Top Naturalists to Present at Trails & Trilliums


The Friends of South Cumberland State Parks has lined up a top-notch list of speakers and workshops during Trails & Trilliums, April 21-23. According to Margaret Matens, Event Chair, “Although all the rooms at the Beersheba Springs Assembly are taken and many of the guided hikes are filled, there are numerous reasons to attend the naturalist rally in Beersheba Springs. You can still register for one of eight hikes, canoe, rappel, take an early morning bird walk or hear 30 presentations on a wide range of nature topics. Wine & Wildflower tickets are still available for Saturday night. So don’t delay. Sign up!” Each session is $15, and online registration is at https://www.trailsandtrilliums.org;.

Six notable authors are speaking on Saturday and Sunday including Georgann Eubanks of North Carolina on “Saving the Wild South: The Fight for Native Plants on the Brink of Extinction.” Knoxville naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales will talk about his book on the search for the elusive Ivory Billed Woodpecker. Ranger Stuart Carroll will provide suggestions for great trails from his book “Hike Tennessee.” Richard Candler’s new book is “Birding in Sewanee,” and Patrick Dean’s forthcoming book is on naturalist Mark Catesby for whom the Catesby Trillium is named. During Trails & Trilliums the Friends will have the book launch of Latham Davis’ history of the Friends of South Cumberland State Parks. All books will be available for purchase and signing during the weekend.

Interesting presenters who are new to Trails & Trilliums this year include:

Deputy Commissioner Greer Tidwell, TN Dept. of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will give a keynote address on the vision for Tennessee State Parks and exciting plans for our new Savage Gulf State Park.

UT archeologist Dr. Jan Simek has spent three decades documenting prehistoric rock and cave art on the Cumberland Plateau. His talk, accompanied by remarkable photographs, will explore the ancient paintings and engravings made on bluffs and in caves by the First Peoples of the region. Simek was featured in a segment of the National Geographic series “The Story of God” with Morgan Freeman.

Kathleen Williams, one of the most highly regarded Tennessee conservationists and the founder of Tennessee Greenways, will speak on “Boldness for Conservation.”

Chattanoogan Dr. Hill Craddock is an expert on conservation of the American Chestnut. With funding from Dollywood and The American Chestnut Foundation, he is working to select genetically diverse, disease-resistant trees and re-introduce them into our forests.

J. Paul Moore, an award-winning photographer and gardening expert will speak on moss gardening and steps in creating a moss lawn. His own garden has been designated a “Botanical Sanctuary Network.”

The full schedule of guided hikes, workshops, AV sessions and author talks can be found on the Trails & Trilliums website. No reservations are necessary for the native plant sale, vendor area or the children’s activities, which are all free.

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