for “real fake fish” at 20’, 25’ and 30’. All of the students received a hand tied fly pin for their enthusiasm during the course. 

A gracious thanks to Lisa Benish for her dedicated efforts in teaching the National Fishing in the Schools Program; Katie Cole, founder of the NFSP and Chris Dunnavant, Angling Education Coordinator at VADGIF for providing the equipment and lesson plans.

Aaron Floyd, President of BRDC and FIS program director

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Hands in the Dirt is a program developed by Blue Ridge Discovery Center to give kids exposure to plant, soil, wildlife and habitat education while providing an opportunity for them to improve their school grounds in some way. Approximately 30 Galax Middle School students recently participated by creating and installing a butterfly garden, inspired by a cooperative project in York County, “Schoolyard Habitats: Monarch Initiative” carried out by Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Master Naturalists, and Virginia Master Gardeners. 

For the first 2 days, students become acquainted with the importance of creating butterfly habitat. Program guides used a variety of tools, including worksheets, field guides, a YouTube video, and iPads to assist students with completing self-directed research, focusing on the significant decline of the Monarch butterfly. The kids then got to the heart of the project by examining a variety of soils and beginning excavation on their garden plot. Volunteer Kathy Cole, a master gardener, introduced participants to the types of plants appropriate for the butterfly garden and discussed issues such as spacing, sunlight and water. Students then had the opportunity to sketch out their own designs for the garden.

The kids worked hard for the remaining three days, removing sod, adding top soil, installing a rain barrel, and finally, planting. The project sparked lots of interest from school personnel and passers-by, so students created posters identifying the garden as a butterfly habitat and warning against the use of weed killers. Many of the students expressed interest in ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the garden, and all made a personal contribution to the project.

A special thank you to Barbara Dunbar and Jody Turner for inspiration and ideas; Carol Heiser, Education Director with the VDGIF for support; Cathy Dowling from Blevins Building Supply for the rain barrel hardware; Galax Farm Supply for mulch; Zach Olinger with Matthews State Forest for the rain barrel; Kathy Cole for plants and hard work; and to John Fant for providing top soil. Finally, this success of this program would not have been possible without on-site support from Brenda Bonk.

Sarah Osborne, BRDC board member and HITD program director

Blue Ridge Expeditions: Brushy Mountain Hike, Bland County, VA

Blue Ridge Expeditions: Brushy Mountain Hike, Bland County, VA

Finally, some fun in the sun! On September 27th, after two previous hikes in the rain, seven of us had a wonderful sunny day on the trail. With perfect temperatures, we traversed the spine of Brushy Mountain in the Crandon area of Bland, VA. Starting at Route #608, we hiked the 5.3 miles to Route #606 at a 150 foot long suspension bridge over Kimberling Creek. Participants came from Bland, Wythe, and Mercer counties.

No bear, deer, or turkey, but we did see an unusual millipede and some beautiful ferns and fungus. We heard raven, white-breasted nuthatch, and downy woodpeckers.

Mushroom Walk at River Ridge Farm

Last Saturday's mushroom walk at River Ridge Farm was a great success! The weather was just perfect we had at least 16 participants. There was a lot of interest and excitement and the fungi were out in force. With the time we had; it was not possible to prepare a comprehensive species list. However, just in a quick run through I was able to ID 56 species from the walk. Not bad for a morning stroll through the forest!

Photo Credit: Joan Sunday

We started out the day, while everyone was arriving, by reviewing a selection of several species that I had previously collected and brought for demonstration. This gave everyone a chance to meet one another and familiarize themselves with a bit of the language of mycology. This turned out to be very helpful once we started collecting during our walk. There was at least some familiarity with how to look at fungi and some of the terminology.

Here are a few highlights and notable finds:  We did come across 3 different species of Amanitas, which made it possible to familiarize everyone with the characteristics the make up this genus.This is very important since some species of amanitas can be deadly poisonous!

