Discover Life in America

Bioblitz @ Loyston Point
2023-06-23 18:00 - 2023-06-24 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 Loyston Point at Norris Lake.

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, June 23rd, 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 24th, 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!

See the schedule for the bioblitz below. All sessions led by DLiA’s resident Entomologist, Dr. Will Kuhn, DLiA Biodiversity Program Specialist, Jaimie Matzko and expert Naturalist, Jason Carpenter.

Friday, June 23rd: 6pm to 10pm

6pm Intro to iNaturalist: Learn how to use the free app, iNaturalist to record life and become a community scientist!7pmFinding Fungi: Learn how to find, identify and record fungi, lichens and more!8pmNight Prowl: We’ll look for nocturnal creatures, like owls, bats, fireflies, and we’ll have a limited supply of blacklight flashlights to see what glows in the dark.9pm Blacklighting for “Bugs”: We’ll set up a blacklight to attract all sorts of a wide variety of insects, including moths, aquatic insects, beetles and maybe a few true bugs too.

Saturday, June 24th: 8am to 12pm EST

8am Intro to iNaturalist: Learn how to use the free app, iNaturalist to record life and become a community scientist.9amBirding Basics: We’ll go over how to ID birds by sight and sound by getting out there and observing a variety of birds. Warning, birdwatching can be habit forming!10amPlant and Tree ID: We’ll share some great tips on how to identify a variety of different plants and trees in the area.11amExplore with iNaturalist: Get out and explore on your own with iNaturalist

REGISTER HERE

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 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 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

TVA Loyston Point Trails Website

Conservation on Tap
2023-07-12 19:00 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Save the Little River!

Conservation on Tap

Wednesday, July 12, 7:00 p.m.

Albright Grove Brewing Company, Knoxville

FREE!

Dr. Andrew Gunnoe, associate professor of sociology at Maryville College and president of the of the Little River Watershed Association, will be speaking about the LRWA’s mission to protect, preserve, and enhance the Little River and its tributaries. Come learn about this amazing river and how you too can become part of the community of people working on its behalf. Proceeds benefit Discover Life in America and LRWA!

Litter River Watershed Association’s mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the Little River and its tributaries through CONSERVATION EDUCATION & RECREATION

Bioblitz @ Deep Creek in GSMNP
2023-07-14 18:00 - 2023-07-15 12:00 | Deep Creek Picnic Pavilion, 2431 W Deep Creek Rd #2027, North Carolina, 28713, United States
Join Discover Life in America and our co-host, Save Our Smokies to celebrate our 25th Anniversary with a bioblitz at Deep Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Free, family friendly opportunity to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science AND clean up the Smokies!

Two chances to ‘blitz!

Friday, July 14th, 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, July 15th, 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

Get the iNaturalist app.

iOS

Android

Save Our Smokies, Inc is an all volunteer organization that removes litter and graffiti from public lands. We partner with USFS, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and local and state parks. Since our founding in 2020, we have been determined to make an impact. The core of our efforts is to bring volunteers together to reduce the negative impact human overuse and destruction has on public lands.

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 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 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 on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit the Deep Creek 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

Join us to “record life and remove litter” with our co-host, Save Our Smokies!

Save Our Smokies

Save Our Smokies, Inc is an all volunteer organization that removes litter and graffiti from public lands. We partner with USFS, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and local and state parks. Since our founding in 2020, we have been determined to make an impact. The core of our efforts is to bring volunteers together to reduce the negative impact human overuse and destruction has on public lands.

Conservation on Tap
2023-08-09 19:00 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Conservation on Tap: Great Smoky Mountains National ParkWednesday, August 9th at 7pm at Albright Grove Brewing Co. in Knoxville, TN

Ranger and Management Analyst Kendra Straub will brief us on Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s new parking pass system and what revenue it is generating. She’ll also fill us in on trends in park visitation and unveil some findings from the hot-off-the-press visitor use survey. Kendra has been on the front lines over the last several years using research and data to reconcile the park’s surge in visitation with shrinking available funds. If you care about America’s most-visited national park, this is one you won’t want to miss!

Conservation on Tap is a monthly speaker series held the second Wednesday of each month at Albright Grove Brewing Co. All beer sales, at the event, benefit Discover Life in America.

Event is free!

Conservation on Tap
2023-09-13 19:00 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Knoxville Legacy Parks is connecting people with nature. By working collaboratively, it is creating a community where people want to live, work and play.

