Murfreesboro Parks Chapter at Barfield Crescent Park will begin on September 1, 2022. The 275-acre natural area has approximately 5 miles of hiking trails and 9 miles of mountain bike trails. Beginning from the Wilderness Station, the paved path cuts through a hardwood forest that rises above limestone outcrops. This eventually leads to the River Overlook and backcountry campground. Here the trail turns into a dirt path that skirts along the West Fork of the Stones River. Climbing higher towards the peak, there are limestone sinks and a long stone fence that is thought to be Civil War-era. The natural area here is a beautiful example of the Oak/Hickory forest and Karst topography that is so prevalent in Middle Tennessee.

Please join us for an afternoon of tree identification and forest forensics.  The evening will begin with a brief indoor session to discuss and review tricks of the trade in tree identification and valuable reference materials that help develop tree ID skills. 

Join long time wild foraging instructors, Pandy and Windy, as they collect and prepare wild edibles from fields, springs and woods. Learn how to find, identify and prepare delicious and nutritious foods from the wild as well as your own backyard. Learn the dos and don’ts of foraging as well as how to conserve wild edible plants for the future. Come prepared to walk in wild places. That includes boots, long pants, insect repellent, water and a hat. It will be a fun day of brewing and browsing.

Beginning April 12th, 2022 the Tennessee Naturalist Program core course will be offered at the Cumberland Mountain State Park. This 1,720-acre park was acquired in 1938 to provide a recreational area for some 250 families selected to homestead on the Cumberland Plateau.

Beginning February 7th, 2022 the Tennessee Naturalist Program core course will be offered at our Memphis Chapter at Pinecrest. Pinecrest stretches over 450 acres of various ecosystems. The historic trails and homestead remnants give us a glimpse into the history of Native Americans and early settlers in the Wolf River wetlands and forested uplands of West Tennessee.

Beginning March 26th, 2022 the Tennessee Naturalist Program core course will be offered at our Cedars of Lebanon Chapter. Cedars of Lebanon State Park is located in Wilson County south of Lebanon, TN. The park consists of approximately 3,600 acres, including two state natural areas, and sits adjacent to Cedars of Lebanon State Forest. Land in and around the park is known for its limestone cedar glades, a unique type of ecosystem adapted to thin (often nonexistent) soil typical of areas in the Central Basin.

Since 2014 Ijams Nature Center has offered the Tennessee Naturalist Program core course, and we are happy to announce that registration for the 2022 season of TNP is now open! Classes begin on February, 19th 2022 and meet every month through November. Ijams can’t wait to host another successful season of TNP!

Beginning September 25th, 2021 the Tennessee Naturalist Program core course will be offered at our Paris Landing/TNWR Chapter. This chapter, created through a partnership between Paris Landing State Park and the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, joined our program in January of 2020. Paris Landing State Park is an 841 acre park located on the western shore of the Tennessee River, which is dammed to form Kentucky Lake (160,000 acres). Adjacent to the Park, the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 51,000 acres stretched along 65 miles of the Tennessee River. Established in 1945, the refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was created as a conservation area for migratory birds especially wintering waterfowl.

Ubiquitous, unassuming, and unusual, fungi play critical – typically overlooked – roles in our environment.  This 6-hour workshop explores their life histories, infinite variety, and ecological impact.

Learn about waterfowl biology, and wetland ecology in this exciting new TNP2 course! Students will have 2 hours of classroom time followed by a trip to the heart of the Duck River Bottoms wetland area for a look at wetland habitat, management for waterfowl, waterfowl identification and their conservation needs.