Highlands Biological Station
2025 Summer Workshops
Discover the wonders of nature this summer!
Our summer workshops are officially set, and we can’t wait to welcome you to campus this season. Whether you’re diving into a new subject or deepening your expertise, there’s something for everyone at Highlands Biological Station.
Explore, Learn, and Grow: Summer Workshops for All Levels
Workshops at HBS are:
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Great for beginning and advanced students – most have no prerequisites
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Hands-on and engaging
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Taught by expert instructors from a variety of backgrounds
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Designed for adult learners
Join us this summer and be part of a dynamic learning community! Follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter here to stay connected.
Learning Birdsongs, with Topher Stephens
June 10, 1 – 3:30PM, Weyman Building
Topher Stephens
Designed to help participants identify local birds by their songs and calls using a simple, systematic approach. After a short presentation covering key sound qualities like pitch, rhythm, and repetition, we’ll head outdoors to practice listening, describing, and memorizing birdsongs using mnemonic devices and vocal imitation. No birding or musical experience is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to tune into the language of the forest!
$100/person
Botany Bootcamp
Session 1: July 2, 9AM – 4:00PM
Session 2: July 3, 9AM – 4:00PM
Break from 11:30AM – 1:30PM each day
Dr. Paul Manos, Duke University
Botany Bootcamp is a hands-on workshop designed to introduce participants to the diverse plant life of the Highlands Plateau. Through a combination of short lectures and interactive activities, we’ll explore fundamental botanical concepts, focusing on the structure and growth habits of common native plants found on the grounds of the Highlands Biological Station. No prior experience is needed—just a curiosity for the natural world! Join us as we magnify tiny plant details, sketch flowers and leaves, discuss our observations, and sharpen your botanical skills in a fun and engaging environment.
$200/person per session
The Art of Seeing: Learn to see like an artist and professional photographer in the garden.
August 5, 9AM – 1:30PM
Gwen Greenglass, Master Photographer, Certified Professional Photographer.
Join us for an enjoyable adventure in the garden where you will learn how to see and capture light with your camera of choice. You will gain an understanding of how to photograph images that express both what you see and feel while walking through the garden. During classroom time, prompts, setting intentions and other techniques will be introduced as a way to enhance your creativity. Interactive discussions and feedback will be provided throughout the workshop.
Basic knowledge of how to use your camera or phone to take pictures is recommended.
Basic mobility is needed as we will be walking to different areas of the property.
Please bring:
Camera of Choice: DSLR, Mirrorless, Compact or Smartphone.
Something to write or record suggestions and thoughts.
Garden Pad to kneel or sit-on for photographing images close to the ground (if desired).
Bring Lunch and Water
$200/person
Bartram's "Rare and Elegant Flowering Shrub"
September 10, 1 – 5PM
Dr. Jim Costa, Highlands Biological Station & Western Carolina University & Cynthia Woodsong
In 1765, botanists John and William Bartram discovered the rare Franklinia alatamaha along Georgia’s Altamaha River, naming it after Benjamin Franklin. Mysteriously, the plant went extinct in the wild by the late 1700s and now survives only in cultivation from seeds and cuttings collected by the Bartrams. HBS executive director Jim Costa and paper flower artist Cynthia Woodsong will lead a special program celebrating Franklinia, featuring a lecture on its history and biology, a visit to a blooming specimen, and a hands-on workshop to create paper replicas of its striking white flowers. Participants will experience this unique plant both in nature and through artistic creation, with all materials provided.
$200/person
Explore the Botanical Gardens
Phone:
Address:
111 Lower Lake Road
Highlands, NC 28741
Hours & Admission:
FREE! From dawn to dusk please feel free to explore our trails. We just ask that you please adhere to the guidelines below.
Guidelines:
- All pets must be properly leashed and cleaned up after.
- Stay on the marked trails to protect the plants.
- Do not pick or remove plant material.
- Do not leave trash on Station grounds.
- Please watch for uneven terrain, rocks, and roots.
North Campus
