Schedule of Events
50 Years!
Roan Mountain Spring Naturalists Rally
Dear Friends,
What an exciting
year for the spring rally!
Imagine, celebrating 50 years and still going strong!
How thankful we are for those who had the vision and drive to
begin this special gathering in 1958.
As you look through
the schedule of events, you will find a great variety of quality
hikes and programs. They are offered for us by a wealth of talented
naturalists and biologists;
all who volunteer their time to make the Roan Mountain Spring
Naturalist’s Rally memorable.
Our Friday evening
guest speaker is Rhonda Goins, Naturalist from Bays Mountain Park in
Kingsport, Tennessee.
Rhonda
received her BS Degree in
Biology from East Tennessee State University and has worked for the
past eight years at Bays Mountain Park.
Her continuing education includes the successful completion of the
Wolf Behavior Seminar at Wolf Park North American Wildlife
Foundation, located in Battleground, Indiana.
Interested in wolves from childhood, she has designed and
implemented the socialization procedure used to introduce wolf
puppies into Bays Mountain Park
̓s pack, both in 2003 and in
2007.
Rhonda will be speaking on the recent
addition of four new wolf pups to the park and their significance to
the already existing adult wolf pack.
The evening will include sharing the history of how wolves
once roamed our beautiful mountains, their importance in our
ecosystem, and their pack behavior and hierarchy, while dispelling
various myths.
Saturday evening
brings us a special presentation straight from the Cumberland
Mountains in Tennessee, one of the richest ecosystems in our
country. It is a mountain complex that
might be over looked for size, stature and scenery when compared to
the larger more predominate Smoky Mountains to the east.
A closer look would reveal a subtle, often hidden beauty
found in unique geologic rock formations, rare plant communities
containing enormous Cinnamon Ferns, delicate Orchids and tropical
looking Magnolia Trees.
The Cumberland Mountains are home to significant populations of
neo-tropical migrants whose annual pilgrimage brings them to the
Cumberland's to nest and breed.
Located within this rich forest community is Frozen Head
State Natural Area, an oasis of undisturbed natural habitat,
bio-diversity and solitude.
Tennessee's recent "North Cumberland's" land
acquisition will provide new hope for conservation in the
Cumberland’s. Frozen
Head and the surrounding Brimstone and Sundquist Wildlife Management
Areas will benefit directly from the 124,000 acre acquisition.
The partnership created by the “North Cumberland’s” land
initiative will provide a vital corridor for wildlife, maintain and
improve watershed quality and protect important nesting habitat for
Neo-tropical migrants.
This year’s program "Frozen Head - A highly diverse
Tennessee Natural Area", will be presented by David Engebretson,
Park Manager at Frozen Head State Natural Area. David has worked with Tennessee State Parks for 27 years as a
naturalist, interpretive ranger and park manager. Graduating from E.T.S.U. with a Biology degree, David was
fortunate to have studied under John Warden, enjoying his insight
and appreciation for the natural world we live in.
On Saturday, at 9
pm, our evening field trip will be even more tantalizing than
before! We will
be welcoming back Dr. Gary Henson for the annual Star Party, AND
Larry McDaniels and the Lee & Lois Herndon Bird Club, who will be leading an owl
prowl. Both
of these programs will be at the Miller Homestead, providing you the
opportunity to wander between the two and take in both informative
presentations!
The Friends of Roan
Mountain are looking forward to seeing you the weekend of May 2 – 4
as we welcome in the spring, for the 50th consecutive
year!
Jennifer Bauer
Spring Rally Director
CLICK HERE TO VIEW REGISTRATION FORM
Friday, May 2, 2008
5:30 pm
Registration - at
the Roan Mtn. State Park
Conference Center.
6:30 pm Dinner - Catered by City Market, Elizabethton, TN. ($8.75/adults; $4.00/12 & under) Baked Chicken,
2 vegetables, salad, dessert selection, bread, drinks.
is Wednesday April 30th
7:30 pm
PROGRAM:
Socialization of Gray Wolves
SPEAKER:
Rhonda Goins
Naturalist, Bays Mountain Park
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Morning
Tours:
Meet at
Sycamore Shoals State Park in Elizabethton
6:30 am
*Birdwalks –
Lee/Lois Herndon Bird Club
Meet in
the 1st field on the right after passing the Roan Mtn
State Park Visitors Center:
8:30 am
1
*Birdwalks
- Lee &
Lois Herndon TOS Chapter
2
*River & High Mtn Wildflowers -
Guy Mauldin (CP/Ea)
3
*Wildflowers/Ecology
- Lana
Hamilton (CP/Ea)
4
*Wildflowers of Blue 2 -
Tim McDowell(Mod)
5 *Salamanders - Gregory McConnell (Ea)
6
*Edible & Medicinal
Plants
-
Jeremy
Stout (Mod)
7
*Native
Tennessee Trees
-
April Welch (CP/Ea)
9:30 am
*Field-Shop -
Beginners Birding - Joe
McGuiniss (CP/Ea)
Meeting in the Conference Center:
12:00 pm
Lunchtime Workshop:
An Historic Photo Journey across the Balds
-
Jamey
Donaldson & Nora Schubert
Bag lunches available by
reservation only. Choice of sandwich (see form), chips, cookie,
drink - $5.00/ea
Afternoon Tours:
Meet
in the 1st field
on the right after passing the Visitors Center.
2:00 pm
1
*Butterfly & Bug Walk –
Don
Holt (Ea)
2
*Wildflowers
of Heaton Crk Ridge –
David
Hall & Patsy Schang (CP/Mod)
3
*Morels on the Mountain –
Brad
Jones & Tommy Cox (Easy)
4
*Doe
River Wildflowers (Fred Behrend Trail)
Anne
Whittemore (Mod)
5
*Baa-tany
Goat Project & Grassy Balds
Hike Jamey
Donaldson (Mod)
6
*Cloudland to Carvers Gap -Geology
– Bob
Whittemore (Mod)
7 *Doe River Gorge/Twin Springs - Gabrielle Zieger (Ea)
Trip will visit the gorge if construction is complete. If not, we will be exploring Twin Springs
8
*Nature Discoveries for
Young Folks –
(carpool
to Hampton Creek Cove)
Nora Schubert (CP/Ea)
9
*Aquatic Insects as Water Quality
Indicators
–
Gary
Barrigar (W/Ea)
In the
Conference Center:
6:30 pm Dinner - Catered by City Market, Elizabethton, TN ($8.75/Adults, $4.00/12 and under)
Lasagna, salad, breadsticks, dessert selection, drinks)
7:30 pm
PROGRAM:
Frozen Head: A Highly Diverse
Tennessee Natural Area
SPEAKER: David
Engebretson, Manager
- Frozen Head State Park
9:00 pm
FIELD TRIPS: The
following two trips both
carpool to the Dave Miller Homestead and will
be occurring simultaneously.
Please visit both
presenter while enjoying a dark night sky at the
homestead!
Viewing the Summer
Skies
- Gary
Henson, ETSU
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Meet in
the 1st field on the right after passing the Visitors
Center:
8:30 am
*Bird Walk- Larry
McDaniel
(CP/Ea)
Meet at
the Conference Center-
App.Trail
Conservancy Rare Plant Slide Show. & Walk-
Jamey Donaldson & Julie Judkins
9:30 am
Slide Presentation
12:30 pm
Rare Plant Hike – Limited to 20 (Bring a bag lunch)
Call or email Julie to sign up:
828-254-3708
jjudkins@appalachiantrail.org)
2:00 pm -
*Wildflowers and More – Jerry
and Sally Nagel (CP/Ea)
*Butterflies & Bugs – Don Holt (CP/Ea)
The 51st Annual Roan Mountain Spring
Naturalists Rally will be held May
1-3,
2009!
This event is
sponsored by the Friends of
Roan Mountain.
Membership in the organization is $15.00 for an Individual;
$20.00 per family; and $250.00 for Lifetime membership.
If you join the organization and support our nature education
efforts, the $4.00 weekend fee to attend the rally is waived.
For a brochure or
information on this event, please contact the director, Jennifer
Bauer at 423-772-4772 (home)
423-543-5808 (work) or by email:
highlandlady53@embarqmail.com
LODGING
Americourt,
Elizabethton
423-542-4466
Roan
Mountain State Park
423-772-0190
Days
Inn, Elizabethton
423-543-3344
Shady
Lawn Motel, Newland, NC
828-733-5506
Spencer’s Mountain Cabins, Roan Mtn
423-772-0059
Roan
Mountain Bed & Breakfast
423-772-3207
Lakeshore Resort & Marina
423-725-2201
Beech
Mtn.Slopeside Chalets
1-800-692-2061
The 51st Annual Roan Mountain Spring
Naturalists Rally will be held May
1-3, 2009!
Key for Hikes and
Tours
Ea
-
Easy
Mod
-
Moderate
Str
-
Strenuous
CP
-
Carpooling – Short walks to
explore special areas: then driving to new spots.
W - Wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet.
Check us out online at:
www.etsu.edu/biology/roan-mtn/