Rick Wooten
The Highlands Biological Foundation will continue its Zahner Conservation Lecture series on Thursday, June 27, at 6 p.m. Attendees are invited to an enlightening evening as Rick Wooten, P.G., a retired expert from the North Carolina Geological Survey, presents “2018-2020: Two Years, Eight Storms, 320-plus Landslides, and an Earthquake: What We Learned about the Connections Between Weather, Climate Change, Landforms, and Geology.” The event is free and open to the public.
In this lecture, Wooten will delve into the remarkable series of events that struck the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, beginning in May 2018. During a period of above-normal rainfall, extreme weather triggered over 320 fast-moving debris flows and reactivated slow-moving landslides, causing significant damage to property and infrastructure. One of the most dramatic events occurred on May 18, 2018, when storms in Polk County unleashed over 240 damaging debris flows. Another notable event on August 24, 2019, caused over $1 million in losses in the Nantahala River Gorge. These incidents underscore the crucial role of healthy forests in stabilizing mountain slopes and the growing impact of climate change.
Wooten brings over 40 years of experience in applied geology, with expertise spanning the Cascade Mountains of Washington State and the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in geology from the University of Georgia and served as an engineering geologist with the USDA Forest Service. . His career at the North Carolina Geological Survey focused on landslide hazard mapping and research, responding to landslide events, and geological investigations.
A small reception will follow, offering an opportunity to engage further with Wooten and fellow attendees.
All are invited to participate in HBF’s free Zahner lectures, which will be held at the Highlands Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road) on Thursdays at 6 p.m. through Aug. 15. To preview HBF’s full Zahner lecture lineup, please visit highlandsbiological.org. The Highlands Nature Center is part of the Highlands Biological Station, a multi-campus center of Western Carolina University.