We ran across a dozen species of Boletes; including the beautiful "Two Colored Bolete" B. bicolor and the blue staining Gyroporus cyanescens which stains dark blue immediately when it is handled.

There were 3 species of the highly sought after chanterelles; ie, the "Cinnabar Chanterelle"Cantherellus cinnabarinus, the "Horn of Plenty"Craterellus cornucopoides, and the "Golden Chanterelle"C. cibarius.

Other notable finds among the gilled mushrooms were many species of Russulas of many colors and Lactarius species that exude a type of "milk"when injured. There were several species of the colorful Entolomas, including the "Yellow Unicorn"E. murrayii and the "Salmon Witch's Hat"E salmoneum. We looked at many types of Polypores or "shelf fungi" such as the medicinal "Turkey Tails"Trametes versicolor and the "Cinnamon Polypore"Coltricia cinnamomea. An exciting find; growing from the base of a dead tree was Meripilus gigantea, which can grow to the size of several pounds. Higher up on the same tree were 2 specimens of the "Bearded Tooth"Hericium erinaeus, another highly regarded edible. Unfortunately,all we could do was look at them since they were way out of reach.

We were able to compare the edible and common "Gem-studded Puffball"Lycoperdon perlatum with the "Poison Pigskin" Puffball Schleroderma citrinum. Also, there were several different colorful species of the coral mushrooms including the "Golden Tuning Fork"Clavulinopsis fusiformis. One of the most exciting finds for me was a species of "Cup Fungus"called "Moose Antlers"or Wynnea americana. This is a very unusual looking fungus and fairly rare in our area.

We ended the day by going over to the picnic area and displaying our finds and having a discussion of each type; including toxicity/edibility, etc followed by a great picnic lunch and more mushroom talk. I believe a good time was had by all and a lot was learned and shared. There were several requests for a repeat sometime in the future.

- Ken Crouse

Mushroom Species List

River Ridge Farm

9/20/2014

Gilled mushrooms:

Amanita vaginata – Grisette

A. flavaconia – Yellow Patches

A. ceceliae

Russula virescens – Green Russula

R. variata – Variable Russula

R. compacta – Firm Russula

R. rosacea – Rosy Russula

R. aeruginea – Green Quilt Russula

R. brevipes – Short­stalked White Russula

Lactarius croceus

L. peckii – Peck's Milky

L. rufus – Red­hot Milky

L. torminosus – Pink­fringed Milky

L. subpurpurea – Variegated Milky

Tricholoma sp.

Gymnopus dryophila – Oak Loving Collybia

Clitocybe clavipes – Club­shaped Clitocybe

Clitocybe gibba – Funnel Clitocybe

Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca­False Chanterelle

Hygrocybe coccinea­ Red Waxy­cap

Cantharellus cinnibarenis—Cinnabar Chanterelle

Cantharellus tubaeformis –Trumpet Chanterelle

Cantharellus cibarius ­­­ Golden Chanterelle

Craterellus cornucopioides – Horn of Plenty

Nolanea murrayii – Yellow Unicorn

Nolanea salmoneum­­ Salmon Unicorn

Marasmius siccus – Orange Pinwheel

Marasmius rotula – Pinwheel Marasmius

Marasmius nigripes­­ Black Foot

Poroid Fungi:

Boletus bicolor – Two­colored Bolete

B. subvelutipes – Red­mouthed Bolete

B. chrysenteron – Cracked Cap Bolete

B. ornatipes – Ornate­stalked Bolete

B. griseus

B. subglapripes

Gyroporous cyanescens­­ Bluing Bolete

Leccinus scabrum – Scaber Stalk

Suillus granulatus – Granular­stalked Suillus

Strobilomyces floccopus – Old Man of the Woods

Tylopilus felleus – Bitter Bolete

T. plumboviolaceus­­ Lilac­brown Bolete

Polypores/Shelf Fungi

Meripilus gigantea – Black­staining Polypore

Hericium erineus – Bearded Tooth

Trametes versicolor­­ Turkeytails

Stereum ostrya – False Turkeytails

Polyporus badius – Black­footed Polypore

Coltricia cinnamomea—Shiny Cinnamon Polypore

Puffballs'Earthballs:

