Discover Life in America

Virtual BioBlitz @ Osceola Island
2020-08-22 10:00 - 2020-09-22 23:59 (America/New_York)
Virtual BioBlitz @ Osceola Island

Join DLiA and the Tennessee Valley Authority for this free, family-friendly virtual event where you can be a citizen scientist and learn about the natural wonders found at TVA’s wild lands!

UPDATE: This event has officially ended BUT you should totally check out Osceola Island, anyway! It’s beautiful and full of neat biodiversity. You can still help us to catalog the animals and plants there by posting observations of the organisms you encounter to our iNaturalist project for the site. Happy hunting!

What is this event?

It’s a bioblitz on TVA’s wild lands, but virtual!

What’s a bioblitz? It’s an effort to find and document as many species as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a citizen scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the animals, plants and other organisms that live around you!

Here’s how to participate:

(1) WATCH THE VIDEO

We’ll launch the event via YouTube on Saturday, August 22nd at 10 am EDT. Watch our video introduction to Osceola Island and see some of the neat flora and fauna that live there.

(2) VISIT OSCEOLA ISLAND

For the next 30 days (from August 22nd to September 22nd), we challenge you to visit beautiful Osceola Island. This beautiful site is located just below South Holston Dam, south of Bristol, TN in Sullivan County. The focus of our scavenger hunt (below) will be the Osceola Island Trail, a 1.8-mile loop, accessible via a footbridge. Park at the Osceola Island Day Use Area.

Osceola Island parking (Google Maps)

(3) COMPLETE THE SCAVENGER HUNT

At Osceola Island, look for these plants, animals, and other groups of organisms and post your observations of them to the free mobile app, iNaturalist.

The scavenger hunt challenge: Make iNaturalist observations of organisms that you find at Osceola Island. The challenge is to observe a variety of species: find representatives from at least 10 of these categories.

Printable version of this checklist with instructions: PDF

(4) WE SEND YOU A THANK YOU GIFT!

Fill out this short form when you complete the scavenger hunt and we’ll send you a TVA BioBlitz-themed neck buff as a thank you gift!

Form for thank you gift (Google Forms)

About iNaturalist

What is it?

iNaturalist is a really useful, free tool for taking photos of lifeforms (animals, plants, fungi, etc.), identifying them, and making species observations. These observations help us learn about the world’s biodiversity.

Getting started with iNaturalist

Download the free iNaturalist app to your Apple or Android smartphone. You can also visit iNaturalist.org from your web browser. Follow the prompts in the app to create a new iNaturalist account.Find a cool bug, plant, or other organism. Open the app and tap OBSERVE or the (+) sign to take a photo of your organism (or choose an existing photo from your camera roll).Tap WHAT DID YOU SEE? to identify your organism.Make sure your location and date are recorded.Tap SUBMIT or the check-mark icon to submit your observation to iNaturalist.Repeat! See how many different organisms you can observe around you!

For more tips and tricks for using iNaturalist, check out their getting started page: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started

What life have we found at Osceola Island?

Here are the Osceola Island species that have been documented on iNaturalist so far, but there are many more waiting to be found! You can help us expand this list by adding your own observations!

Check out the full Osceola Island project page on iNaturalist to see more.

