Mount Rogers summer Naturalist Rally
August 8-9, 2025
As summer’s intense heat fades, escape to the cool mountain air, where wildflowers are at their peak, pollinators are buzzing, and water temperatures are perfect for all kinds of aquatic fun. Join this rally to experience the incredible beauty of high-altitude nature.
Keynote Speaker
Biologist Amy Roberts on the “Natural History and Conservation of the Endangered Bog Turtle in Virginia.”
Amy Roberts left accounting and auditing in 2002 to go back to school to get her Masters of Science in Biology. After graduation, she worked about 16 years with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to study and conserve bog turtles and other endangered reptiles and amphibians. Since 2023, Amy has worked at Virginia Tech as an Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) partner in the Working Lands for Wildlife program.
Born in Southwest Virginia and residing in Bland, Amy is no stranger to hot, muggy days and waist-deep mud. But her passion for conservation and a sense of humor guides her through the tougher days!
Friday night’s featured speaker, Amy’s presentation will cover the endangered bog turtle, its habitat, and conservation efforts.
Friday night Programs
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The Appalachian mountains are a global biodiversity hotspot for salamander species. Join BRDC Naturalist Educator Neil Fredericksen to learn a little bit about their amazing life histories and some of the species we may find in the area- and then go out and look for them!
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Ever wanted to listen in on bats’ high-pitched vocalizations and echolocation? BRDC Naturalist educator, Brendan, will bring an ultrasonic microphone for a night hike in search of native bats on our campus. The EchoMeter will allow us to play back bat calls in the range of human hearing, and identify the species we come across by their unique frequency.
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A BRDC naturalist guide will lead a group in search of macro-sized wildlife that lurks beneath the Blue Ridge temperate rainforest after the sun sets. If we have a cool, rainy night, expect lots of salamanders, giant millipedes, snails and friends!
Saturday Programs
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Join avid birder Bobby Riggs to learn about the Raptors that call this place home! Learn identifying features with a powerpoint presentation, and then head outside to try out your new-found skills to the test!
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Edible and Medicinal plants and fungi are everywhere! Join this seasoned and ever so special person, Carrie Sparks on a walk around the BRDC campus to see the useful plants that can be found in our ecoregion.
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Explore the incredible salamander diversity of the Blue Ridge Mountains with Wally Smith, a conservation biologist at UVA-Wise.
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Learn compass skills and how to read topographic maps with naturalist educator Brendan Murphy, then put your skills to the test in an orienteering course.
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Join Cade Campbell for a slow stroll in the cove forest to catch up with our local land snails and learn about their ecology and identification. From “microsnails” like the tiny Ice Thorn of tree holes, to a few mountaintop giants like the Balsam Globe, Southwest Virginia holds an incredible biodiversity of snails. Let's explore the abundance of natural history wonders embodied by these ancient, peaceful animals.
Saturday Programs
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Bruce Grimes will lead a group to look for butterflies around BRDC campus and then head to Elk Garden. Expected butterflies include silver-spotted skipper, pearl crescent, American copper, and a variety of fritillaries and swallowtails. If it rains, Bruce will share a program on the butterflies of the region until weather permits chasing them!
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Join Mike Pinder, Wildlife Diversity Biologist for Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, to investigate the aquatic life of a stream with a wetsuit and snorkel mask. Ever wonder what lurks beneath the water’s surface? You will be amazed at what you see! Expect an array of colorful native fish from darters to dace, and search for Hellbenders.
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Byrophytes with Jim Goldsmith
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If you're curious about the strange world of Fungi, join Virginia Master Naturalist and experienced wild mushroom forager Lee Borg on a gentle walking tour of the BRDC campus. We'll talk about the mushrooms that we collectively find, learn about their life cycles, their unique characteristics and relationships with the forest residents, and what their roles are in our mountain ecosystems.
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Ed Morgan will present an overview of the history of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. He will discuss the struggles that were encountered in the creation and development of the NRA and our evolving understanding of Southwest Virginia's natural and economic resources. He will discuss the history of the forest—the individuals who profited from the forest's wealth and those who are striving to protect it.
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Join Corey Kanuckel with the USFWS Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program to explore the importance of wetland areas and riparian zones and the benefits these habitat types provide for water quality, erosion and flood control, and aquatic and terrestrial wildlife.
Rally Schedule
Friday
2:00pm: Guest Check-In
4:00pm: Rally Registration
5:30pm - 6:30pm: Dinner (Pre-registration Required)
6:45pm: Rally Welcome & Announcements
7:00pm: Featured Speaker & Youth Program
8:30pm: Night Programs
Saturday
7:00am: Registration & Trip Selection; Breakfast (Pre-registration Required) & Coffee
8:00am - 11:30am: Morning Field Trips & Youth Programs
11:30am - 1:00pm: Lunch (Pre-registration Required)
1:00pm - 4:30pm: Afternoon Field Trips & Youth Programs
4:30pm - 5:00pm: Guest Check-Out
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