Lycoperdon perlatum – Gemstudded Puffball

Schleroderma citrinum – Poison Pigskin Puffball

Coral/Club Fungi:

Clavaridelphus trunca­Flat­topped Coral

Cordyceps militaris­­ Trooping Cordyceps

Clavulinopsis fusiformis­­ Spindle­shaped Yellow Coral

Tremellodendron pallidum­­ White Jelly­coral

Ramariopsis kunzeii – White Coral

Cup Fungi:

Wynnea americana­­ Moose Antlers

Peziza badio­confusa –Common Brown Cup

Peziza repanda – Recurved Cup

Parasitic Molds:

Hypmyces hyalinus – Amanita Mold

Hypomyces chrysospermus­ White Bolete Mold

(September 2014) 6. Missing Microbes, Martin Balser, MD, Henry-Holt, 2014

Our August 2014 book is: Missing Microbes, Martin Balser, MD, Henry-Holt, 2014. This book considers the human microbiome, its natural balance and role in common disease and well-being. Although this may be an anomaly in the longer list of books focused exclusively on Appalachian natural history an occasional foray into the larger picture of ecology may be informative on multiple levels. 

It is an ongoing challenge to generate interest in “the general public” for natural areas, functional ecosystems and nature emersion for all ages. Perhaps relating the beautiful and complex ecosystem which exists within each of us could bridge the conversation gap as we talk about our relationship with all living systems. People have a natural interest in themselves, their children, family, etc. well-being (i.e. healthy microbiomes) so why not tap into this concern and connect it to include the natural world of how and why macrobiomes, which recapitulate similar ecological functioning, are critical to us all. As we, simply by living in our society, are effected by a range of missing microbes, we in turn affect the planet with our myriad actions to control and dominate ecosystems. In this case, it’s not exclusively about the book’s literal content, it is about how effective the content is in increasing ones capacity to think and the increased ability gained to apply new knowledge or skills in the goal of enhanced communication of the value of healthy ecosystems.

Common Nighthawks

Every year around Labor Day weekend Common Nighthawks migrate through our region in mass. In the evenings keep your eyes peeled to the sky for a bird that at first glance might look like a large bat. They are often seen snapping up aerial insects that rise at dusk. Pay very close attention and you can hear their wide gaping mouths snap shut on the unsuspecting prey! If you can train a pair of binoculars on them you'll notice a distinct white bar on their pointed wings. They have an erratic fight pattern that links insect to insect across the sky and you'll often see a "river" of nighthawks that can number in the hundreds, streaming in a general direction (typically south). Their ultimate winter destination? South America!

So due yourself a favor and witness one of the great bird migrations of the world by spending a few minutes each evening looking up at the sky over the next two weeks.

Late July Events and Outreach

The last weekend of July was packed with BRDC activity. 

On Thursday, the 24th, Scott offered an aquatic survey for nearly 20 kids from the Mount Rogers Youth Services, a collaboration through the Grayson County 4-H led by Erin Farmer, and the Grayson County Recreation Department.  We gathered at the famous falls on Power House Road, just across and down the street from the Rec Park.  For ninety minutes the kids collected various stream critters, with one group of boys especially devoted to finding every crayfish possible. 

We looked at stone and mayflies under the microscopes, while others were catching minnows and several fly larvae species.  All of the critters were arrayed in the ice trays for further study and comparison.  Time allowing, we also discussed the amazing diversity of aquatic life and how that speaks to the relative health of the stream.

On Friday, Sarah Osborne, Brenda Bonk and Debbie Greif held down the BRDC fort at the Independence Farmers Market…offering a hands-on program based on trees and leaves…with fun crafts and lively discussions.

