YA Eco Mysteries, Memoirs, Novels & Travel
Audubon Mountain Workshop
As we speed north from Birmingham how delightful it was to watch the spring flowing, like a sparkling green wave, into the mountains and up to Camp Alpine where we would be joining fellow nature conservationist for the Audubon Mountain Workshop.
ROCK HOUSE ALONG THE TRAIL AT CAMP ALPINE
It was difficult to choose from the wide variety of interesting workshops offered by experts in their field. We chose insects, birds, and fishes to explore. Despite an afternoon downpour, under the intrepid guidance of our leader Jimmy Stiles, Jim Brown reeled in a blue shiner, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed as a threatened species. What a thrill!
CHAIR CIRCLE UNDER THE TREES
Each day, after a satisfying lunch in the camp dinning room, we had time to relax on the wide porch overlooking the canyon and to swap stories—short and tall—before our next workshop. In the evening, we joined the night hikes to listen for bird calls, marveling at the stars above mingling their sparks with the fireflies flitting in the forest below. Our guide used the smart phone app to lure birds into responding—naturally the kids in the group especially enjoyed it.
SCOT DUNCAN EXPLAINS FOREST ECOLOGY TO CLAIRE DATNOW AT GROUP HIKE
For me, the highlights were the pleasure of being together with nature enthusiasts and experts, observing, absorbing and savoring the beauty and variety that nature has to offer at this special place near Mentone, Alabama. We can highly recommend the Audubon Workshop, started in 1978, which truly continues to promote a better understanding and appreciation for the natural history and ecology of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
Special Kudos and thanks to the Audubon Mountain Workshop Staff and presenters for all their hard work keeping everything humming along!
MAUREEN SHAFFER, CLAIRE DATNOW, AND SUSAN LANGLEY AT LUNCH
Footnote: Back in 1994, I was the recipient of the Blanche Dean award from the Alabama Nature Conservancy, thus I noted with special pleasure the display in the lodge in honor of Dan Holliman, and Blanche Dean. Dean, an inspirational science teacher at Woodlawn High School, began the Workshops in the early 1950s and continued to make significant contributions to outdoor education until her death in 1974.
For More information visit these links:
Birmingham Audubon Society
Audubon Mountain Workshop/Michelle Reynolds
Audubon Mountain Workshop Faculty Dierctory
Blanche Dean
Eco Mystery Series
Birmingham Audubon Society Facebook Page
Media Mint Publishing FB