Adult Field Course: Explore the Biodiversity of Grandfather Mountain

Join Elizabeth Trott and Leigh Ann Emery — interpretive park guides for Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation — for an in-depth exploration of the natural community types found on Grandfather Mountain. Participants will learn to recognize distinct habitats by studying their characteristic flora, fauna and environmental conditions. Guided by ecological principles and scientific tools, the class examines how factors such as elevation, topography, soil composition and microclimates shape these unique ecosystems and provide habitat for some of the rare and endangered species that call the mountain home. This workshop enhances your ability to classify habitats and deepens your understanding of the complex interplay between species and their environments.

The course is part of Grandfather Mountain’s Adult Field Course series, which offers participants the chance to explore the mountain like never before. Students examine specific aspects of the park ecosystem through fun, hands-on field excursions. Course leaders are experts in their fields and include professors, naturalists, scientists and acclaimed photographers, writers, historians and artists.

Cost is $60 per person (or $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club program), with registration required in advance. Click here to register.