18th Annual Friends of Roan Mountain Winter Naturalists Rally

18TH ANNUAL

FRIENDS OF ROAN MOUNTAIN
WINTER NATURALISTS’ RALLY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2025

Speakers include:
Gerry Middleton
“Wildlife Surveys in Hampton Creek Cove, Roan Mountain State Park & Rocky Fork State Park”
Tristan Clark
“Winter Herpetology”
Join Friends of Roan Mountain on Saturday, February 15th at Roan Mountain State
Park for a winter celebration of the Roan Highlands! Since 2007 the Winter
Naturalists' Rally has drawn hardy nature enthusiasts from far & wide to Roan
Mountain on the Saturday closest to Valentine’s Day. The 2025 Winter Rally
continues this celebration of our natural world by providing expert speakers on
topics concerning the environs of the Roan Highlands. Top naturalists volunteer their
time and energy to make the event both enjoyable and educational for people of all
ages.
Highlights of the day include registration beginning at 9 am in the Roan Mountain
State Park Conference Center, located at 1011 TN-143, Roan Mountain, Tennessee.
Members of Friends of Roan Mountain are admitted at no charge. Non-member
Adults are $10.00 for the day; children are free.
Please consider becoming a member of Friends of Roan Mountain. There are
different membership levels with an Individual adult membership costing $20.00 per
year providing free attendance to all 4 of our annual naturalist events & rallies.
All speakers, activities, and hikes will take place at, or leave, from the conference
center. There will be 2 indoor speakers in the morning, beginning at 9:30 am and
ending at 12:30 pm. (schedule below)
Lunch break will run from 12:30 pm – 1:15 pm. If you would like to reserve a pre-
paid bag lunch from City Market, you will need to register and pay in advance by
visiting www.friendsofroanmtn.org no later than Tuesday, February 11 th .
There will be a choice of 3 afternoon hikes that will leave from the Roan Mountain
State Park Conference Center at 1:15 pm and will last until no later than 4 pm. Pre-

registration for these activities is not required.

SATURDAY MORNING PROGRAM (9:30 a.m.)

 Tristan Clark: “Winter Herpetology”
Tristan will speak on some of our winter active amphibians, and include a short
section at the end about how the hurricane negatively affected southern Appalachian
salamanders, particularly hellbenders and some of the endangered species in adjacent
areas of North Carolina.
Speaker bio: Tristan Clark, also known as the “Rugged Herpetologist,” is a local herpetologist with
experience working with the Nashville Zoo, Amphibian Foundation, Bays Mountain Park and
various other organizations across the Southeast on a variety of conservation projects. His primary
focus has been documenting the biodiversity of rare salamanders and other herpetofauna in the
Southern Appalachian Mountains and assisting with captive breeding efforts to aid in the recovery of
critically endangered reptile and amphibian species in the wild.

 Gerry Middleton – “Wildlife Surveys in Hampton Creek Cove, Roan Mountain
State Park and Rocky Fork State Park”
Gerry completed wildlife surveys in Hampton Creek Cove, Roan Mountain State Park
and Rocky Fork State Pard during the summer of 2024. He used trail cameras for
extended durations to document the species. The Friends of Roan Mountain were able
to support Gerry’s study thanks to the generous support of our members.

Speaker Bio: Gerry Middleton's life began in the small railroad town of Etowah, Tennessee, where
his curiosity for nature took root. After high school, he pursued a degree in Geology at Tennessee
Tech, leading to an early career in Maryville and then with the TVA in Chattanooga as a coal
geologist. As job dynamics shifted, Gerry transitioned to the TDEC Division of Remediation in Oak
Ridge, dedicating 26 years to environmental monitoring. A pivotal moment came when he was
inspired by Dr. Merlin Tuttle's presentation on bats, prompting him to earn a Master’s in Wildlife &
Fisheries Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This new expertise allowed him to
shift roles at TDEC, focusing on mercury contamination studies in small mammals and bats. His
passion for conservation extended to volunteer bat surveys for Tennessee State Parks and fern
surveys in the Smokies. Through these varied experiences, Gerry crafted a career that harmoniously
blended geology, environmental science, and wildlife biology.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Saturday, February 15, 2025
Roan Mountain State Park, Conference Center
• http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/roan-mountain
• Address: 1011 TN-143, Roan Mountain, TN
• Phone: (423) 772-0190
9:00 a.m. REGISTRATION
9:30 a.m. INDOOR PROGRAM BEGINS
9:35 a.m. — Tristan Clark: “Winter Herpetology”
10:50 a.m. — Gerry Middleton “Wildlife Surveys in Hampton Creek Cove, Roan Mountain State
Park and Rocky Fork State Park”
12:30 p.m. LUNCH
Bag lunches available by pre-paid reservation. Deadline for reservations is Tuesday, Feb. 11th
1:30 p.m. POST-LUNCH ACTIVITIES – begin at 1:15 pm
The three hikes will leave from the Roan Mountain State Park Conference Center. There will be also
be a concurrent indoor discussion. Pre-registration for these activities is not required.
 Hike #1. Roan Mountain State Park Animal Tracking Trip leader: Marty Silver (ranger with
Warriors’ Path State Park, TN). Marty will lead a wildlife tracking and animal signs hike down near
the Doe River. (easy; kid-friendly)
 Hike #2. Winter Tree Identification Trip leader Cade Campbell. Cade will lead tree identification
hike in the state park to share field techniques for winter identification. (easy, kid-friendly)
 Hike #3. Birds on Roan Mountain Trip Leader: Debi Campbell (President of Bristol Bird Club)
Learn about the birds that can be found in and around Roan Mountain State Park. (easy: kid-friendly)