The Highlands Biological Foundation will welcome Megan Sutton, Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Southern Blue Ridge Programs, as the featured speaker for the final installment of the 2025 Zahner Conservation Lecture Series.
Her talk, titled “Southern Appalachian Forest Resilience in a Post Hurricane World,” will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14, at the Highlands Nature Center. This event is free and open to the public, and a small reception will follow.
In this timely and important lecture, Sutton will share insights into how intense storms, like Hurricane Helene, have affected the beloved forests of the Southern Appalachians. She will examine both the immediate and long-term impacts of these events on forest ecosystems and highlight how forest recovery and resilience efforts are evolving in response to climate change.
Drawing on her leadership experience at The Nature Conservancy and collaboration with conservation partners, Sutton will explore how organizations and communities can work together to help forests adapt to new environmental challenges.
The Zahner Conservation Lecture Series is a beloved summer tradition that brings scientists, authors, conservationists and environmental leaders to the Highlands Nature Center each week. Lectures are held at 6 p.m. every Thursday through Aug. 14.
For the full line-up of lectures, visit highlandsbiological.org/zahner.