Bioblitz @ Great Smoky Mountains Association's Members Weekend
2023-09-16 10:00 - 16:00
Join us for the Great Smoky Mountains Association’s Members Weekend retreat to learn about local animals and plants while contributing to science. This year’s event will include a bioblitz in Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Cosby Picnic area led by Discover Life in America!

Register here

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 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 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 Cosby Bioblitz project on iNaturalist, which will be left up indefinitely. We encourage you to revisit GSMNP 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

Community Science Class Series: Birding
2023-10-05 18:00 | REI Co-op Pigeon Forge, 2655 Teaster Ln Suite 310, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, 37863, United States
Join Discover Life in America to learn birdwatching basics. We’ll cover tips on sight and sound ID, using binoculars and how you can contribute valuable community science data with bird observations on the free iNaturalist app! Take a walk in the green space near the REI Co-op to see what birds might be migrating through. A limited supply of binoculars will be available. All ages welcome!

Register for this free class here: https://www.rei.com/…/community-science-with-dlia-birding

Rocky Top BioBlitz
2023-10-12 09:00 - 15:00 | University of TN- in front of Ayres Hall, 1403 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37916, United States
Join us on the University of TN campus for the Rocky Top BioBlitz—a biological survey focused on identifying as many species as possible in a defined area over a short period of time—from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, October 12. Look for our tent outside Ayres Hall.

During the Rocky Top BioBlitz, participants will walk around campus looking for any kind of life: birds, insects, plants, and even fungi. They will document what they find by taking pictures and uploading them to an app called iNaturalist. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

Make sure to download the iNaturalist app before the event!

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Cane Creek Canyon BioBlitz
2023-10-13 18:00 - 2023-10-14 12:00 | 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

Conservation on Tap
2023-11-08 19:00 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Conservation on Tap

Wednesday, November 8, 7:00 p.m.

Albright Grove Brewing Company, Knoxville

FREE!

If you’ve wondered what actually happens when Congress fails to pass a budget and America’s most popular national park must potentially close, check out this first-of-a-kind panel discussion on the catastrophic impacts to the park, park visitors, park partners, and park neighbors. The talk will feature the executive directors from Discover Life in America, Friends of the Smokies, Great Smoky Mountains Association, and other park partners. Will the park be locking the gates right before the super busy Thanksgiving holiday? Join in and discover some answers.

Proceeds benefit Discover Life in America.

Conservation on Tap
2023-12-13 19:00 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Conservation on TapWednesday, December 13, 7:00 p.m.Albright Grove Brewing Company, Knoxville

The Sierra Club in East TennesseeThe Harvey Broome Group

FREE!

Named after Smokies advocate and Wilderness Society Founder Harvey Broome, our local chapter of the Sierra Club has been fighting to preserve wild places, create clean, safe communities, and encourage recycling and clean energy since 1972. The organization is a tenacious watchdog helping protect us from polluters, reckless developers, bad politicians, climate change, and those attempting to degrade our parks and forests. Join Jerry Thornton and others to learn more about our local chapter of the famous Sierra Club and their efforts to address climate change.

Proceeds benefit Discover Life in America, Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s science partner.

Winter Birding Blitz
2023-12-16 07:00 - 13:00
Join us for a Winter Birding Blitz in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Saturday, December 16th from 7am to 1pm. This is a free and family friendly event!

We will be looking and listening for bird activity in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and documenting what we find! This is a great opportunity to do some community science and learn something new!

We will use the free iNaturalist and Merlin Bird ID apps to record our findings, so it’s helpful to download the apps and create accounts, prior to the event.

For more details and to register for free, send an email to Jaimie Matzko at jaimie@dlia.org.

Meet at the Sugarlands Visitor Center in GSMNP. See google maps link below:

Conservation on Tap
2024-01-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Conservation on Tap is a monthly series hosted by Albright Grove Brewing Co. to benefit Discover Life in America, Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s biological science and conservation partner.

Stay tuned to see who we are hosting in January!

DNA Barcoding Workshop
2024-02-08 09:00 - 15:00 | Twin Creeks Science Center, 1316 Cherokee Orchard Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, 37738
Join us for this informative (and fun!) workshop, where we will be preparing specimens to be sent to be sequenced for DNA barcoding. This is a training opportunity for anyone who is interested in volunteering with DLiA ‘s DNA barcoding project, but is open to anyone wanting to learn about the process.

Spaces are limited so please send a request for a spot to Jaimie Matzko, DLiA Biodiversity Program Specialist: jaimie@dlia.org

Conservation on Tap
2024-02-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Conservation on Tap is a monthly series hosted by Albright Grove Brewing Co. to benefit Discover Life in America, Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s biological science and conservation partner.

GSMNP Science Colloquium 2024
2024-03-07 09:00 - 16:00
Tune into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 2024 Science Colloquium, presented by GSMNP and DLiA! Learn about a wide variety of scientific topics, new species of cave spiders and dusky salamanders, to wetlands along the Foothills Parkway, strategic use of social media to reduce overcrowding, and lots more, all from researchers working in the Smokies. All are welcome! Registration is free and open to the public.

Recorded talks from the 2024 Colloquium are now up on YouTube! You can find them>>> here <<<

Location: Virtual via Zoom

Registration: Registration is free! Just follow the link below. You’ll receive a Zoom link over email that you can use to view the Colloquium on March 7th. The audience will also be able to ask questions of the speakers following their talks. Speakers DO NOT need to register and will receive Zoom link via email.

Schedule and abstracts: The schedule below and the linked PDF will be updated with any changes to talk times or talk information. Check back for the most up-to-date version.

2024 Schedule & Abstracts (PDF)

2023 recorded talks (YouTube)

2022 recorded talks (YouTube)

Information for presenters

Submit a talk

Call for submissions: We welcome you to submit a presentation about your research that is either actively taking place in Great Smoky Mountains National Park or that is of significance to the Smokies, and that is at a stage in analysis where a full picture of the research can be presented. Note: due to time constraints, we may not be able to fit all submitted talks. Paul Super will be contacting potential presenters via email about submitting a presentation.

Important dates

Friday, February 2nd – deadline to submit talk information to Paul Super (paul_super@nps.gov): (1) final title, (2) abstract, and (3) names and affiliations of the presenter and co-authors

Week of February 5th – presenters will receive a tentative schedule and can OK their timeslot before the schedule is posted on this page

Week of February 19th – presenters will receive a Zoom Webinar invitation via email; meeting registration will be available here for non-presenter attendees

Helpful information

Conference format: The Colloquium will be held virtually via Zoom’s Webinar platform. Presenters will be set as “panelists” on the Webinar, meaning that they can do most of the normal functions of a Zoom Meeting (share video, audio, and screen). Audience members will be able to ask questions and we will help manage questions. We’ll send presenters more information about what to expect closer to the colloquium.

Time slots: Presentation slots will be around 20 minutes (including time for questions). We will send you a finalized schedule close to the event and will provide more details about the Q&A after each talk.

Presentation format: Slide decks can be in any format (speakers will share their screen via Zoom), however we recommend PowerPoint, PDF, Google Slides or Keynote in wide-format (16:9).

Know your audience: Please note that many in the audience will have advanced degrees, but few will have advanced degrees in your topic, so plan to provide a bit of explanation of technical jargon and stay away from acronyms.

Recording presentations: We plan to record presentations and upload them publicly to our YouTube channel as we’ve done the past few years (view last year’s recordings). Please let Paul Super know if you DO NOT want your presentation to be recorded.

Conservation on Tap
2024-03-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Conservation on Tap is a monthly series hosted by Albright Grove Brewing Co. to benefit Discover Life in America, Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s biological science and conservation partner.

Conservation on TapWednesday, March 13th at 7pmTennGreen Land Conservancyat Albright Grove Brewing Company, Knoxville, TN

Free!

GO TENNGREEN!

Join TennGreen Land Conservancy Executive Director, Alice Hudson Pell and Development Officer, Nichole Hidalgo Jordan for a presentation on the important land conservation work done by the nonprofit organization in East Tennessee and around the state. TennGreen has protected over 50,000 acres of land, 194 miles of streams and rivers, and habitat for 69 rare species. Nichole will also discuss TennGreen’s annual Hike-a-Thon, a monthlong friendly competition where participants hike, paddle, climb, run, and bike for excellent prizes.

Moss and Bryophyte 'Blitz
2024-04-16 10:00 - 15:00
Meet at Sugarlands Visitor Center

Join us to learn about and survey moss and bryophytes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! This is a community science event that is open to all ages and skill levels. Volunteers will help DLiA staff to record moss and other non-vascular plants using the iNaturalist app! We will cover about 3-4 miles on a moderate trail in GSMNP.

Questions? Email our volunteer coordinator, Jaimie Matzko, jaimie@dlia.org

Register Here

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Great Smokies Eco-Adventure: April 21-23
2024-04-21 12:00 - 2024-04-23 16:00
Mark your calendar for an immersive Smokies experience like none other! Spend your days exploring the wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and your nights glamorously camping off the grid. DLiA and partner A Walk in the Woods bring you an exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure, with expert-led nature hikes, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, mouth-watering, local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies.

A Walk in the Woods has generously provided access to Camp Atagahi, their staff, and their Smokies expertise to make this event really shine!

DLiA’s Will, Jaimie, and Todd will be your guides for the duration of the Eco-Adventure. They’re excited to be your gracious hosts and share their expert knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the Smokies!

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is a truly unique experience!

Guided hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to learn about local flora and fauna, including wildflowers and other plants, pollinators and insects, fungi and more!

Hike on a section of the legendary Appalachian Trail (AT)

Morning bird-watching at camp

Guided night hike to look for nocturnal creatures, using a bat detector and UV flashlights.

Evening campfires to share stories and s’mores

Freshly prepared meals, including beer and wine.

Luxury Camping Accommodations, including spacious tents with cots and mattress

Enjoy hot showers after a day on the trail

Purchase Tickets

Yo

Camp Atagahi

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is co-hosted by Discover Life in America and A Walk in the Woods. As an award-winning, locally owned and operated tour guide company, A Walk in the Woods has been helping people get the most out of their Smoky Mountains experience for over 23 years, serving over 100,000 visitors along the way!

All meals are included with your ticket price, prepared on site with local produce, cheeses, and other ingredients. Vegan and vegetarian options are available. Beer and wine are also provided as well as soft drinks of your choice. (We’ll inquire about your dietary restrictions and beverage choices close to the event.)

Camp Atagahi is A Walk in the Woods’ premiere off-grid camping facility located in a small valley just north of the National Park boundary between Pitman Center and Cosby, Tennessee. It features a well-stocked off-grid commercial kitchen and excellent bathroom facility with running water, flush toilets, and hot showers. Guests are lulled to sleep at night by the babbling creek that flows through camp. Tents are spacious, mounted on wooden platforms, and feature a covered “front porch” area where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, listening to the sounds of nature.

Guided Hikes in the Smokies

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure in April features guided hikes during peak wildflower season in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (a short drive from Camp Atagahi). We’ll keep it slow and easy-going, with lots of stops to admire and talk about the Smokies’ incredible biodiversity, including native trees, pollinating insects, birds, and more. We’ll also share our expert knowledge of the cultural history of the landscape.

Our one-of-a-kind hikes will leave you with a new appreciation for the incredible variety of life in the Smokies region and they’re really fun, too!

Eco-Adventure Itinerary

Sunday, April 21: Guests will meet in GSMNP at noon and enjoy light snacks and introductions. We’ll go on guided hike led by DLiA staff on the Twin Creeks Trail (Total trail mileage under 2 miles) In the late afternoon, we’ll get load up our gear and get transported to A Walk in the Woods’ private off-grid camp located near Cosby and settle into our not-too-rustic glamping accommodations. We’ll have drinks and a wholesome dinner. We’ll finish off with s’mores around a campfire.

Monday, April 22: We’ll have locally-sourced coffee and a hot breakfast at camp and pack sack lunches. We’ll then head to the Greenbrier area in GSMNP on our hike to Fern Branch Falls on the Porter’s Creek trail. This hike is 4 miles round-trip and is considered moderate. We’ll arrive back at camp by late afternoon and enjoy southern fixins’ around the campfire. If you’re up for it, we’ll go for a night hike at the camp to look for nocturnal critters.

Tuesday, April 23: We’ll start with a hot breakfast, pack sack lunches, and pack up our gear. If the conditions and views are favorable, we head up to the high elevations in the park for a hike along the infamous Appalachian Trail. We’ll finish up around 4 pm. We’ll say our goodbyes and guests will depart.

Please note: The itinerary may change due to weather conditions, park closures or at the discretion of DLIA.