Featured in YouTube video

Shrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum prolificum) – This small, perennial shrub is native to eastern North America. It has beautiful yellow-petaled flowers with sprays of stamens, giving them a puffy, rounded appearance. This easy-going native makes a great yard plant: it is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and moisture levels. More infoGreat Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) – The largest heron in North America, this common, majestic bird is often found around freshwater and coastal habitats. It feeds primarily on fish, but will also munch on amphibians, small reptiles, insects, and small mammals. More infoWild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – This small pale-purple wildflower is great for attracting butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects. In fact, its genus (Monarda) is fittingly called the beebalms. It is a member of the mint family and as such, it’s leaves have a delightfully minty smell! Blooming in mid- to late summer, it can be found in open glades and along trails and roadways. More infoLichens (many species) – Lichens are fungi that form a symbiotic relationship with certain algae and bacteria. Each side in this mutually beneficial relationship gets something: the algae and bacteria make food from light (photosynthesis) and share that with the fungi, and the fungi provides a substrate and protection for its food-making partner. Lichens are everywhere–especially on trees and covering rocks–but they often go unnoticed. Check out this video about lichens from our iScience program.Witch’s Hat (Hygrocybe conica) – This beautiful red-orange mushroom bruises black when poked and prodded. We found many of these at Osceola Island in early August, which is not surprising as this species can be gregarious (forming large clusters). More infoWhite-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) – This medium-large mammal needs no introduction: the white-tailed deer is common throughout North America, particularly in the Eastern US. It feeds on a wide variety of plant life and is a surprisingly good swimmer. More infoChristmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) – This common fern is so named for its evergreen fronds that shine elegantly green among a sea of brown vegetation at Christmas time. It is one of a number of fern species found at Osceola Island. More infoBlack Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus) – It is typical for this large snake to reach 6 feet in length. They are excellent climbers and are happy to seek out shelter in tree cavities. Their wide-ranging diet includes rats and other small mammals, birds, frogs, and lizards. More infoMilkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars (Euchaetes egle) – This moth species has a brightly colored caterpillar that is unusually gregarious (social) for most of it’s life as a larva. By forming brightly colored groups, they warn predators not to eat them, because like other tussock moth caterpillars they have hollow hairs that can “sting” anyone who grabs them. This species feeds on milkweed, like monarch butterfly caterpillars, feeding on several milkweed (Asclepias) and dogbane (Apocynum) species. More info

Resources

Map link to Osceola IslandiNaturalist project at Osceola IslandList of all our BioBlitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Virtual BioBlitz @ Johnson Ridge Trail
2020-10-10 10:00 - 2020-11-10 23:59 (America/New_York)
Virtual BioBlitz @ Johnson Ridge Trail

Join DLiA and the Tennessee Valley Authority for a free, family-friendly virtual event where you can be a citizen scientist and learn about the natural wonders found at TVA’s wild lands!

What is it?

It’s a bioblitz on TVA’s trails, but virtual!

What’s a bioblitz? It’s an effort to find and document as many species as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a citizen scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the animals, plants and other organisms that live around you!

Where is this taking place? This is a virtual event that you can do at your own pace. Watch the video below then visit Johnson Ridge Trail near Bean Station, TN or any of the other 10 qualifying TVA trails in East Tennessee and Northern Alabama to complete a scavenger hunt and receive a fun thank you gift!

Here’s how to participate:

(1) WATCH THE VIDEO

We’ll launch the event via YouTube on Saturday, October 10th at 10 am EDT. Watch our video introduction to Johnson Ridge Trail and see some of the neat flora and fauna that live there.

(2) VISIT ANY QUALIFYING TVA TRAIL

From October 10 to November 10, 2020, we challenge you to visit beautiful Johnson Ridge Trail near Bean Station, TN or any of the other TVA trails listed below. There are 11 TVA trails to choose from: 9 in east Tennessee and 2 in northern Alabama. Which one is closest to you?

TrailLocationStateDirectionsTrail mapiNat project

Johnson Ridge TrailCherokee LakeTennessee

Hall Bend TrailTellico DamTennessee

Little Cedar Mountain TrailNickajack LakeTennessee

Marbut Bend TrailWheeler LakeAlabama

Melton Hill Dam TrailMelton Hill DamTennessee

Muscle Shoals Reservation TrailsWilson DamAlabama

Osceola Island TrailSouth Fork Holston RiverTennessee

Songbird TrailNorris DamTennessee

Trotter Bluff TrailDouglas DamTennessee

Whites Creek TrailWatts Bar LakeTennessee

Worthington Cemetery TrailMelton Hill LakeTennessee

(3) COMPLETE THE SCAVENGER HUNT

Look for these plants, animals, and other groups of organisms, snap photos of them with your mobile device and post your observations to the free iNaturalist app.

The scavenger hunt challenge: Make iNaturalist observations of organisms that you find along your TVA trail of choice. The challenge is to observe a variety of organisms: find representatives from at least 10 of these categories:

Printable version of this checklist with instructions: PDF

(4) WE SEND YOU A THANK YOU GIFT!

Fill out this short form when you complete the scavenger hunt and we’ll send you a TVA BioBlitz-themed neck buff as a thank you gift!

Form for thank you gift

About iNaturalist

What is it?

iNaturalist is a really useful, free tool for taking photos of lifeforms (animals, plants, fungi, etc.), identifying them, and making species observations. These observations help us learn about the world’s biodiversity.

Getting started with iNaturalist

Download the free iNaturalist app to your Apple or Android smartphone. You can also visit iNaturalist.org from your web browser. Follow the prompts in the app to create a new iNaturalist account.Find a cool bug, plant, or other organism. Open the app and tap OBSERVE or the (+) sign to take a photo of your organism (or choose an existing photo from your camera roll).Tap WHAT DID YOU SEE? to identify your organism.Make sure your location and date are recorded.Tap SUBMIT or the check-mark icon to submit your observation to iNaturalist.Repeat! See how many different organisms you can observe around you!

For more tips and tricks for using iNaturalist, check out their getting started page: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started

What have people spotted at Johnson Ridge Trail, so far?

People like you have observed more than 130 species of plants, insects, spiders, fungi, and other kinds of organisms at Johnson Ridge Trail so far, but there’s plenty more to find! You can help us expand this list by adding your own observations in iNaturalist.

Check out the full Johnson Ridge Trail project page on iNaturalist to see more.

What’s been found at another TVA trail? Visit this iNaturalist umbrella project to find out!

Featured species

[coming soon!]

Resources

Map link to Johnson Ridge Trail parking areaiNaturalist project at Johnson Ridge TrailList of all our BioBlitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Virtual Fireflies Event 2021
2021-06-01 20:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
See blue ghosts and other fireflies of the Smokies during our second annual Virtual Fireflies Event! Award-winning firefly photographer and videographer Radim Schreiber will showcase never-before-seen footage of these magnificent creatures and DLiA science director Will Kuhn will talk about what makes fireflies so special. The video is free to view but we suggest making a $5 donation to help DLiA continue its research, education and conservation work in the Smokies.

Tune in June 1st at 8 pm ET!

All photos are copyright Radim Schreiber (fireflyexperience.org) and may not be used without express permission.

A virtual firefly extravaganza

Radim Schreiber (fireflyexperience.org)Dr. Will Kuhn, DLiA

Join entomologist Will Kuhn and firefly photographer and videographer Radim Schreiber as we witness the magic of the blue ghost firefly. What are they and what makes them special? How can you view and photograph them? Are there other kinds of fireflies in the Smokies? How can you help fireflies in your own backyard? Find out!

The presentation will showcase recordings of blue ghost fireflies recently captured by Radim Schreiber. Schreiber has won over a dozen film and photography awards for his gorgeous work capturing the displays of fireflies from around the world. He has also published Firefly Experience, a book of his photographs, and sells prints of his work from his website, fireflyexperience.org.

Last year’s inaugural Virtual Fireflies Event video has been viewed more than 157,000 times on YouTube! It was great, but this year’s will be even better!

Suggested donation: $5

We offer this presentation free of charge to anyone who loves fireflies. If you can, please consider making a donation to Discover Life in America. Your generous gift will help us continue our work to discover, understand and conserve biological diversity in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and beyond.

Donate Now

How to view

The video will premiere on YouTube June 1st at 8 pm ET at >>this YouTube link<<. While you wait, check out last year’s firefly video. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified of new content about life in the Smokies!

FAQ

Q. Is this a live event?

A. No. This event marks the world premiere of a beautiful video created by award-winning firefly photographer and videographer Radim Schreiber (fireflyexperience.org). It does include never-before-seen footage of blue ghost fireflies, which was recently recorded in the Smokies. Also, DLiA Science Director Dr. Will Kuhn and Radim Schreiber will be on hand to answer your questions live in the comments.

Q. Can I still join your in-person firefly event?

A. Unfortunately, no. We have long since sold out tickets for our 2021 Fireflies Event at Norton Creek. You can sign up for the waiting list, but it’s rather long and your chances are pretty slim at this point. You should totally check out our 2022 in-person event though! Tickets go on sale January 2, 2022. We will posts the dates for that event in mid-June. Thanks for your interest!

Sponsors

Thanks to the following generous sponsors for supporting the 2021 Virtual Fireflies Event and Fireflies Event at Norton Creek!

Bioblitz at Abrams Creek
2021-06-26 09:00 - 2021-06-27 16:00 (America/New_York)
Bioblitz at Abrams Creek

Help DLiA sample pollinators and other insects in an under-sampled region of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This event is free, but spaces are limited. No previous experience needed, although expertise is welcome!

Sorry, registration is now closed for this event, but check out our other bioblitzes coming up soon!

Purpose

We are planning a bioblitz to inventory life in a relatively under-sampled part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We plan to sample for pollinators and other insects using various trapping and collecting techniques. We will also catalog other life we encounter by photographing organisms and posting them to iNaturalist, so they can be identified and viewed publicly.

This event is part of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, an ongoing effort managed by DLiA to catalog every species living in the Smokies. Results for this bioblitz will be reported to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and will help the park better understand and protect the rich natural resources of the Smokies.

What will we be doing?

Saturday

On Saturday, we will spend the day collecting insects using various trapping methods and also hand-collecting insects around the Abrams Creek area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We will also document other organisms, such as plants, lichens, birds, and mammals using iNaturalist. This will be a full day of sampling and may involve hiking up to several miles along marked trails.

Sunday

On Sunday, we’ll work together at Abram Creek Ranger Station to process the samples that we collected on Saturday. This will include pinning, labeling and roughly sorting insects. It will be a great opportunity to learn how to curate and identify insects and it’ll be fun to see what we caught on Saturday!

Things to know

Registration is required to participateNo prior experience is needed and children 10 and older are welcome to participatePrior experience is welcome though, particularly experience in collecting and identifying insects or other organismsLunch will be provided to all registered participants on Saturday and SundayWe are not able to provide overnight accommodations for participants, however, we strongly encourage you to attend both Saturday and Sunday’s activitiesWe will be conducting research under an NPS research permit and all participants MUST adhere to the rules and regulations therein, mainly that collecting specimens must be limited to the scope of this project and done under the supervision of bioblitz leadershipThere is no cell coverage at Abrams Creek, so please plan accordinglyMore information including specifics about meeting time and place will be emailed to participants closer to the event

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountPractice making a few observations of plants, insects, and other organisms around you using iNaturalistBring water and some snacks (lunch will be provided)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Funding

This event is funded by a generous grant from the Tallassee Fund (grant number #65683).

Bioblitz @ Cave Mountain Trail
2021-07-17 08:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Bioblitz @ Cave Mountain Trail

Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at the Cave Mountain Small Wild Area on the south side of Guntersville Dam for a bioblitz of the Cave Mountain Trail.

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help us find as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you!

What will we be doing?

Walking the Cave Mountain Trail (a moderate 1.5 mile loop), looking for bugs, flowers, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have several experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the Cave Mountain iNaturalist project, which will be up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the site later and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

FREE REGISTRATION

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountBring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Where and when to meet?

Meet in the gravel parking area for Cave Mountain Small Wild Area, located on the north side of Snow Point Road/HWY 50 at 8 AM on Saturday, July 17. Cave Mountain SWA is on the south side of the Guntersville Dam near Guntersville, Alabama.

Directions to meeting spot

Helpful links

Cave Mountain iNaturalist projectCave Mountain Trail map (PDF)List of all our bioblitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

Bioblitz @ East Lakeshore Trail
2021-07-31 08:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Bioblitz @ East Lakeshore Trail

Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at the East Lakeshore Trail on Tellico Lake in Tennessee.

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help us find as many kinds of animals, plants and other organisms as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you!

What will we be doing?

Walking a couple of sections of the East Lakeshore Trail, looking for bugs, flowers, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have several experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the East Lakeshore Trail iNaturalist project, which will be up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit any part of the 28.8-mile East Lakeshore Trail and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

FREE REGISTRATION

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountBring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Where and when to meet?

Meet in the Mizell Trailhead and Parking Area at 8 AM on Saturday, July 31.

The East Lakeshore Trail extends 28.8 miles and is divided into several sections. We’ll focus on the Canal and Baker Hollow Branches of the East Lakeshore Trail, which span 4.5 miles total. We’ll take our time looking for fun flora and fauna and may not cover that full distance.

Directions to meeting spot

Helpful links

East Lakeshore iNaturalist projectTVA’s East Lakeshore Trail information pageList of all our bioblitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)

Have questions?

Ask Will: will@dlia.org

BioBlitz @ Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
2021-09-11 08:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | TNWR Headquarters and Visitor Center, 1371 Wildlife Drive, Springville, Tennessee, United States
BioBlitz @ Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge

Join DLiA, the USFWS and the Tennessee Valley Authority for this free, family-friendly event where you can be a citizen scientist and learn about the natural wonders found at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge near Springville, TN!

REGISTER HERE

What will we do?

A BioBlitz is an effort to document all the plants, animals, and other lifeforms that live in a place. DLiA partners with TVA to conduct a series of fun and educational BioBlitzes that help us better understand all the biodiversity on public lands.

The goal of this event is to catalog as many species (plants, insects, birds, fungi, everything) as we can around the Visitor Center and Britton Ford Trail area of TNWR. When we find a new organism, we’ll document it by taking a photo (or recording a sound) with our smartphones and posting it to iNaturalist, a cool community science app.

We’ll have experts on-hand to lead participants and to talk about the biology of the organisms that we encounter. This is a fun and easy way to help gather real scientific data and to learn about all the cool creatures that live all around us!

Can’t make it to the event? We still need you help! You can contribute before and after the BioBlitz by making observations around the TNWR project area (or any of our other BioBlitz sites) in iNaturalist. Your observations will automatically be added to our iNaturalist project, helping us learn more about what species occur at this site, where they occur, and when they are active. It’s that easy! Thanks in advance!

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist accountBring a mask – participants will be required to wear masks at all timesBring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water to refill your water bottle)Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Details

Timing: Saturday, September 11, 2021 from 8:00 AM to noon CT

NOTE: This event was rescheduled twice due to COVID, but we are hopeful that the September date will be a go. Previous dates were May 16, 2020 and May 22, 2021.

Location: We’ll focus our efforts around the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters and Visitor Center and the nearby Britton Ford Hiking Trail (east on Wildlife Dr), both within TNWR’s Big Sandy Unit.

WHERE TO MEET: Meet in the parking lot of the TNWR Headquarters and Visitor Center, located at 1371 Wildlife Drive, Springville, TN.

Meeting location (Google Maps)

Other things to know:

We’ll have extra masks if you need one but please bring your own if possiblePorta-potties will be provided on siteThere will be some walking on paved and trail surfaces

Registration: This is a free event, but we do ask that you register using the button above.

Requirements: No experience necessary. Adults and children 10 and up are welcome to participate! Please download the iNaturalist app to your smart device beforehand and follow the prompts to create an iNaturalist account (App Store , Google Play ).

Have questions? Ask Todd: todd@dlia.org or (865) 430-4757

Resources

Map link to meeting location: https://goo.gl/maps/AzD4DwEjMYTw3YXy7iNaturalist project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/bioblitz-tn-natl-wildlife-refuge-dlia-tvaList of all our previous BioBlitzes: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/dlia-bioblitzes-with-tva Visit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project there: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/discover-life-in-america-atbi Learn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8): https://dlia.org/iscience

Salamander Ball 2021
2021-10-23 18:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Parkway Drive-in Theatre, Maryville, TN, 2909 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, Tennessee, 37804
Join us at the Parkway Drive-In Theatre in Maryville for our annual salamander bash, featuring live music, screening of freshwater nature films, silent auction of adventure packages, and more! All proceeds from this fundraising event will support Discover Life in America and its work to conserve the biodiversity of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

PURCHASE TICKETS

SILENT AUCTION

Announcing Double Feature:

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Just in time for Halloween, we’ll screen the 1978 parody film about tomatoes becoming sentient and revolting against humanity!

Featuring beautiful films from Freshwaters Illustrated on the big screen!

RiverWebs

RiverWebs is an award-winning documentary about the interconnectedness between freshwater habitats and the forests that surround them. In Freshwaters Illustrated‘s gorgeous style, it features incredible underwater footage of the fish, amphibians, insects and other creatures that inhabit river systems woven together by the story of the scientists that explore these fascinating worlds. (56 minutes)

The Last Dragons

The Last Dragons is the story of Appalachia’s hellbender salamanders. Get an up-close look at these giant, bizarre looking Southern Appalachian natives. (10 minutes)

Image credit: Freshwaters Illustrated.

Musical guest, Bill Mize

“Guitars pine for the fingers of Bill Mize, who makes them weep, sing and rollaround like a cat at his feet. Thumpin’ good acoustic majesty.” – WDVX Knoxville

Bill is a past winner of the Winfield National Fingerstyle Guitar Competition, and received a GRAMMY Award for his collaboration with musician and storyteller David Holt on the recording Stellaluna. Popular acoustic guitar compilations “The Windham Hill Guitar Sampler and “Masters of the Acoustic Guitar” by Narada Records include his music. In 2009, Bill’s music appeared in the Ken Burns documentary “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” and will again be heard in the upcoming Ken Burns documentary ”Country Music.” Joining Bill on a few tunes will be Beth Bramhall on accordion adding her sublime stylings to Bill’s music. Find out more at billmize.com.

Special reading of The Great Smoky Mountain Salamander Ball by author Lisa Horstman

Our beloved annual fundraiser gets it name from this delightful tale. In The Great Smoky Mountain Salamander Ball, written and illustrated by Lisa Horstman, we meet Sara, a young girl who is on vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains. Wandering from her tent late one summer night, Sara discovers an invitation she can’t resist, inviting her to the Salamander Ball! This book can be purchased here.

Adventure Auction

The auction is now live! Bid on exciting adventure packages online or the night of the event!

Take a guided nature hike from knowledgeable locals, see the synchronous fireflies at DLiA’s Fireflies Event at Norton Creek and spend the night at the luxurious venue, and much more. All auction proceeds will help us better study the biodiversity of the Smokies.

BID NOW!

Halloween Car-stume Contest

Take a ride on the wild side at the Salamander Ball on Wheels! With Halloween right around the corner, let your creativity shine and give your car a makeover with our Halloween Car-stume contest. The top best dressed cars will receive some great prizes. Categories include spookiest, funniest and most unique.

Tickets

$50 per carload of peoplelocal beer provided with ticket purchaseconcession stand will be open with food items available for additional purchase

PURCHASE TICKETS

Science at Sugarlands: Beetles
2022-05-20 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Beetles of the Smokies

Victoria Bayless, Curator, Louisiana State Arthropod Museum

Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains over 2,600 known beetle species. Victoria Bayless had a hand in discovering many of them through her work with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI). Learn about the incredible diversity of beetles in the Smokies and why they’re so important and awesome!

Visit our main Science at Sugarlands page to for more information, registration for this free virtual talk, and recordings of past Science at Sugarlands presentations.

Science at Sugarlands: Safe Passage
2022-06-17 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Safe Passage: helping wildlife cross the I-40 Pigeon River Gorge

Jeff Hunter, National Parks Conservation Association

Safe Passage is a coalition of folks working to create safe crossings for wildlife to cross Interstate 40 and other roadways in the Smokies area. It’s also the subject of a book from Great Smoky Mountains Association, called ‘A Search for Safe Passage‘. Learn about this project, how it started, and how it’s going from Jeff Hunter, project manager at NPCA and Safe Passage Facilitator.

Visit our main Science at Sugarlands page to for more information, registration for this free virtual talk, and recordings of past Science at Sugarlands presentations.

// A Search for Safe Passage book cover image borrowed from smokiessafepassage.org

Science at Sugarlands: Nematodes
2022-08-19 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
The fascinating world of nematodes

Tom Powers, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Largely unseen, nematodes–also called round worms–are tiny creatures and they’re everywhere! Some help recycle nutrients in the soil and water, some are predators, and others are parasites of animals, plants and other living things. Together, they serve many important roles in keeping our ecosystem functioning. Tom Powers will talk about his work studying these cryptic, fascinating creatures in the Smokies.

Visit our main Science at Sugarlands page to for more information, registration for this free virtual talk, and recordings of past Science at Sugarlands presentations.

// Cover photo: A nematode under the microscope. Photo by DLiA

Science at Sugarlands: Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage
2022-09-16 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage: 72 years of public education in the Smokies

Joey Shaw, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is an annual event that draws in thousands of nature enthusiasts (“pilgrims”) to the area to attend expert-guided nature walks, hikes, and informational sessions celebrating the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains. Joey Shaw, who tirelessly organizes the event every year, will talk about the past, present and future of the 72-year-old pilgrimage.

Visit our main Science at Sugarlands page to for more information, registration for this free virtual talk, and recordings of past Science at Sugarlands presentations.

// Cover photo: trout lily and spring beauty by Will Kuhn

Science at Sugarlands: Monarchs
2022-10-21 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Tremont’s monarch monitoring program in Cades Cove

Erin Canter, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont

Erin Canter, manager of science literacy and research at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, will talk about Tremont’s community science program to tag and monitor monarch butterflies as they develop and migrate through the Smokies.

Visit our main Science at Sugarlands page to for more information, registration for this free virtual talk, and recordings of past Science at Sugarlands presentations.

// Cover photo: monarch butterfly on Queen Anne’s lace by Will Kuhn

Cane Creek Canyon BioBlitz
2023-10-13 18:00 - 2023-10-14 12:00 (America/New_York) | Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve, 251 Loop Rd, Tuscumbia, 35674, United States
Land Trust of North Alabama will host a Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve BioBlitz conducted by Discover Life in America (DLiA), a nonprofit organization out of Tennessee that specializes in biodiversity inventory and conservation, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

A BioBlitz is a citizen science event where participants learn about the plants and animals in a specific place as they look for and document them for research purposes, and we’d like to invite you to be a part of ours! This event is for both newbies and experts as well as amateurs and professionals in the various fields of natural science.

