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Southern Wonder: Alabama's Surprising Biodiversity

I had the great opportunity to attend a lecture and then go into the field with Dr. Scot Duncan, Assistant Professor of Biology at Birmingham-Southern College and author of the amazing book, Southern Wonder:  Alabama's Surprising Biodiversity.  I must admit I am biased, I graduated from Birmingham-Southern and I live in Alabama, but don't just take it from me, here is what Dr. E.O. Wilson had to say:

“Scot Duncan has delivered one of the most important books ever written about Alabama. Beautifully composed, it is a revelation about one of the most biologically diverse regions in North America and a call to Alabama’s people to treasure and protect the state’s living heritage.” 
—Edward O. Wilson, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Social Conquest of Earth.

​Get this book now, you will not be disappointed.


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Audubon Mountain Workshop - Some Thoughts from the Field

28 years ago, my professor, friend and mentor Dr. Dan Holliman invited me to go with him to the Audubon Mountain Workshop, which was held at Camp Alpine for Boys in Mentone, Alabama.  The late Dr. Holliman saw in me my enthusiasm for all things Botany, especially my unique interest in Edible Wild Plants.  He also needed someone to drive the van from Birmingham-Southern College, something I did for him for many bird watching, research, and field excursions.  That begin my love affair with the Audubon Mountain Workshop.  Over the past 28 years I have taught at the workshop 17 times, only missing when we lived in Maine and Texas.  Now that we are back in Alabama I have reconnected with the great folks that put this workshop on and it is a real joy and honor to take part in this annual event.  I encourage you to check out the Birmingham Audubon Website and to register for the 2015 workshop when registration opens next year.  This photo gallery has some images of plants encountered at the workshop, not all of which are edible, as you may notice some of these plants are the carnivore!

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Young Naturalist Workshop

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Young Naturalist Workshop

Was honored to teach a session for the Young Naturalist at the Birmingham Audubon Mountain Workshop in Mentone, Alabama.  The young naturalist had a great love for the outdoors and they got to sample some wild treats, Sassafras root beer, Sassafras Candy, Cattail Pickles, Wild Ginger Cookies, ground cherry coffeecake, Sumac Lemonade, Blackberry Scones, Elderberry and Sumac Jelly, Fried Dandelion Flowers, Dandelion Greens!  A great time was held by all.

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Quote for the Day

 "The objective is to teach the student to see the land, to understand what he sees, and enjoy what he understands."

-Aldo Leopold

 

Pink Lady Slipper, Mentone, Alabama

Pink Lady Slipper, Mentone, Alabama

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Audubon Mountain Workshop

Great couple of days with the Birmingham Audubon Mountain Workshop, here are some of the wild edibles gathered for class

Pokeweed, Dock

Pokeweed, Dock

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table with food served at the Young Naturalist workshop

 

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Way Down Yonder in the PawPaw Patch

16th Annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival, September 12-14, 2014


The 15th Annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival is held at Lake Snowden near Albany, which is located about six miles west of Athens on US 50/SR32, it is about 2 hours from Columbus, 3  hours from Cincinnati and 4 hours from Cleveland. 

http://www.ohiopawpawfest.com/index.html





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Birmingham Audubon Mountain Workshop

J.T. Dabbs, author of Southeastern Edibles (and owner of this web site)  will be teaching a Introduction to Wild Edible Plants at the Audubon Mountain Workshop in Mentone, Alabama.

May 15-18

www,birminghamaudubon.org

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