Five nature walks are scheduled this spring and summer on the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation.
There is no cost to the public to attend these nature walks.
A wildflower walk will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 15 in the Freels Bend area. The trek will involve walking about three miles off trail. While the terrain is not overly steep, good balance and stamina are recommended. Rocky sink holes and a cave entrance will be observed, as well as a number of different wildflowers and other native spring flowers.
Reservations must be made by noon Thursday, April 12 by calling Tracy Clem at 865-574-5151 (bodinetm@ornl.gov).
Also this spring and summer:
* A bird walk along Poplar Creek near the East Tennessee Technology Park is scheduled from 7 until 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 28.
* A fish and aquatic insects walk along Bear Creek is planned between 9 and noon Saturday, May 12.
* A study of reptiles and an amphibian inventory in the Solway Bend area is scheduled between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 3.
* The final nature walk, focusing on invasive plants at various sites on the reservation, will take place between 9 a.m. and noon Saturday, July 14.
Reservations for all of these walks must be made in advance by calling Clem no later than noon Thursday prior to that particular weekend walk.
Participants should dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes, use bug spray and carry a container of water. Pets are not permitted.
Children are allowed on the walks, but there is a limitation on the number of participants.
If inclement weather forces cancelation of a walk, a message will be posted at least two hours beforehand on Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Information Line at 865-574-9836.
More information about the walks is available by calling Trent Jett at 865-574-9188 (jettrt@ornl.gov) or Neil Giffen at 865-241-9421 (giffennr1@ornl.gov)
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy's Office of Science. DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science <http://energy.gov/science/>.