Along the Creek
The sun was shining and spirits were high this past week when we had the opportunity to journey into Grayson Highlands State Park with a seventh grade group from Grayson Highlands School.
2019 Species T-shirts Now Available!
Each year, Blue Ridge Discovery Center designs stylish graphic tees featuring a collection of species that are unique to our region.
The 2019 Species Shirt Collection is now available in our Online Shop. Adult and youth options are available. Continue reading for full descriptions!
At the Summit
A beautiful week of sunshine and cool weather was spent with the 5th graders from Summit School.
The Rain Did NOT Dampen the Weekend
The 45th Annual Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally, held May 10th-12th was a big success!
Trout in the Classroom
Release day is a big deal for students as they set free nearly 100 tiny brook trout after watching and caring for them over the span of an entire school year
The Beginnings of Our First Nature Trail
Through the ingenuity, brute force, and determination of a group of volunteers led by Luke Benish, the beginnings of our first on-site nature trail have been established!
The Spruce-Fir Moss Spider: At the Peak of Unique
The high-elevation forests of the Blue Ridge provide habitat for a number of species not found at lower elevations, or anywhere else in the world. Among these unique species is the spruce-fir moss spider.
Happenings with BRDC in the Schools
Each month, BRDC shares elements of the natural history of the region with the students in elementary schools in Grayson and Washington Counties.
BRDC’s 2019 Overnight Summer Camps
From the birds of the balds to the rapids of the river, Blue Ridge Discovery Center offers an array of opportunities for youth to engage in the Summer Outside. Read on to learn about our 2019 Summer Camps, including how you can take advantage of our discount offers and claim your child’s spot!
Botanical Artist & Illustrator, Lara Call Gastinger, to Speak at Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally
Amid winter’s decaying leaves, forgotten acorns, and the emerging buds of spring, one might also find pens, journals, and watercolors . . . in the capable hands of Lara Call Gastinger, our Featured Speaker for the 45th Annual Spring Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally.
Enrichment with Galax Middle School
What a week loaded with lots of fun both inside and out! The students of Galax Middle School played games, made camp, knapped arrowheads, and caught BIG fish.
Uncovering the Secrets of Northern Saw-whet Owls
As a charismatic representative of the high elevations within the central Appalachian Mountains, the northern saw-whet owl (NSWO) is a perfect ambassador to highlight the unique ecology of southwest Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Due to its small size and secretive nature, much of the northern saw-whet owl’s history remains a mystery in Virginia. Blue Ridge Discovery Center is beginning to uncover the secrets of this mysterious creature. Can you help us?
Field Trips Announced for 45th Annual Spring Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally
If you were to glance at a biodiversity hotspot map of the United States, you would see a striking pop of color stretching across the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with the highest level of diversity right here in our backyard among the three highest peaks of Virginia: Mount Rogers, Whitetop Mountain, and Pine Mountain. Is it any coincidence, then, that people have been coming to this region for 45 years to take part in the Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally?
Virginia Master Naturalist Course begins this week!
Love Southwest Virginia? Want to learn more about it? The Holston Rivers Chapter Virginia Master Naturalist Basic Training Course begins this Thursday. If you’re ready to connect with the natural history of our region as a Master Naturalist, check out the course details here and register today!
The Blue Ridge: A Geological Autobiography
If the Blue Ridge could write its own long and complex history, surely it would chisel the words in stone. Fortunately, it did just that. And fortunately, we have a translator in our midst. During our January 2019 Geology Expedition, USGS Geologist Arthur Merschat unraveled the story of the geologic events that left Virginia’s oldest basement rocks exposed for us to access and admire.
New River Expedition 2018!
Being in the thick of winter we thought it might be a good time to compile the footage from our New River Expedition last summer, when the days were hot, long, and filled with all sorts of fun!
Experience 2019 with Blue Ridge Discovery Center
In the quiet of the winter woods you may see a blanket of fallen leaves or a dusting of snow and think of the life resting beneath it, awaiting the rains and warmer temperatures of spring before emerging to bloom or forage. But not all life is waiting out the winter.
