The first of five public spring nature walks occurs April 21 in the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Natural Resources Manager Pat Parr says the reservation is a tremendous nature preserve with numerous plant and wildlife species, as well as a huge bird habitat.
"There are about 200 different species of birds on the reservation," Parr says. "This is more than any other single site in the state of Tennessee."
Parr says the reservation includes sites for laboratory personnel and other users, including academic institutions, to conduct environmental-related research.
"In 2006, almost 270 users did research on the reservation," Parr says. "They were from about 50 different educational institutions and state and federal agencies."
ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy.