Spring Wildflower Hike
This course is an elective course and provides 4 hours toward the completion of the Certificate in Native Plants program.
Our trip to Little River Canyon, which sits atop Lookout Mountain, will consist of stopping at several places along the Canyon Rim Drive. We will look to see which of the many interesting plants that grow there, have emerged. The area is comprised of several different ecosystems - forested uplands, waterfalls, bluffs, pools, boulders, and sandstone glades. Time permitting, or for those who wish to stay a little longer, we may traverse the boardwalk at the nearby DeSoto State Park, to see which spring ephemeral have made their appearance.
Course objectives:
- Learn exactly what spring ephemerals are and what puts them in that category.
- Gain an overview of the ecology of Lookout Mountain.
- Learn identification features of many plants.
Walking/hiking difficulty rating: easy to moderate
Participants should consider bringing sturdy footwear, walking stick, layered clothing, insect repellant, sun protection, water/snacks/lunch, and personal items.
We will meet at the DeSoto State Park Country Store and Information Center at 11 am CDT. The park is located 8 miles northeast of Fort Payne, Alabama. Driving directions will be sent out to registered participants with a reminder approximately 10-14 days before the class.
Instructor: John Manion, who though born in Georgia, spent his youth growing up in rural upstate NY. He has lived in many places in the U.S. and abroad and after working in several careers (the longest as an emergency/trauma nurse) he realized his true passion was for plants. After earning an undergraduate degree in plant science at SUNY Cobleskill, he was awarded a fellowship to earn a Master’s Degree in Public Garden Leadership at Cornell University. He has interned and worked at several botanical gardens and arboreta, including the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh, Scotland. After working as Historic Gardens Curator at the Atlanta History Center, he assumed his present position as Kaul Wildflower Garden Curator at Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Alabama, where he has been for eight years. Nearly nine years ago John began a Certificate in Native Plant Studies program that has been immensely successful.
Registration Policy: As with all Certificate in Native Plants classes, class size is limited. To give everyone the best opportunity to participate, there is a non-refundable cancellation fee of $10, with the balance refunded if you cancel at least 7 calendar days before the class will be held. If the class is cancelled by the instructor or the CNP program, registrants will get a full refund.
If you do not pay online, you will need to mail your check to Wild Ones-Tennessee Valley Chapter, 124 N. Forrest Ave, Lookout Mountain, TN 37350. Please put the date of the program in the memo line as well as the last name of the person you are registering. You will not be registered until your payment is received.