For four days each February, birdwatchers of every skill level can participate in a global event for the love and wellbeing of birds.
Join us October 14th through November 18th (one day per week) for Session II
With all of the wonderful apps available, it is still a good idea to have a shelf of guides to call on. We love paging through them while planning our next exploration, exploring their beautiful illustrations, and carrying our favorites with us for quick reference.
BRDC recently hosted a Primitive Technology course as part of Galax Middle School Enrichment Week. The students were engaged with a variety of hands-on activities that connected them to skills used by early American Indians and materials found in their backyards.
"Over the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the sixth extinction, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs."
We are very excited to announce the return of the Naturalist Rally!! After a two year remote hiatus the 48th Annual Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally is back in full force May 6-8! Online ticket purchasing and room reservation is now available.
We couldn’t have asked for better weather for the 44th annual Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally. It seems that more often than not this second weekend in May is nice and rainy, but with just a brief shower Friday evening during registration, the rest of this year’s weekend was warm with partly cloudy to sunny skies. Friday night’s locally sourced dinner included Lasagna, garlic bread and a nice mix of spring greens and attracted a record crowd which made for a successful fundraiser for the Konnarock community center.
Long time Rally supporter, Allen Boynton, was the keynote speaker and shared his vast array of experiences through the trajectory of his wildlife biology careers with Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The weekend included several new opportunities including a habitat enhancement project for an important gray’s lily population and the kick off of a long term monitoring project of the red spruce / northern hardwood ecotone on Whitetop Mountain.
As with all of the previous, the 44rd annual Spring Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally would not have been possible without the support of the wonderful guides and other volunteers. Their hard work and dedication to sharing their knowledge combined with the incredible natural resources of the Mount Rogers area continued the tradition of exploring and celebrating our portion of the Blue Ridge.
Spectacular weather helped make the 2nd annual Mount Rogers Summer Naturalist Rally a wonderful success. The summer gathering is a great addition to the very successful Mount Rogers Naturalist Spring Rally, held for the last 43 years, giving naturalists an opportunity to observe species that change along with the seasons.
EXPLORE THE NATURAL HISTORY OF MOUNT ROGERS, THE CROWN JEWEL OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
The Summer Rally gives us a chance to explore Mt. Rogers in a different season. We have assembled a wide variety of field trips with leaders who are experts in their field and able to make it understandable and interesting for everyone from inquisitive amateurs to accomplished naturalists.
For the Spring Naturalist Rally, Austin Thomas and I set out with a group in search of Big Red- a very large red spruce that is the second largest of that species recorded in Virginia. The rain cleared out and we had partly cloudy skies when we set the GPS coordinates for Big Red. With measurements of 77 inches circumference, 108 feet height and crown 26 feet recorded in 2010, our group was excited to stand at the base and take current measurements to update the tree's current status.
Although the weather kept some away, the 43rd annual Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally drew a large crowd of enthusiastic participants during the second weekend in May. Field trips on Saturday included several new opportunities such as Caving, Intro to Birding and Ecology of Grassy Balds, while many of the tried and true trips from the past also remained popular. With the rain giving way to cloudy skies and even a little bit of sunshine, conditions were wet but good for the hearty naturalist who didn’t mind a little mud.
Bring your family and celebrate Mother's Day in the most beautiful place on Earth. There is something for the entire family to enjoy with an expert speaker Friday Night, trips Saturday and Sunday, and nighttime programs at the campground. Topics include salamanders, wildflowers, geology, birding, cultural history, mammals, medicinal plants, natural history and much, much more!
Due to an error on the 2017 Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally Brochure, there was no place to purchase Friday Night Dinner Tickets on the form. The Updated Registration Form can be printed, filled out, and returned by mail.
Three days of exploration & discovery for all ages! Bring your family and celebrate Mother's Day in the most beautiful place on Earth. There is something for the entire family to enjoy with field trips Saturday and Sunday, an expert speaker Friday Night and nighttime programs at the campground. Topics include salamanders, wildflowers, geology, birding, fishing, cultural history, mammals, medicinal plants, general natural history and much, much more!
After many years of thinking about a summer season rally, this August we achieved our goal. Gathering at the Konnarock Community Center for a potluck dinner and meet and greet, many new faces joined the familiar for a weekend preview of programs and hikes spanning from Friday night through Sunday morning.
