The Appalachian Forest School
Sponsored by the non-profit Arc of Appalachia Preserve System
www.arcofappalachia.org

presenting: Forests of the Far South – March 10-17, 2010



A week long natural history course exploring
Florida’s Panhandle & the Red Hills of Alabama
with leading naturalist, ecologist, & herpetologist — Dr. Bruce Means
Author of Priceless Florida, and Stalking the Plumed Serpent
Director of the Coastal Plains Institute and Land Conservancy

See course description and details: www.highlandssanctuary.org/WE/AFS.htm

l Witness the North American continent’s first spring wildflowers l visit rare remnants of old-growth longleaf pine forests harboring red-cockaded woodpeckers, brown-head nuthatches, indigo snakes and gopher tortoises l canoe down crystal-clear spring-fed rivers l see the last of the vanishing Torreya Pines l walk through wet meadows of carnivorous pitcher plants in bloom l study Florida’s epiphytes and explore hillside seepage bogs l don your headlight and search for Alabama endemic Red Hill salamanders at night l visit old growth dwarf cypress stands and tupelo swamps

    As part of its non-profit offerings, The Appalachian Forest School is sponsoring a week-long field exploration of the exceptionally rich and diverse ecosystems of Northern Florida and southern Alabama, where the leading edge of America’s Eastern Temperate Forest dances with the evergreen pines and subtropical hardwoods of the deep South.

Leading the trip will be Dr. Bruce Means — the man who literally wrote the book on Florida’s rich plant & animal communities called Priceless Florida. Sixteen years in the making, this is the book that set a new standard for richly illustrated, thoroughly scientific yet readable by the layman, regional natural history guides. On this trip, Bruce will guide participants into a Florida far off the usual tourist paths. His lifetime dedication to preserving Florida’s natural heritage enables him to access destinations which are normally closed to the public or are restricted, giving registrants the opportunity to experience both the romance as well as the natural science of Panhandle’s “Old Florida,” where there remains some of the largest tracts of forest east of the Mississippi.

What is the Appalachian Forest School? The non-profit Appalachian Forest School sponsors natural history courses which focus on the global significance of America’s Eastern Temperate Forest, a biome which covers the eastern third of the North American continent. While it is not difficult to find introductory natural history workshops for beginners, or indoor technical seminars for specialized experts; The Appalachian Forest School fills an important niche for citizens who wish to benefit from in-depth education without sacrificing the relevance of breadth. Courses are designed for professionals of all fields: conservationists pursuing continuing education, teachers, and committed parents. Program content is outdoor-focused, holistic, tangible, and cross-disciplinary. Course text is the out-of-doors. Required equipment are our five senses, sharpened with an inquiring, curious mind.