Zahner Conservation Lectures

Written By: Winter Gary-Highlands Biological Foundation | Issue: June 2024

Dr. Sahas Barve

This summer, the Highlands Biological Foundation invites you to discover the wonders of nature through the 2024 Zahner Conservation Lecture series.

Every Thursday evening at 6:00 P.M. from June 13 through August 15 (excluding July 4), the foundation will host expert speakers at the Highlands Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road) for a series of captivating lectures that delve into a wide array of topics, from ecological sovereignty and regional geology to NASA satellites and hellbenders.

These lectures offer a unique opportunity to expand your understanding of the natural world while engaging with leading conservationists, biologists, and environmental specialists.

Thanks to the generous support of local sponsors, the events are free and open to the public, making them accessible to all who wish to broaden their environmental knowledge and appreciation.

Lori Williams

The 2024 series continues the tradition of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of the Dr. Robert Zahner and Mrs. Glenda Zahner for their efforts in land conservation on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.

Don’t miss out on this chance to learn from seasoned professionals and explore the diverse and fascinating world of nature.

For more details on the lecture series, visit highlandsbiological.org. The Highlands Nature Center is part of the Highlands Biological Station, a multi-campus center of Western Carolina University.

2024 Zahner Conservation Lectures:

June 13: Ecological Sovereignty: Managing Natural Resources from a Cherokee Biologist

Dr. Caleb Hickman, Supervisory Biologist, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

June 20: Appalachian Apothecary: Herbs of Yesterday and Today

Patricia Kyritsi Howell, Registered Herbalist (AHG), BotanoLogos School of Herbal Studies

June 27: 2018-2020: Two Years, Eight Storms, 320+ landslides, and an Earthquake: What We Learned about the Connections Between Weather, Climate Change, Landforms and Geology

Rick Wooten, P.G., North Carolina Geological Survey (ret.)

July 4: No Lecture

July 11: Landscape Meanders: Design Ideas for the South Gateway Garden at the Highlands Botanical Garden
Warren Byrd, Jr. FASLA; Professor Emeritus; University of Virginia &

Founding Principal; Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects

Greg Cooper

July 18: Fire, Acorns, and Kids that Stay with You Way Too Long: A Natural History of the Threatened Florida Scrub Jay

Dr. Sahas Barve, John W. Fitzpatrick Director of Avian Ecology, Archbold Biological Station

July 25: Climate-informed Forestry in the Southern Appalachians

Greg Cooper, Forest Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy

August 1: The Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission: NASA’s New Eye in the Sky for Earth’s Water

Dr. Tamlin Pavelsky; Professor of Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences; University of North Carolina

August 8: Roaming the Wilds: Exploring NC Mammals Shore to Summit

Dr. Aimee Rockhill, Associate Professor, Western Carolina University

August 15: All About Hellbenders!

Lori Williams, Wildlife Diversity Biologist, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission