Leading a Nature Hike 101

Leading a Nature Hike 101with Lauren Lampley ON-SITE  |  Friday, March 21  |  1 – 4 pm Blue Ridge Naturalist – Capstone Credit Leading a group on a hike in nature comes naturally to some people but for others it is a skill developed over time. In this class we will talk......More

Leading a Nature Hike 101with Lauren Lampley ON-SITE  |  Friday, March 21  |  1 – 4 pm Blue Ridge Naturalist – Capstone Credit Leading a group on a hike in nature comes naturally to some people but for others it is a skill developed over time. In this class we will talk about best practices for how to safely and efficiently lead a group on a hike in nature as well as what planning is necessary before the day of the hike. We will discuss possible hazards to keep an eye on and what to do in case of an emergency in “front country” hiking areas such as many trails in the Asheville area. This program takes place both indoors and out. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather. Lauren Lampley began her career at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation as a Park Naturalist which solidified Lauren’s interests in ecology and a passion for teaching others. She has led walks and hikes in a variety of subjects from Geology to Birding and especially likes to learn and teach about our local ecology. She currently works at the NC Arboretum in the Adult Education Department and manages the Blue Ridge Naturalist Certificate of Merit. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!  See all of our classes open for registration here! REGISTER HERE

Soil Health for Gardeners

Soil Health for Gardenerswith Laura Lengnick ON-SITE  |  Saturday, March 22  |  1 – 4 pm Blue Ridge EcoGardener – Core Learn why healthy soils are critical to the well being of our communities and how to cultivate landscapes that promote soil health. This practical, han......More

Soil Health for Gardenerswith Laura Lengnick ON-SITE  |  Saturday, March 22  |  1 – 4 pm Blue Ridge EcoGardener – Core Learn why healthy soils are critical to the well being of our communities and how to cultivate landscapes that promote soil health. This practical, hands-on course will teach you how to conduct simple soil tests using tools you can find in your kitchen to monitor the health of your soil. Participants can bring a soil sample from their garden to test in this class. Laura Lengnick is an award-winning soil scientist and author of “Resilient Agriculture: Cultivating Food Systems for a Changing Climate.” She has been a sustainable food systems researcher, activist and educator for almost 30 years. A lifelong gardener, Lengnick currently cultivates a diverse mix of vegetable, fruit, medicinal, culinary and ornamental plants using biointensive and permaculture practices on her two-acre mini-farm in Buncombe County. cultivatingresilience.com Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!See all of our classes open for registration here! REGISTER HERE

Forest Bathing Retreat: Spring Awakening & Renewal

Forest Bathing Retreat: Spring Awakening & Renewalwith Asheville Wellness Tours ON-SITE  |  Saturday, March 22  |  1 – 4 pm The changing seasons are rich with wisdom and guidance. Winter is a time for rest and dreaming, followed by spring, ripe with opportunities for re......More

Forest Bathing Retreat: Spring Awakening & Renewalwith Asheville Wellness Tours ON-SITE  |  Saturday, March 22  |  1 – 4 pm The changing seasons are rich with wisdom and guidance. Winter is a time for rest and dreaming, followed by spring, ripe with opportunities for renewal and growth. Cultivate those winter dreams and invite them to birth into reality during this enlivening afternoon retreat. Let your most authentic Self emerge from within and flourish amidst the beauty of the early spring! Your guide, Kelly Bruce, will lead you on a gentle journey through the awakening forest, weaving mindfulness, breathwork, forest bathing (Shinrin Yoku) and nature therapy together for a restorative afternoon at the North Carolina Arboretum. We’ll celebrate the Spring Equinox in community, enjoying a wild-foraged tea ceremony and snacks. Bring an open mind and an open heart. All are welcome. Presented through Adult & Continuing Education Programs in collaboration with Asheville Wellness Tours. This program takes place outdoors. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather. Kelly Bruce is a writer, forest therapy guide and nature connection mentor based in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Her mission is to help others deepen their connection with nature, community and Self. Kelly is an Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Certified Guide and Certification Consultant. She is Wilderness First Aid and CPR certified by the American Red Cross. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!  See all of our classes open for registration here! REGISTER HERE

Lunch + Learn: Wildfire Mitigation in Southern Appalachia

Lunch + Learn: Wildfire Mitigation in Southern Appalachiawith Troy Harrison Sunday, March 23  |  12pm – 1pm BRN + BREG – Elective The Southern Appalachian ecosystem is home to a diverse landscape filled with a unique combination of wildlife and vegetation.  It is hardly......More

Lunch + Learn: Wildfire Mitigation in Southern Appalachiawith Troy Harrison Sunday, March 23  |  12pm – 1pm BRN + BREG – Elective The Southern Appalachian ecosystem is home to a diverse landscape filled with a unique combination of wildlife and vegetation.  It is hardly surprising that Western North Carolina is a popular destination for those seeking a pace to settle down or build a second home.  However, living in close proximity to nature can carry a risk of damage or loss from wildfire.  This program will explore a brief history of wildfire suppression in our area, along with specific measures anyone can take to reduce risk of property damage. Troy Harrison has over 30 years experience in environmental regulations, forest inventory and fire control.  Before retirement in 2022, He worked in the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, US Forest Service, and NC Forest Service.  He was awarded the Order of the Longleaf Pine in 2022 for excellence in service to the state of North Carolina, He is the Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator for Mountain Valleys Resource,Conservation & Development District.   Troy graduated from Warren Wilson College in 1988 with a BA in Environmental Studies and Business/Economics.  Troy is also recognized as a traditional musician by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!See all of our classes open for registration here! register here

Natural History Interpretation

Natural History Interpretation (3 sessions)with Brad Daniel Tuesdays, March 25, April 1 + 8  |  12 – 4 pm BRN – Capstone Core  Natural history interpreters provoke interest and curiosity in our natural and cultural heritage. This course will introduce the basic principl......More

Natural History Interpretation (3 sessions)with Brad Daniel Tuesdays, March 25, April 1 + 8  |  12 – 4 pm BRN – Capstone Core  Natural history interpreters provoke interest and curiosity in our natural and cultural heritage. This course will introduce the basic principles of environmental interpretation and is designed for Blue Ridge Naturalists who will be leading nature walks, teaching natural history to adults or children, and delivering talks to community groups. Participants will learn how to create nature education talks or walks that are purposeful, enjoyable, informative and organized. Students will be given an opportunity to develop their own programs and practice their presentation and communication skills. This class fulfills a Capstone Core requirement for the Blue Ridge Naturalist Certificate and should be completed near the end of a student’s studies in the program. Brad Daniel has been a college professor, wilderness trip leader and field instructor for over 34 years using outdoor experiences to engage the heart, challenge the mind, and nurture the spirit. He is a Certified N.C. Environmental Educator and Certified Interpretive Guide. He holds master’s degrees in biology/ecology and outdoor teacher education, and a Ph.D. in environmental studies. He is executive director of 2nd Nature TREC. 2ndnaturetrec.com Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!Join our Adult Education Student Hub on Discord!  See all of our classes open for registration here! REGISTER HERE

Introduction to Appalachian Ecology

Introduction to Appalachian Ecologywith Dan Lazar ON-SITE  |  Wednesday, March 26  |  1 – 4 pm Blue Ridge Naturalist – Core Credit Blue Ridge EcoGardener – Core Credit From the flood plain of the French Broad River to the summit of Mount Mitchel, we will explore the div......More

Introduction to Appalachian Ecologywith Dan Lazar ON-SITE  |  Wednesday, March 26  |  1 – 4 pm Blue Ridge Naturalist – Core Credit Blue Ridge EcoGardener – Core Credit From the flood plain of the French Broad River to the summit of Mount Mitchel, we will explore the diverse ecological communities that make up the Blue Ridge Bioregion. We will learn why spruce trees are found only on the summits of our highest mountains: why the Southern Appalachians are the lungless salamander capital of the world and how deer and ants determine where trilliums grow. Part illustrated lecture and part on-site field trip, this class serves as an introduction to all Special Topics in Ecology classes offered through the Blue Ridge Naturalist Program.  This program takes place in the classroom and outdoors. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather. Dan Lazar served for many years as the director of education at the Western North Carolina Nature Center, followed by several years as executive director of the Colburn Earth Science Museum. Dan has a degree in forest biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and has been an instructor in the Blue Ridge Naturalist program since 2005. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!  See all of our classes open for registration here! REGISTER HERE

Asheville Orchid Festival

24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia”March 28, 2025 4:00 – 7:30 p.m.March 29 – 30, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Education CenterThe Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will once again host one of Western North Carolina’s......More

24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia”March 28, 2025 4:00 – 7:30 p.m.March 29 – 30, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Education CenterThe Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will once again host one of Western North Carolina’s greatest annual plant shows: the 24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia” from March 28-30, 2025. This will be an American Orchid Society sanctioned judging event. World-class orchid growers and breeders along with regional orchid societies will exhibit at the annual festival, with hundreds of orchids presented in carefully crafted displays. Admission to the Asheville Orchid Festival is $5.00 for everyone over the age of 12 years old, and free for Western North Carolina Orchid Society members. A regular parking fee for The North Carolina Arboretum applies for all attendees with the exception of Arboretum Members. Thousands of orchids will be for sale by vendors from Ecuador and across the United States. There will be something for all orchid lovers, and attendees should expect rare species and cutting-edge hybrids. All orchid exhibits, orchid programs, and educational lectures are included with the admission fee and children 12 and under can enter free. All admission proceeds benefit WNCOS, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and help expand the society’s mission of “sharing the excitement and joy of cultivating orchids and promoting orchid conservation For more information, please visit wncos.org

Education Center

Asheville Orchid Festival

24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia”March 28, 2025 4:00 – 7:30 p.m.March 29 – 30, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Education CenterThe Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will once again host one of Western North Carolina’s......More

24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia”March 28, 2025 4:00 – 7:30 p.m.March 29 – 30, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Education CenterThe Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will once again host one of Western North Carolina’s greatest annual plant shows: the 24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia” from March 28-30, 2025. This will be an American Orchid Society sanctioned judging event. World-class orchid growers and breeders along with regional orchid societies will exhibit at the annual festival, with hundreds of orchids presented in carefully crafted displays. Admission to the Asheville Orchid Festival is $5.00 for everyone over the age of 12 years old, and free for Western North Carolina Orchid Society members. A regular parking fee for The North Carolina Arboretum applies for all attendees with the exception of Arboretum Members. Thousands of orchids will be for sale by vendors from Ecuador and across the United States. There will be something for all orchid lovers, and attendees should expect rare species and cutting-edge hybrids. All orchid exhibits, orchid programs, and educational lectures are included with the admission fee and children 12 and under can enter free. All admission proceeds benefit WNCOS, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and help expand the society’s mission of “sharing the excitement and joy of cultivating orchids and promoting orchid conservation For more information, please visit wncos.org

Education Center

Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers

Spring Ephemeral Wildflowerswith Alexandra Holland ON-SITE  |  Saturday, March 29  |  1 – 3 pm Blue Ridge Naturalist – Elective Spring is here, and the natural world is waking from its winter rest! Naturalist and botanist Alexandra Holland leads this wildflower walk at ......More

Spring Ephemeral Wildflowerswith Alexandra Holland ON-SITE  |  Saturday, March 29  |  1 – 3 pm Blue Ridge Naturalist – Elective Spring is here, and the natural world is waking from its winter rest! Naturalist and botanist Alexandra Holland leads this wildflower walk at the Arboretum, pointing out the array of spring wildflowers emerging and in bloom. Learn some basics of wildflower ecology and identification while taking in the beauty of spring. This program takes place outdoors. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather. Alexandra Holland graduated from Duke University and earned her Master’s degree in botany from the University of Texas at Austin.  She was in the first class of students to be certified as Blue Ridge Naturalists.  Alexandra managed the UTEX Culture Collection of Algae at UT Austin and spent many hours working with education programs at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.  She has taught botany for over a decade and leads nature hikes in Western NC for groups of all ages. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!  See all of our classes open for registration here! REGISTER HERE

Asheville Orchid Festival

24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia”March 28, 2025 4:00 – 7:30 p.m.March 29 – 30, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Education CenterThe Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will once again host one of Western North Carolina’s......More

24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia”March 28, 2025 4:00 – 7:30 p.m.March 29 – 30, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Education CenterThe Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will once again host one of Western North Carolina’s greatest annual plant shows: the 24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia” from March 28-30, 2025. This will be an American Orchid Society sanctioned judging event. World-class orchid growers and breeders along with regional orchid societies will exhibit at the annual festival, with hundreds of orchids presented in carefully crafted displays. Admission to the Asheville Orchid Festival is $5.00 for everyone over the age of 12 years old, and free for Western North Carolina Orchid Society members. A regular parking fee for The North Carolina Arboretum applies for all attendees with the exception of Arboretum Members. Thousands of orchids will be for sale by vendors from Ecuador and across the United States. There will be something for all orchid lovers, and attendees should expect rare species and cutting-edge hybrids. All orchid exhibits, orchid programs, and educational lectures are included with the admission fee and children 12 and under can enter free. All admission proceeds benefit WNCOS, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and help expand the society’s mission of “sharing the excitement and joy of cultivating orchids and promoting orchid conservation For more information, please visit wncos.org

Education Center

Early Spring Tree ID

Early Spring Tree IDwith Lauren Lampley ON-SITE  |  Sunday, March 30  |  10 am – 1 pm Blue Ridge Naturalist – Core Credit Blue Ridge EcoGardener- Elective Credit Each tree species grows their new leaves in unique ways and each spring we are reminded of that fact as the ......More

Early Spring Tree IDwith Lauren Lampley ON-SITE  |  Sunday, March 30  |  10 am – 1 pm Blue Ridge Naturalist – Core Credit Blue Ridge EcoGardener- Elective Credit Each tree species grows their new leaves in unique ways and each spring we are reminded of that fact as the tiny leaves emerge from their buds. The timing of the spring “leaf-out” depends on many different factors and the weather plays an important role in if those first leaves survive to the summer or if they are burned by a late frost or snow. In this class we will look at which trees are leafing out first and how those leaves compare to the summer leaves we know. We will also discuss how to identify different tree species based on their new leaves and their bark. This program takes place outdoors. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather. Lauren Lampley began her career at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation as a Park Naturalist which solidified Lauren’s interests in ecology and a passion for teaching others. She has led walks and hikes in a variety of subjects from Geology to Birding and especially likes to learn and teach about our local ecology. She currently works at the NC Arboretum in the Adult Education Department and manages the Blue Ridge Naturalist Certificate of Merit. Members: Remember to enter your promo code upon checkout to receive your 10% member discount! Email [email protected] with questions.See a full listing of Adult Education Programs at the North Carolina Arboretum here! Questions? Check our FAQs.We are committed to fostering a diverse, supportive learning community. If the cost of a class is a barrier for you, please complete this scholarship form and we will see what kind of assistance we can provide.Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!  See all of our classes open for registration here! REGISTER HERE