Participants will move through the southern part of the preserve using the iNaturalist app to document observed flora and fauna. There will also be short presentations on a variety of natural science topics conducted by DLiA as well as the Land Trust, Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve regulars, and possibly students and faculty from University of North Alabama. These same people will serve as subject matter experts as participants document their findings.

Event Website

Location: Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve – 251 Loop Rd, Tuscumbia, AL 35674

What to Wear/Bring: Dress appropriately for the weather. This is a rain or shine event, though thunderstorms will cause cancelation. Set up your iNaturalist account in advance. Please note, there is limited (or no) cell service at the preserve.

Registration: Please register to join the bioblitz. You can sign up to attend one or both days. Please register for each day you plan to participate.

Friday, October 13 from 6-10:00 PM

Sign-up

Saturday, October 14 from 8 AM – 12 PM

Sign-up

Cherokee Dam BioBlitz
2024-06-28 18:00 - 2024-06-29 12:00 (America/New_York)
Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at Cherokee Dam Park-Picnic Area in Jefferson City!

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, June 28th from 6pm to 10pm: Join us for an evening of discoveries…we will continue in the dark, as we will set up a black light to monitor insect populations!

Saturday, June 29th from 8am to 12pm: The morning is a great time to look for birds and we will continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning!

Register Here

Where?

Cherokee Dam Park-Picnic area

1015 Tva Pkwy, Jefferson City, TN 37760

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants, and other organisms as we can find in a specific area. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you. We will be walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and other living organisms. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. We’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups point out interesting facts about the organisms we see, and teach you how to use the iNaturalist app.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Loyston Point trails and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Free

Little Cedar Mountain BioBlitz
2025-05-16 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York)
Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. Join Discover Life in America and the Tennessee Valley Authority at Little Cedar Mountain in Jasper, TN.

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, May 16, 7pm to 10pm Central: Join us for an evening of discoveries…we will continue in the dark, as we will set up a black light to monitor insect populations!

Saturday, May 17, 8am to 11am Central: The morning is a great time to look for birds and we will continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning!

REGISTER HERE

Where?

TVA’s Little Cedar Mountain Trail in Jasper, TN

What’s a bioblitz?

During a bioblitz, volunteers help document as many kinds of animals, plants, and other organisms as we can find in a specific area. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a community scientist, gathering real scientific data, while also learning about the local flora and fauna living around you. We will be walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and other living organisms. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. We’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups point out interesting facts about the organisms we see, and teach you how to use the iNaturalist app.

What will we be doing?

Walking the trails, looking for bugs, flowers, salamanders, and anything else we can find. We’ll photograph them with our phones and post pictures to our iNaturalist project. It’ll be a fun morning of outdoor time in a gorgeous natural space and we’ll have experts on hand to guide small groups around the trail and point out interesting facts about the organisms we see.

Afterward you can see what kind of organisms we found by visiting the project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Loyston Point trails and post what you find! Making iNaturalist observations helps TVA know what’s out there so they can better manage and protect these public lands.

Before the event

Download iNaturalist to your phone (it’s free!)

Follow prompts in the app to create an iNaturalist account

Bring water and some snacks (we’ll also provide water)

Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes for hiking

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Black Lighting for "Bugs"
2025-07-18 20:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York)
Black Lighting for “Bugs”…and other nocturnal insects!

When? July 18 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Where? Bradley Fork Trailhead at Smokemont Campground

Description: Join us to help document nocturnal life in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! We will also spend time at dusk using a bat detector to monitor for bat activity in the area! We will also spend time at dusk using a bat detector to monitor for bat activity in the area!

Why use black lights?

Many insects can see ultraviolet light, which has shorter wavelengths than light visible to the human eye. For this reason, a black light will attract different insects than a regular incandescent light.

We will be using the iNaturalist app, to take photos and share to the community science platform. No prior experience necessary!

Location:

Volunteer with DLiA

Volunteers have contributed significantly to the success of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) since we began, through field work, education and outreach, and financial support. DLiA could not continue to function without the help of our dedicated volunteers and supporters. Thank you!
