After two years of waiting, the Highlands Biological Foundation is set to hold a dedication for upgrades that were done to the Highlands BIological Station’s North Campus.
The North Campus boasts an upgraded boardwalk through the wetlands surrounding Lindenwood Lake, a pollinator garden designed to provide excellent habitat for local wildlife with over 10,000 native individual plants, and a new outdoor teaching pavilion featuring a green roof.
The Foundation’s executive director, Charlotte Muir, said that the organization is ecstatic to finally host this event after a two year planning pause caused by the pandemic.
“We are thrilled to officially celebrate the addition of the North Campus to the Highlands Biological Station,” Muir said. “This space serves as a new door to our beautiful campus, thanks to the support of the Highlands community. We hope all who live or visit Highlands will come enjoy it.”
Highlands Biological Foundation’s president Jeannie Stowers said the upgrades improve the area’s accessibility.
“There was very little accessibility in the area; no parking, no markings or anything like that,” Stowers said. “We did these upgrades to give a new gateway to the biological station. So, the North Campus opened up the back and allowed a new entrance to the botanical gardens and Nature Center. It was designed to focus on the living laboratory that the people of Highlands could come and visit.”
Stowers said after two years of waiting, they are so excited to be able to share this space with the community.
“Many have found it already,” Stowers said. “We just hope that the community will understand what this means to us and how much we want our community to be able to visit and be able to visit this living laboratory back there. It illustrates what a special place Highlands is in a small area. It was created to give an experiential opportunity to exist in the biodiversity that we have in Highlands. I think it is a place that you can come and learn, have a picnic or have a walk.”
Since the space has been there for two years and people have been utilizing it, Stowers said they have noticed that it is already being used the way they intended it to be used.
“We are already using the space for a lot of wonderful things,” Stowers said. “We hold our summer camps there, we’ve had garden tours and many of the HBF courses have been held there. Plus, it is a place where the community can come and enjoy nature. They can birdwatch, look at the changing flowers in the pollinator garden and there is just so much there to take advantage of. There are several research projects going on out there too. There are so many opportunities.”
With the naming of the teaching pavilion being named in honor of Stowers’ late husband, John “Sto” Stowers, she said she is beyond grateful that the donors made that possible.
“He would be so honored, and I am so grateful for the donors that made the pavilion possible,” Stowers said. “It was many many dear friends and families that made that happen. He would have been so glad that it is a teaching pavilion where people can learn about Highlands and nature that exists there.”
Stowers said without the several people that contributed to the project, the “prettiest place in Highlands” would not have been possible.
“We had hundreds of donors and staff that made this possible, along with our past president Julia Grumbles,” Stowers said. “This would not have happened without her vision and persistence. Also, Sonya Carpenter, who was the former HBF executive director and current project manager. They are so responsible for this project. We are also grateful for Western Carolina University.”
The North Campus Dedication is scheduled for June 5, from 4 - 6 p.m. Light fare and libations will be available for guests, and kids are welcome to attend. No tickets are necessary. If interested in attending, please RSVP by May 27, to winter@highlandsbiological.org, or call 828-526-2221.
- By Christopher Lugo