Roan Mountain Fall Naturalists Rally

SIXTY-FOURTH
ANNUAL

Roan Mountain
Fall Naturalists Rally
September 18 – September 20, 2026

Sponsored by

The Friends of Roan Mountain

For sixty-four years the Fall Roan Mountain Naturalists Rally has drawn nature enthusiasts from
all over the country to Roan Mountain, the jewel of the southern Appalachians. This event, and
all the Friends of Roan Mountain events, would not be possible without our volunteer field trip
leaders, the support of Roan Mountain State Park and the membership of Friends of Roan
mountain.
Consider joining the Friends of Roan Mountain, if you are not a member. Members get free
admission to all Naturalists Rally events and our newsletter which is published twice a year. For
all of our events, kids get in free.
Evening and lunch programs will take place in Roan Mountain State Park’s Conference Center.
Field trips will leave from the field beside the entrance to the park cabins.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rally Directors; Gary Barrigar and Larry McDaniel

friendsofroan@gmail.com

TO REGISTER GO TO FRIENDS OF ROAN MOUNTAIN WEBSITE:

Friends of Roan Mountain website

FRIDAY EVENING PROGRAM:
“Roan Mountain in Time and Space: Exploring the Origin and Evolution of Roan's Grassy Balds” James
Costa
Dr. James (Jim) Costa is professor of biology and executive director of the Highlands Biological Station of Western
Carolina University (Highlands Biological Station).  An evolutionary biologist and Darwin and Wallace scholar, Jim
teaches courses in biogeography, Darwin's Origin of Species, and a Humboldt-inspired comparative temperate-
tropical ecology field course between the southern Appalachians and the Andes of Ecuador.  Jim's most recent books
include  Radical by Nature: The Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace, Darwin and the Art of Botany:
Observations on the Curious World of Plants (with Bobbi Angell), and The Descent of Man: An Annotated Edition
of Darwin’s Classic Work (with Elizabeth Yale).  A Trustee of the Charles Darwin Trust, his honors include the
Alfred Russel Wallace Medal and the Stephen Jay Gould Prize of the Society for the Study of Evolution.
Presentation Description:
Roan Mountain is home to the most extensive grassy balds in the southern Appalachians, a beautiful and evocative
landscape that has intrigued naturalists for centuries. Its puzzles abound: the balds lie below climatic tree line, yet
are treeless. They are dominated by native grasses and other southern Appalachian flora, yet are also home to rare
plants whose main range is in the far north. Do the balds of Roan Mountain constitute a natural biological
community, or do they somehow owe their existence to humans…or both? Are these balds unique, or are there other
ecological versions of the balds out there, and if so what do they teach us? In this talk I will discuss the geological
and ecological history of Roan Mountain and its magnificent grassy balds, and explore some of the main hypotheses
for the origin and maintenance of the balds from the speculations of early naturalist-explorers to the investigations of
modern ecologists.

SATURDAY AFTER LUNCH PROGRAM:
“Sharks and Alligators of Southern Appalachia” Jeremy Stout
SATURDAY EVENING PROGRAM:
“Can’t See the Forest for the Trees? Look at the Birds Instead” Adrianna Nelson
Adrianna began birding at the age of 9 when a Dark-eyed Junco appeared in her yard on a cold winter day. She
was immediately hooked and became involved in local groups like the Bristol Bird Club, Steele Creek Park
Nature Center, and the Tennessee Bluebird Society. Her undergraduate studies on songbird behavior at
Appalachian State University solidified her interest in avian research. After graduating, she traveled the US
and abroad to work on various conservation and research projects. Now, Adrianna is thrilled to be back home
in Southern Appalachia where she is a master’s student in Wildlife and Fish Biology at Clemson University.
She is studying the effects of Hurricane Helene disturbance on nesting birds in western North Carolina. Her
goal is to inform the US Forest Service on best management practices for birds in this new and dynamic
landscape.

Presentation Description:
Adrianna’s presentation will provide a peek into the world of banding birds, birds as a tool for science, and
how her work could help turn a natural disaster into a win for conservation. She will share fun stories,
beautiful photos of birds, and silver linings for wildlife impacted by Hurricane Helene.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FRIDAY September 18: All activities take place at Roan Mountain State Park Conference Center.

5:30 PM REGISTRATION
6:30 PM BUFFET DINNER – requires PREPAID reservation by deadline of Tuesday, September 15
7:30 PM PROGRAM
“Roan Mountain in Time and Space: Exploring the Origin and Evolution of Roan's Grassy Balds”
Dr. James T. Costa, Ph.D

9:00 PM The Park after Dark (E, Kf) Daisy Graham

SATURDAY September 19: Field trips will carpool from the field adjacent to the cabin area entrance.

7:00-8:00 AM Moth Viewing (Meet at the conference center) (Kf) Larry McDaniel
8:30 AM FIELD TRIPS
1. Birds (E) Lee & Lois Herndon Chapter TOS

2. Bird Banding (E,Kf) Adrianna Nelson

3. Wildflowers (E) Guy Mauldin

4. Useful Plants (E, Kf) Marty Silver

5. Mushrooms (M) Cindy Fowler & Ken Crouse

6. Spiders (E, Kf) T. J. Jones

7. Salamanders (E, Kf) Anthony Brais
8. Stream Ecology (E, Kf, W) Gary Barrigar & Janet Brown
Saturday, continued –
11:00 AM – 1:30 PM Conference Center activities:

1. Fossil Casting for All Ages (Kf) Mick Whitelaw, ETSU Dept. of Geology and Geoscience Club

2. Flint Knapping – (Kf) Bob Estep
Lunch Time Slide Show Marty Silver

12:00 PM Lunch – Bag lunches at Conference Center
by pre-paid reservation only (deadline Tues, Sept 15), or you are welcome to bring your own lunch.
12:30 PM PROGRAM
“Sharks and Alligators of Southern Appalachia” Jeremy Stout
2:00 PM FIELD TRIPS
1. Gardening for Ecology (E, Kf) Jim Costa

2. Geology of Roan Mtn. (M) Mick Whitelaw

3. Wildlife Tracking (E, Kf) Marty Silver

4. Mosses & Liverworts (E) Jim Goldsmith

5. Nature Journaling (E) Kelly Porter

6. Appalachian Cove Forest Exploration (E, Kf)
Cade Campbell

7. Butterflies (E, Kf) Philip Hylen

5:45 PM Annual FORM membership meeting

6:30 PM BUFFET DINNER – at Roan Mtn. State Park Conference Center: requires PREPAID
Reservation by deadline of Tuesday, September 15
7:30 PM PROGRAM
Can’t See the Forest for the Trees? Look at the Birds Instead Adrianna Nelson

9:00 PM Night Walk (E, Kf) Cade Campbell

SUNDAY September 20: Field trips will leave from the field adjacent to the cabin area entrance.

7:30-8:30 AM Moth Viewing (Meet at the conference center) (Kf) Larry McDaniel
9:00 AM FIELD TRIPS
1. Birds (E) Lee & Lois Herndon Chapter TOS

2. Rare Plants of the Roan Highlands (E) Gary Kaufman

3. Salamanders (E, Kf, W) Dale Ledford
11:00 AM Tardigrade Workshop (Meet at the Conference Center) (Kf) Diane Nelson
2:00 PM FIELD TRIPS
1. Butterflies & Other Insects (E, Kf) Lance Jessee
2. Mushrooms (E) Coleman McCleneghan

3. Birds of Prey (E, Kf) Philip Hylen