Purchase Tickets

Tickets: $950 per person

Your ticket purchase supports Discover Life in America (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization), helping us continue our work as a partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tickets are $950 per person, which includes accommodations, food and alcohol, as well as expert-guided nature hikes.

Pricing is based on double occupancy of tents, so if you are traveling alone, you may be assigned to share a tent with someone of the same gender.

REGISTRATION CLOSES: April 1, 2024

CANCELLATION POLICY: Full payment is due upon ticket purchase. If you decide to cancel your spot, we will refund your ticket only if we are able to sell your ticket. No refunds will be given after registration closes on April 1st.

What will your ticket purchase support

Biodiversity research in the Smokies

Our biology interships…

…and photo/videography internships

Biodiversity education

Public engagement through community science

Conservation of creatures great and small in the Smokies

Specifically, you’ll help support

research with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed at cataloging, understanding, and ultimately conserving the 21,000+ species that call the Smokies home

our world-class summer internship program, where we train the next generation of scientists and nature advocates through an immersive experience in the Smokies

our educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mountains NP, fostering nature literacy among our community ( iScience and Smokies Most Wanted)

and much more!

ELECTRICITY AND CELL SERVICE: There is no electricity at Camp Atagahi other than a battery back that you may use to charge your phone. There is little to no cell reception at the Camp and in the National Park. Please plan accordingly. If you use a CPAP machine to sleep, you may consider purchasing an appropriate battery pack to power that device during the event.

FAQs

Q. What is the expected weather?

April in the Smokies is usually mild, with daytime temperatures reaching the 50s and 60s, and nighttime sometimes approaching the freezing mark. It’s best to wear layers that you can shed if it’s warm or pile on for those cool nights. But this of course varies from year to year. The region does receive lots of rain (which fuels the growth of all those wildflowers), so be sure to pack a rain jacket or poncho.

Q. How many people will be in attendance?

Space is limited to 15 attendees at the eco-camp where we’ll be staying (2 people per tent with 10 tents). This is a nice group size that permits lots of one-on-one interaction with your guides.

Q. If don’t consider myself a serious hiker, will I be able to keep up?

Our hikes are very much tailored to the abilities and interests of the group and generally follow a leisurely pace as we stop and look at insects, mushrooms, and lots of other sights to see. As long as you are able to walk around 4 miles over several hours, you should be fine.

Q. If I come to the Eco-Adventure alone, will I have to share a tent?

The ticket price for this event is based on double occupancy, so expect that singletons may be paired with another same-gender singleton. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet a fellow nature lover and future friend!

Q. What is included in the ticket price?

The ticket price includes all accommodations, food (including vegetarian and vegan options), alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and expert-led hikes from noon Sunday through Tuesday afternoon.

Q. What do I need to bring?

Please bring a sleeping bag, towel, day pack and wear sturdy hiking shoes, rain gear and cool weather clothing. Also, please bring a well-fitting face mask. Tents, cots, sleeping pads, and other basics are all provided. You can find a full list of required and recommended items above on this page. Attendees will receive additional information via email prior to the event.

Q. Will there be electricity or cell service at the camp?

Camp Atagahi does not have grid electricity, however, we will provide a battery back that you can use to charge your cell phone and other small electronics. There is little to no cell signal in the area. The Eco-Adventure is a great chance to step away from the busy world and enjoy some screen-free time in nature!

Q. If I have any other questions, who should I contact?

Please contact DLiA’s Biodiversity Program Specialist, Jaimie Matzko, at jaimie@dlia.org and she’ll be happy to answer your questions about the Eco-Adventure. You can also visit dlia.org to learn more about DLiA’s work in the Smokies.

High Elevation Pollinator 'Blitz
2024-05-04 08:00 - 13:00
Questions? Email our volunteer coordinator, Jaimie Matzko, jaimie@dlia.org

Register Here

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

ANDROID

iOS

Needmore BioBlitz
2024-05-17 08:00 - 2024-05-19 17:00
WANDER THE NEEDMORE WITH AN ENTOURAGE OF LOCAL EXPERTS!

This spring, Mainspring is hosting a Bioblitz in the Brush Creek area of the Needmore Game Lands in partnership with Highlands Biological Station, Highlands Biological Foundation, and Discover Life in America! A Bioblitz is a sort of “biological census,” aiming to capture a snapshot of all the species living in a particular area.

