BSF Host Several Interpretive Programs In June

Oneida, TN (2011-06-13) The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will host a series of day and evening programs throughout the month of June. Park rangers will present a variety of programs in both Tennessee and Kentucky. The programs in Tennessee will be held at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center or nearby Leatherwood Ford. Programs in Kentucky will be at the Blue Heron Campground. In addition to these programs, park rangers will present short talks at the Blue Heron Mining Camp during scheduled trips by the Big South Fork Scenic Railway. For more information about these programs or the park call the Bandy Creek Visitor Center in Tennessee at (423) 286-7275 or the Stearns Visitor Center in Kentucky at (606) 376 5073. All programs are presented on Eastern Time.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

10:30 a.m. – Tracking Through the Wild! – Bandy Creek Visitor Center – Join Park Ranger Dustin Beaty at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center as he talks about the various different tracks you may encounter while hiking the trails of Big South Fork. There will be a fun Junior Ranger activity for children to enjoy.

2:00 p.m. – Trailside Botany – Bandy Creek Campground Kiosk – Park Ranger Bill Herman will be taking an easy walk through the campground to look at and discuss common trees, shrubs and other plants found within the park. Meet at the campground kiosk. Wear sturdy walking shoes and use an insect repellant before venturing out on this walk.

7:30 p.m. – Snake Tales – Bandy Creek Visitor Center – Learn about myths, legends and facts that surround this reptile. Join Park Ranger Sue Duncan and her friends Slither and Cleopatra as they help you understand snakes and their place in the environment.

7:30 p.m. – Scrip – Blue Heron Campground, Kentucky – Did the coal miner really “owe his soul to the company store”? Come find out at the evening program with Park Ranger Lynn Thornton. Original pieces of scrip will be on display including Stearns Coal Company pieces.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

10:30 a.m. – Nature Hike – Angel Falls – Meet Park Ranger Jessica Moore at Leatherwood Ford gazebo for a hike along the Big South Fork River to the Angel Falls Rapid. This is a four mile round trip hike on an easy trail. If you like, pack lunch and water. Comfortable walking shoes and an insect repellant are recommended before venturing out on this walk.

2:00 p.m. – Junior Ranger Activity - Join Park Ranger Dustin Beaty for a special Junior Ranger activity.

7:00 p.m. - Saving Our Hemlocks – Bandy Creek Visitor Center Our graceful, majestic and long-lived Eastern Hemlocks are being attacked by an Asian invader, the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Infected trees will die within a few years without intervention. Imagine our forest streams without the cooler temperatures afforded by their dense canopy and our cultural landscapes without their beauty. What will mammals and birds do without their essential winter habitat? Unlike the American chestnut, which was replaced by other nut-bearing trees, there is no other tree that will fill the niche of the Eastern Hemlock. Join Ranger Brenda Deaver to learn more about the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Big South Fork’s botanist, Marie Kerr, will be present for a question and answer session and to demonstrate chemical methods of treatment. Meet at the building across the brick walkway from the Bandy Creek Visitor Center. We will walk to a nearby site for the demonstration.

7:30 p.m. – Black Bear – Blue Heron Campground, Kentucky - Black bear are interesting creatures. They can also be a management nightmare if they learn bad bear habits. Park Ranger Debby Zimmerman will be describing black bear, how to prevent them from becoming a nuisance in the park and how to be safe in bear inhabited area.