Meanwhile, Scott and Andrea Langston were setting up the BRDC/New River Land Trust booth at the 13th annual Floyd Fest for a commitment of three days on site serving the interests and energy of kids inside the ‘Children’s Universe’ zone.  This zone was unique in being set off from the hustle and bustle of the Floyd Fest, intentionally giving kids and their families a special place for specific kid events and activities.  Central to the zone was a stage set up to offer a variety of presentations, music, open mike, and other crowd pleasers.  Each of the three days, Andrea and I were responsible for a staged workshop oriented to outdoor education.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries booth was adjacent to ours.  JD Kleopfer, state herpetologist, shared his booth with Kimberly Terrell, hellbender specialist from the Smithsonian Institution. They specialized in live salamanders, a model of a hellbender, and a fantastic collection of turtle shells.  This was a nice fit for BRDC/NRLT as we had a live box turtle and a tank of aquatic animals for the kids to view…including a small bull frog.  Our combined booths were a big hit.

For our stage presentation on Friday, Andrea and I offered ‘art in nature’ with a focus on using field guides as inspiring model material for sketching.  We instructed the kids to either draw inside of a small circle for creating take-home buttons, or decorating post cards to be sent from and in celebration of the event. 

On Saturday our presentation centered around our aquatic tank, macro invertebrates, microscope use, and of course, the box turtle.  Kimberly was kind enough to join us on stage with her salamanders, and two of the kids, who had become our constant companions, brought recently caught earthworms for a hungry turtle demonstration.

Sunday’s stage presentation offered both owl pellet dissection and bird parts to handle and compare.  Wings, skulls and talons from a variety of mostly raptors were passed around, while other kids poked through animal remains details found within barn owl pellets.  This was a nice finale to a long weekend, well worth the time and effort.  Andrea and I estimated we served 200 kids over the 3 days, most of them between the ages of 3 and 13.  Many parents took appreciative notice of our work and promised to be ambassadors to our collective cause of connecting kids to their outdoor treasures.

Also on Saturday evening, at the Matthews State Forest, Dr. Robert Perkins conducted a ‘Moth Night’ survey on behalf of BRDC and the Blue Ridge Birders.  Following is his report:

For the 10 participants in Moth Night, the evening began with rain and a slow start. Beetles—lightning beetles of undetermined species, click beetles of undetermined species, at least one carrion beetle (Nicrophorus sp), several rove beetles of undetermined species, and a bunch of Cyclocephala borealis (a species of scarab beetle)—appeared first. Later a mayfly, a medium-sized stonefly, and several caddisflies joined the party. Moths were scarce. The final list included Nais Tiger (Apantesis nais), Tuliptree Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera), Skiff Moth (Prolimacodes badia), Bent-line Gray (Iridopsis larvaria), Texas Mocis (Mocis texans), a Pyraustid of undetermined species, and a tiny micro in the Schreckensteinia genus.

Had more people signed up for Roald Kirby’s summer expedition, also on Saturday, BRDC would have led a field trip to the Channels.  Roald is hoping to reschedule. 

What all of this clearly exemplifies is the breadth of Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s educational outreach, and our currency within the Blue Ridge communities.  Please stay tuned as we move into the fall season and resume our work with school age kids and their sponsors.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

Trout in the Classroom

With support from Grayson National Bank, we are happy to announce that we will be bringing Trout in the Classroom to two more regional public schools!  This terrific program, developed by Trout Unlimited, brings hands-on science directly to the classroom.  Students raise native Brook Trout from eggs to fingerlings in a 55 gallon aquarium throughout the school year.  If they are successful, they will get release them into their local VDIGF approved watershed.  I know there are a bunch of kids out there looking forward to this as much as we are!

Thank you Grayson National Bank for your continued support of regional youth education!

MEGALOPTERA!

In recent news you may have seen that the largest aquatic insect in the world was recently discovered in China: Scientific American.  At first glance this is a rather frightening foreign creature, but did you know that it's equally intimidating cousin lives right here in the Blue Ridge Mountains? 

Inevitably, when the hot summer days set in, a campfire discussion comes to life about a mysterious flying finger-eating monster patrolling the skies after sunset!  Well these stories are not too far off base.  Our rivers and warm creeks play host to the Eastern Dobsonfly that is a part of the Megalopteran order (Large Wing) and Corydalidae family.  As aquatic macroinvertebrates they live the majority of their life under water.  Even though they start out rather tiny, they grow quickly into 2"-3" ferocious predators in the underwater aquatic insect world.  Locals refer to them as "hellgrammites" and seek them as prime fish bait for smallmouth bass.   Each summer maturing larvae crawl out of the rivers to shelter along the water's edge where they pupate.  From there they hatch into adults, flying like crashing helicopters, seemingly erratic and with abandon.  

Dobsonfly, credit: Wikipedia Commons

They look intimidating with their long tusk-like mandibles and can easily getting tangled up in your hair causing panic in any honest person, but they are actually relatively harmless to humans.  As a matter of fact, they don't consume food as adults! Rather, they use the large mandibles solely for mating!  I still practice caution when handling them and hold them tight just behind the head like I would a crawdad.

Hellgrammite

You'll find these attracted to street lights, flying at night or resting first thing in the morning.  They are primarily nocturnal and if you've ever sat with a lantern riverside in the summer you probably have had hellgrammites grace you with their presence. 

Anytime I see an adult hellgrammite I also keep an eye out for the other mid-summer hatch of giants: the "Hex Fly"

Hexagenia limbata 

Blue Ridge Expeditions: Dismal Falls, Bland County, VA

The 4.3 mile hike on July 19th had gloomy, rainy weather, but the four cheerful participants made the hike to the Falls full of fun and frolic. Guide Amy Roberts and Master Naturalist volunteer Linda Gette led local and out of state participants through the Appalachian hickory-oak forest to the lovely 400 million year old falls.  We found some unidentified fossils in one of the boulder fields, two chicken of the woods fungi, an eastern red-spotted newt, and some American chestnut coppice trying to survive. Some of the rhododendron was still in bloom, and we had a lesson on distinguishing American Chestnut, Chestnut Oak, and Chinquapin.  

(August 2014) 5. The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden, by Rick Darke & Doug Tallamy

"A home garden is often seen as separate from the natural world surrounding it. In truth, it is actually just one part of a larger landscape that is made up of many living layers. And the replacement of the rich layers of native flora with turf grass greatly diminishes a garden’s biological diversity and ecological function. 

The Living Landscape seeks to reverse this trend by showing gardeners how to create a landscape that is full of life. Written by Rick Darke and Douglas W. Tallamy, two of the most important voices in sustainability and horticulture, it is the definitive guide to designing a beautiful, biodiverse home garden. The authors first explain the layers of the landscape and what role the plants within them plays in the larger environment, from providing berries for birds, food for bugs, or a place for bees to pollinate. The authors then put this information into context and offer design strategies to implement in a home garden. Helpful charts suggest plants, including natives and nonnatives, for each region.  

Douglas W. Tallamy’s award-winning Bringing Nature Home revealed the pressing need for a biodiverse home landscape. In a gorgeously illustrated, inspirational, and practical way, The Living Landscape supports the important message by showing gardeners how to make it happen."

For those who would like to include another book for this month's reading we are also suggesting this book: The New American Landscape: Leading Voices on the Future of Sustainable Gardening, edited by Thomas Christopher.

"Gardeners are the front line of defense in our struggle to tackle the problems of global warming, loss of habitat, water shortages, and shrinking biodiversity.  In The New American Landscape, author and editor Thomas Christopher brings together the best thinkers on the topic of gardening sustainably, and asks them to describe the future of the sustainable landscape. The discussion unfolds from there, and what results is a collective vision as eloquent as it is diverse.

