(828) 526-0173 | [email protected] | Copyright 2024 – All Rights Reserved.
A Semester in Highlands
Written By: Elise Trexler, Highlands Field Site Student | Issue: December 2023
This author and her fellow researchers will present their findings to the public at the Highlands Nature Center on December 14 at 10:00 A.M.
From foliage and festivals to valleys and views, my semester studying in Highlands has been a beautiful academic retreat. Throughout the course of a semester, I have embarked on a journey that has entailed 17 credit hours of classes, a 15-person research project on microplastics, nine field trips, and a drone-flying certification.
To the surprise of many Nature Center visitors, 14 of my fellow UNC students and I took up residence at the Highlands Biological Station — a multicampus center of Western Carolina University. Living at the Station has provided me with many peaceful, picturesque places to connect with nature, whether through forest bathing, a hammock nap, or a casual walk.
Although the site is gorgeous and the classes are interesting, the abundance of field trips is what makes the program shine. The three overnight trips to Tremont, Purchase Knob, and Roan Mountain combined environmental and historical education with outdoor recreation, including hiking and rock climbing. My favorite trip was a day trip kayaking down the Little Tennessee River. During five or six hours on the river, I found patterns in the rocks, jammed out to Jimmy Buffet, and learned how to use a whitewater paddle — all things I could never dream of experiencing in a typical semester at UNC.
Slowing down this semester allowed me to learn through exploration, but more importantly, it introduced me to a tight-knit group of students just as passionate about the environment as I am. Our group will present our semester research findings at the Highlands Nature Center on December 14 at 10:00 A.M., open to the public.
Because the program is so rewarding, the Highlands Biological Foundation contributed a third $100,000 installment in support of the program this year. My time in Highlands has been extraordinary, and the experience will stick with me forever.
For more information on this and other programs at the Station, visit highlandsbiological.org.
