One Minute Old Fossils
Fossils Tell of Long Ago, the story read to the first graders of Grayson County Schools this month
November Programs: Grayson County Public Schools
November was a busy month as BRDC joins the 1st, 5th and 7th grade classes to study Owls, Watersheds and Trout.
2nd Annual Middle School Science Fair
Sixth and seventh grade students from the entire county presented over 140 science and engineering projects
Stars, Planets and More!
In keeping with the mission of BRDC to inspire curiosity and discovery, 12 students from Galax Middle school traveled to Winston Salem to visit the new Kaleideum North.
2018 Summer Camp registration is now open!
We are excited to announce our 2018 Summer Camps. Online registration is now open!Blue Ridge Discovery Center has put together six exciting camps for next summer, including backpacking, fly fishing, kayaking, ornithology, and two discovery day camps.
Our Future Center
Today, Blue Ridge Discovery Center is very excited to announce the site of our future home. In partnership with the Konnarock Retreat House, BRDC has received the generous contribution of the historic Konnarock Training School, in Konnarock, VA.
Galax Middle School has a "Spook"tacular Week!
During Halloween week, Wildlife Rehabilitator and Naturalist Darin Handy, provided education and entertainment to the students at Galax Middle School.
Gathering Moss: The Natural and Cultural History of Mosses
"Living at the limits of our ordinary perception, mosses are a common but largely unnoticed element of the natural world. "Gathering Moss" is a beautifully written mix of science and personal reflection that invites readers to explore and learn from the elegantly simple lives of mosses."
BRDC Receives VDGIF eStore Grant Award
BRDC is very excited to be a recipient of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries eStore Grant! This grant will provide vital material support for the programs we offer. As you all well know, birding and fly fishing are two subjects that inspired BRDC from the very beginning. This generous grant is going to boost these two programs to another level!
Fly Fishing during Galax Intersession
Nine eager young fellas joined BRDC for the week to learn all about fly fishing
What is an Owl Pellet?
In this program, students identify an owl pellet's contents and practice recording and analyzing the data.
BRDC Restores Golden-winged Warbler Habitat!
During a beautiful first week in October, 70 acres along the Appalachian Trail were managed through a partnership with the US Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers, and Blue Ridge Discovery Center.
Learning from the Best of the Best!
What if you could look 10 years into the future, 20 years or 50 years? A few weeks ago, Blue Ridge Discovery Center had our very own crystal ball! Thanks to a small grant from the Harris and Francis Block Foundation we had the opportunity to study and learn from our counterparts at some of the best science centers, schools and field labs in the country! The trip took us to the Central Colorado Rocky Mountains, where the landscape and culture provided an ideal compare and contrast to the Blue Ridge Mountains!
Signs of Fall in the Blue Ridge
Seasonal changes in flowering are well known but the specific reasons for spring/summer/fall timing are not always so clear. For example, the famous witch hazel is now blooming in the woods and it is one of the few woodland trees to do so this time of year.
7th Graders Discover Hawk Migration
Jim Keighton of Blue Ridge Birders hosted BRDC and 19 Grayson Highlands seventh graders for a day of counting migrating hawks.
2nd Annual BRDC Science Fair
BRDC is excited to announce the 2nd Annual BRDC Science Fair in partnership with Grayson County Public Schools! All 6th and 7th-grade students in Grayson County Public Schools are included.
Monarch and Milkweed
This month, we shared the life cycle, habitat requirements, and the migration of the Monarch butterfly.
Nature in the Blue Ridge as Summer Comes to a Close
The nights have been getting cooler but the days are still sunny and warm. Most plants have bloomed and are setting seeds and fruit. Some birds have migrated and most can hardly be heard anymore. There is a frenzy of insect activity on the remaining flowers.
Summer Naturalist Rally Celebrates the Ecology 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.
An August Nature Ramble
We have enjoyed exploring the mountains around Boone for its considerable natural wonders. In August the birds have mostly finished breeding and reduced their vocalizations, so we enjoy watching insects and anything else in the natural world that draws our attention.
I was surprised to find that in August the most common large butterfly near Boone is the pipevine swallowtail.