The New American Landscape offers designers a roadmap to a beautiful garden that improves, not degrades the environment. It’s a provocative manifesto about the important role gardens play in creating a more sustainable future that no professional garden designer can afford to miss. " 

- John Greenlee and Neil Diboll on the new American meadow garden.
- Rick Darke on balancing natives and exotics in the garden.
- Doug Tallamy on landscapes that welcome wildlife.
- Eric Toensmeier on the sustainable edible garden.
- David Wolfe on gardening sustainable with a changing climate.
- Elaine Ingham on managing soil health.
- David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth on sustainable pest solutions.
- Ed Snodgrass and Linda McIntyre on green roofs in the sustainable residential landscape.
- Thomas Christopher on waterwise gardens.
- Toby Hemenway on whole system garden design.
- The Sustainable Site Initiative on the managing the home landscape as a sustainable site.

Blue Ridge Expeditions: August 23rd, Hike on Garden Mountain

This easy 4.9 mile section of the Appalachian Trail runs across the top of Garden Mountain, from Route #623 to Walker’s Gap (at end of Route #727 in Burke’s Garden). 

On this hike you will see beautiful moss- and fern-covered trees and top of the ridgeline views into Burke’s Garden, and hear calling ravens. There is a 3.7 mile stretch of sandstone cliffs that drops off abruptly in some places.  Bring water, as none is available on this hike. We will meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Kangaroo Gas Station/Dairy Queen at the Bland I-77 exit and will carpool to the drop off and pick up sites from there. Please contact BRDC trip leader Amy Roberts at 276-688-3793 or aarobert@vt.edu for more information and to sign up for the hike. A limit of 20 participants will help to protect the trail. 

Trout in the Classroom: Grayson Highlands School

Over the past four months Mrs. Perry’s seventh grade life science students at Grayson Highlands School have been diligently raising native brook trout in their school lobby for all visitors to see.  This is part of a program called “Trout in the Classroom” and revolves around the students learning about the biology and ecology of one of the most iconic species of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

In November of 2013 the VDIGF fish hatchery in Marion provided the school with over two hundred freshly fertilized eggs.  Transported on ice, the eggs were delivered to the students and their newly minted 55 gallon aquarium.  

With the assistance of Blue Ridge Discovery Center, the students set up the aquarium to replicate the natural environment of the brook trout. Recreating the pristine waters of the Mount Rogers watershed is quite the challenge. To accomplish this they outfitted the aquarium with a four-layer water filter, a powerful oxygenator, and a cooling unit to keep the water temperature at a frigid 51 degrees Fahrenheit.  To make their trout feel at home the students painted a mural of underwater habitat and taped it to three sides of the aquarium. They also collected logs and stones from the brook behind the school to create an aquarium substrate and establish a natural cleansing cycle with healthy bacteria. 

Within two weeks of their arrival the eggs started to hatch, growing tails and beady eyes.  As tiny “Alevin” the brook trout still fed on their egg yolks and stayed relatively inactive. During this stage of development, the students were able to observe the trout under microscopes and watch the tiny two chamber heart circulate blood throughout the body. With a watchful eye from the school custodians, the fragile trout amazingly survived the winter break and a series of school closings until the students returned for the spring semester. 

Now that the brook trout developed into “fry” the students have learned the rocky road of managing an aquarium.  Each day they test the water for high levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates then check the water pH balance and temperature for inconsistencies while logging it all in a project notebook.  They make sure they feed the hungry brook trout enough food but not too much!  To date, the students have managed to raise over 100 fingerling brook trout in their 55 gallon tank.

With a little luck and a lot of hard work, this spring the students will be rewarded with a trip to a local trout stream to release their prized young into the wild! While at the stream the students will don waders and participate in another Blue Ridge Discovery Center program called “Project Fishbugs” where they will learn all about the complex context that sustains brook trout in our wild mountain streams.

