Grasses of the Southern Appalachians
Schedule
Mon, 04 May, 2026 at 09:00 am to Fri, 08 May, 2026 at 12:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
265 N 6th St, Highlands, NC, United States, North Carolina 28741 | Highlands, NC
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Grasses of the Southern Appalachians (Field & Lab Course)May 4–8, 2026
2 Credit Hours
Instructor: Dr. Paul McKenzie, Retired Endangered Species Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Volunteer and Independent Contractor
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the identification, morphology, and ecology of grasses native to the Southern Appalachian region. Through a blend of lectures, laboratory keying exercises, and immersive field excursions, students will build the skills needed to distinguish grasses from closely related plant groups such as sedges and rushes.
Classroom instruction will focus on floral morphology and the structural characteristics essential for accurate identification. Students will study terminology, examine diagrams and photographic references, and receive a full-color set of presentation materials from the instructor. Laboratory sessions will emphasize hands-on identification techniques using multiple dichotomous keys and a curated collection of more than 200 pressed grass specimens from the Highlands Biological Station Herbarium.
Field trips to regional habitats will provide practical experience observing grasses across diverse Southern Appalachian landscapes. Participants should come prepared for rugged outdoor conditions. Previous field excursions to the Buck Creek Barrens in Clay County have included encounters with timber rattlesnakes, and seasonal grass pollen may be heavy during this time of year.
Students enrolling for academic credit will complete an open-book final examination designed to reinforce key identification skills and botanical concepts.
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Where is it happening?
265 N 6th St, Highlands, NC, United States, North Carolina 28741Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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