The second event of the Zahner Conservation Lecture Series season will take place on Thursday, June 18, and will feature Lauren D. Pharr, postgraduate researcher at North Carolina State University, presenting “Story: Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Conservation, and the Science Inside the Nest.”

The red-cockaded woodpecker once faced a severe decline as longleaf pine forests disappeared across the southeastern United States. Today, it stands as one of the most recognized examples of successful species recovery. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation announced the return of its annual Zahner Conservation Lecture Series, a beloved summer tradition dating back to the 1930s. Named in honor of Dr. Robert Zahner and his wife Glenda for their lasting impact on land conservation in the Highlands Plateau, the series offers the public an opportunity to engage with leading voices in science, conservation and the arts. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation is welcoming celebrated author and nature writer Georgann Eubanks as the featured speaker for the next installment of the 2025 Zahner Conservation Lecture Series. Her talk, titled “Finding the Fabulous Ordinary,” will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 7, at the Highlands Nature Center. This event is free and open to the public, with a small reception to follow. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation invites the public to continue exploring the forces that shape our region with the next installment of the 2025 Zahner Conservation Lecture Series.

The Highlands Biological Foundation is excited to continue its 2025 Zahner Conservation Lecture Series with Sonya Carpenter, Co-founder and President of Co-habitate Inc., presenting “Cohabitate; Living with Nature” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, at the Highlands Nature Center in Highlands. The program is free and open to the public, with a small reception to follow. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation is hosting its final Zahner Conservation Lecture of the season. Lori Williams, a Wildlife Diversity Biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), will present “All About Hellbenders!” 

The Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) announced the next lecture in their Zahner Conservation Lecture Series, taking place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Highlands Nature Center. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) invites the community to the next installment of its Zahner Conservation Lecture series at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 18. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) continues its Zahner Conservation Lecture series Thursday, July 1.

The Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) continues its Zahner Conservation Lecture series at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 20. Registered Herbalist Patricia Kyritsi Howell will take the stage to discuss “Appalachian Apothecary: Herbs of Yesterday and Today.” Following the lecture, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a small reception.