“Trout in the Classroom” (A Trout Unlimited Program), was provided by Blue Ridge Discovery Center with generous support from The Harris Francis Block Foundation, Trout Unlimited and Grayson National Bank.

If you would like to see Trout in the Classroom in your school, please contact Blue Ridge Discovery Center to express your support this program: info@blueridgediscoverycenter.org

K-2 Reading Program coming this fall!

BRDC has received generous support from the Harris Francis Block Foundation to fund a K-2 Reading Program for the fall of 2014 and spring of 2015!  We are really looking forward to sharing some great reads with these young explorers!

Blue Ridge Expeditions: The Channels, Clinch Mountain

Leaders: Roald Kirby and Fred Newcomb

One of southwest Virginia’s most spectacular and unusual natural preserves will be explored on this Blue Ridge Expeditions (BRE) hike which is sponsored by the Blue Ridge Discovery Center (BRDC). The part of Clinch Mountain known as The Channels is an area of huge sandstone rock outcroppings where ancient forces have created a maze of giant fissures, some of which now serve as passageways somewhat similar to slot canyons of the western states. 

The hike will be a 5 mile round trip of moderate difficulty and will take place on Sunday, July 27. Geology expert Fred Newcomb and Roald Kirby will lead the group. Participants should call (276) 579-4011 to register and for more information. 

Two GCHS Students attend the National Environmental Summit for High School Students

Blue Ridge Discovery Center sponsored Grayson County High School students Alex and Vincent Benish to attend the 2014 National Environmental Summit for High School Students at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC.  

The summit, titled "Redefining our future", was organized by two leading organizations - the Center for the Environment at Catawba College and Rocky Mountain Institute. Together they provided this opportunity for young environmental leaders to learn, create, share, interact, grow, connect, and build relationships.  

The four day event featured multiple focus groups including topics like invasive species, world heritage, conservation, tools for change and others.  Highlighting the summit was keynote speaker Robin Emmons, a 2013 Top 10 CNN Hero who has been praised for her work to alleviate nutritional starvation in low-income communities through gardening and micro-farming.

Alex and Vincent had the privilege to stay in Abernathy Village, a complex of five residence halls which are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. The majority of programming occurred on Catawba's 189-acre ecological preserve and in the labs and classrooms of the Center for the Environment's green facility.

Blue Ridge Expeditions: Hike to Dismal Falls, Bland County, VA

On July 19th, Blue Ridge Expeditions (BRE), a flagship program of the Blue Ridge Discovery Center, will host a hike on the Appalachian Trail in Bland County. This 4.3 mile hike to Dismal Falls, on the Bland-Giles border, is the first of four hikes led by BRE program director, Amy Roberts, a Bland resident. This is a moderate hike from Route #606 to Dismal Falls and back. A portion of the trail passes through a boulder field, where fossil imprints of worms and shelled brachiopods can be found. The Falls of Dismal is a 15-foot, multi-tiered waterfall on Dismal Creek. It is part of a sandstone formation that is over 400 million years old.

The three other hikes will occur on August 23rd on Garden Mountain, September 13th on Brushy mountain north of Crandon, and on October 18th on Brushy Mountain between Bastian and Bland. All hikes are on the famed Appalachian Trail, a 2,200 mile footpath from Georgia to Maine, completed in 1937. For information about any of these free and fun hiking events, please contact Amy Roberts at 276-688-3793 or aarobert@vt.edu. 

National Fishing in the Schools Program

Blue Ridge Discovery Center President and Guide, Aaron Floyd, has been tapped by the National Fishing in the Schools Program to train ten United States Fish and Wildlife Service employees how to teach the NFSP "Cast a Fly, Catch a Student" curriculum. Training will take place during the week of July 14th at the National Conservation Training Center in Sherpherdston, WV. Aaron will be stepping in for program founder Katie Cole who has spred this wonderful program throughout the country. This intensive training session will surely help Aaron learn the ropes as we work to implement this program in Southwest Virginia.