Each day of this event (Friday 5/17, Saturday 5/18, and Sunday 5/19), local experts will lead multi-hour mini-expeditions along waterways, through meadows, and in the forest, seeking particular species or taxa. Choose your own participation level– come all day, attend one session per day, or participate in just one or two sessions over the weekend! Beginner naturalists are welcome at this event, let’s learn as we go!

Observations collected during this event will help drive future conservation in this area, fill gaps in scientific knowledge, and maybe even document a critter that hasn’t been observed here before! Want to meander through this beautiful area while searching for and learning about mushrooms, fireflies, rare plants, and more with these scientists? Check out Friday’s schedule below, then fill out the form at the bottom of this page to secure your spot! Find more details about the sessions and their leaders below the form at the very bottom of the page. Email Skye with questions.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:

Exertion varies per session: some sessions may be easy walks along the road while others may involve traipsing through the woods off-trail. In general, wear sturdy shoes, bring a snack and plenty of water, and be prepared to walk 2-3 miles. For accessibility-related questions, email Skye.

All sessions will leave from Lower Needmore Rd in the Needmore Game Lands near Bryson City, either from the Brush Creek Access Area or past the swinging bridge. Exact meeting location and directions will be sent out in the week leading up to the event.

Please download and login to the iNaturalist app before this event. We will be using this app to record our observations. If you have never used iNaturalist, here is a brief tutorial.

A bagged lunch will be provided free of charge to any participant who wants it.

Fireflies at Norton Creek: Candlelight Dinner
2024-06-07 17:30
Take your firefly experience to the next level with an over-the-top, extravagant evening centered around the Smokies’ famous synchronous fireflies.Join us for the Candlelight Dinner: Fireflies at Norton Creek for a special dinner and drinks prepared by Dollywood Resorts executive chef and team beginning at the award-winning Heartsong Resort and Lodge and concluding with synchronous firefly viewing at Norton Creek private reserve.

The evening will begin at 5:30pm with signature cocktails, full bar and hors d’oeuvres in the Acoustic Lobby at the Heartsong Lodge and Resort. This exclusive dining space is a nod to Dolly and a musical career that spans seven decades. Guests will then be treated to a full-course, candlelight dinner will be served at one of the Heartsong Lodge’s spectacular outdoor dinner venue.

After the delectable meal, guests will then caravan from the Heartsong Resort and Lodge to the private reserve at Norton Creek to conclude the evening with a guided viewing of the magnificent synchronous fireflies that call Norton Creek home, and their other bioluminescent brethren, including blue ghost fireflies and other glowing insects.

INCLUDES full bar with signature cocktails, special dinner, virtual auction, and guided firefly viewing. Tickets are $750 per person; quantity is limited.Fireflies at Norton Creek: Candlelight Dinner guests will receive discount pricing for a stay at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge and Resort, June 7-9, 2024.

Buy Tickets here

Book your stay at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, designed to bring that intangible feeling to life, honor everything that makes the Smokies special, and invite you to experience the wonders of finding your own heartsong.

The Acoustic Lobby features an array of design elements inspired by Dolly’s life and career, including a guitar-shaped chandelier, as well as a selection of her personal treasures. This exclusive dining space is a nod to Dolly and a musical career that spans seven decades.

Synchronous fireflies’ woodland display //Abbott Nature

Synchronous firefly adult //Abbott Nature

Reserve your tickets now

What will your ticket purchase support?

Biodiversity research in the Smokies

Our biology interships…

…and photo/videography internships

Biodiversity education

Public engagement through community science

Conservation of creatures great and small in the Smokies

Specifically, you’ll help support

research with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed at cataloging, understanding, and ultimately conserving the 21,000+ species that call the Smokies home

our world-class summer internship program, where we train the next generation of scientists and nature advocates through an immersive experience in the Smokies

our educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mountains NP, fostering nature literacy among our community ( iScience and Smokies Most Wanted)

and much more!

Location: Main parking lot at Heartsong Lodge and Resort

Conservation on Tap
2024-06-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Albright Grove Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919
Join Great Smoky Mountains National Park spokesperson Emily Davis for a summer update on what’s happening in the park. Emily will cover topics like the new parking fees, bear population, staffing, trail projects, and much more!

Conservation on Tap is a monthly series hosted by Albright Grove Brewing Co. to benefit Discover Life in America, Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s biological science and conservation partner.

Conservation on Tap is a monthly series hosted by Albright Grove Brewing Co. to benefit Discover Life in America, Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s biological science and conservation partner.

