UNC Asheville to Hold 33rd Annual Spring Wildflower and Bird Pilgrimage May 6-8

UNC Asheville's Biology Department will hold the 33rd annual Spring Wildflower and Bird Pilgrimage May 6-8. Fifteen special events will focus on local flora and fauna. All events are open to the public.

** The popular annual event kicks off with a talk on “Secrets of Floral Sex: Pollination in the Garden” by botanist Larry Mellichamp at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 6, in Rhodes-Robinson Hall room 125. Mellichamp will discuss how flowers lure insects and animals into helping them reproduce. He will explain why flowers look and behave the way they do and why pollinating animals make the choices they do to keep the cycle of life going strong. Mellichamp is professor of botany at UNC Charlotte and is director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens.

** Saturday, May 7, features nine guided tours and activities. The outings include an all‑day mountain wildflowers field trip and half‑day outings such as a birding field trip, a wildflower motorcade,  a wildflower walk for beginners and other adventures. From 9 a.m.‑4 p.m. the Asheville Botanical Gardens will host "A Day in the Gardens," featuring plant and craft vendors, entertainment, food and a wildflower identification tour.

The day comes to an end with a presentation at 7:30 p.m. in UNC Asheville's Rhodes‑Robinson Hall room 125. Nature photographer Bill Duyck will present a new version of his popular slide show, which documents the changing seasons. Duyck’s photography has been featured on the BBC and he is currently shooting for U.S. Forest Service publications.

** Events on Sunday, May 8, will include a birding trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway starting at 7:30 a.m., a trip to the Craggy Mountains to visit old growth sites at 9 a.m. and a wildflower walk in the Shinn gardens starting at 2 p.m.

Registration for all field trips will be held from 6:30‑7:30 p.m. Friday, May 6, in the lobby of UNC Asheville's Rhodes‑Robinson Hall. The registration fee is $4 for adults and $1 for students and covers all events.

For more information, call David Clarke, UNC Asheville assistant professor of biology, at 828/232‑5151 or e-mail dclarke@unca.edu. The complete schedule is online at www.unca.edu/biology/wildflower.html.

Media Contacts:

• Dr. David Clarke, UNC Asheville Assistant Professor of Biology, 828/232‑5151
• Jill Yarnall, UNC Asheville Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526