Cades Cove Firefly Survey
2024-06-24 19:00 - 23:00
Join us to survey fireflies in Cades Cove on June 24th from 7pm to 11pm EST, meeting at the Cades Cove Ranger Station. There are 19 species of fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Volunteers will assist DLiA staff document firefly species in Cades Cove for the Smokies All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory.

This event will require volunteers to walk/hike through the fields in Cades Cove, after dark. No flashlights will be used when documenting and recording activity. No prior experience is required and families are welcome, although this volunteer activity is not recommended for children under the age of 14.

Questions? Email our volunteer coordinator, Jaimie Matzko, jaimie@dlia.org

Registration is now full!

Get the iNaturalist app.

Download the app. Log in. Try it out.

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Cherokee Dam BioBlitz
2024-06-28 18:00 - 2024-06-29 12:00
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

Conservation on Tap
2024-08-14 19:00 - 20:00
Conservation on TapAugust 14 at 7.00 p.m.Albright Grove Brewing Company in Knoxville

Free!

Knoxville Environmental Law Partners and UT College of Law, Environmental Law Organization

Want to learn how you can take legal action to protect the environment in your community, even if you’re not a lawyer?

Please join representatives from KELP (Knoxville Environmental Law Partners) and students in the UT College of Law, Environmental Law Organization who are going to present about the upcoming Appalachian Public Interest and Environmental Law Conference (APIEL).

APIEL is an annual gathering of lawyers, scientists, students, and members of the general public to discuss environmental issues and happenings in Appalachia, public policy, and grassroots initiatives. We aim to create a dialogue between lawyers, activists, and scientists on the local areas of need and foster engagement within the community to be forces of change in the legal realm.

Learn more about the APIEL conference at: https://law.utk.edu/annual-apiel-conference/

Proceeds benefit KELP and Discover Life in America, the science and biodiversity partner for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Learn more at dlia.org.

Conservation on Tap
2024-09-11 19:00 - 20:30
Conservation on Tap

When? September 11, 7.00 p.m.Where? Albright Grove Brewing Company in Knoxville

Free!

Knoxville Recycles!

Join Keep Knoxville Beautiful to learn more about how and where to recycle in Knoxville. What can be recycled? What can’t. What about hazardous waste? What really happens to all that stuff in the recycling bin? Plus, learn about all the other new and innovative projects KKB is involved with.

Conservation on Tap is a monthly series hosted by Albright Grove Brewing Co. to benefit Discover Life in America, Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s biological science and conservation partner.

BioBlitz at Seven Islands State Birding Park
2024-09-20 09:00 - 12:00
Join us for a BioBlitz on Friday, September 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. organized by Discover Life in America and Seven Islands State Birding Park. This is a free and family-friendly event to participate in community science and learn about nature!

🤳Learn how to use the free community science iNaturalist app, to document and identify life—anywhere in the world!

🔍Join guided hikes with expert naturalists from Discover Life in America and Seven Islands State Birding Park!

🌳Meet others in your community who also love to learn about nature!

Register Here

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

Monarch Tagging in the Cataloochee Valley
2024-10-04 10:00 - 15:00
Canceled: The Monarch tagging event is canceled in response to the catastrophic storm damage in North Carolina and Tennessee. We hope to try again in 2025.

Hurricane Helene has completely devastated our region beyond comprehension. I know many of you have impacted directly or indirectly. If you are in a position to volunteer or give for relief efforts, here are some ways to help:

Tennessee: https://www.tn.gov/volunteer-tennessee/disaster-services.html

North Carolina: https://www.ncvoad.org/

Questions? Email our volunteer coordinator, Jaimie Matzko, jaimie@dlia.org

Continental MycoBlitz
2024-10-16 10:00 - 15:00 | Information Kiosk Parking
Want to learn more about mushrooms and fungi in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and participate in community science?

Join us on Wednesday, October 16 to participate in a “MycoBlitz” to document and collect fungi for DNA sequencing for the Smokies All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory and the Fall North America Continental MycoBlitz!

Register on our website: dlia.org/volunteering

Questions? Email our volunteer coordinator, Jaimie Matzko, jaimie@dlia.org

Register Here

Where? 1316 Cherokee Orchard Road, Gatlinburg TN 37738

Discover Life in America office at Twin Creeks (see google map directions below)
