We’re excited to introduce Thriving Gardens, an all-new regional plant guide created by Thrive Regional Partnership and Homegrown National Park. From residents to business owners to community leaders and educators, Thriving Gardens is your ultimate resource for selecting resilient, wildlife-friendly plants in our tri-state region of northeast Alabama, northwest Georgia, and southeast Tennessee.

Just like that—the Fall 2024 Campfire Concert Series is complete. We had a wonderful time all season long and would love to share our highlights with you.

Our Lead Naturalists took their skills to the next level at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. Ailani Ramirez-Pineda, Kayla Reeves, and Emily Jackson earned their certification in Naturalist Skills, showcasing their dedication and passion for conservation. They’re eager to bring their newly honed expertise into our educational programs here at Reflection Riding, enriching the experiences we offer.

There is a growing movement within the conservation community to share the stories of nonhuman species in a way that promotes connection and compassion within the public realm. Through empathetic language, we can help our community relate to the natural world

With your support, our Framework for the Future groundwork continues. From solar panels to new signage on our campus, we are laying the foundation for an exciting future!

This past year, we welcomed 455 students from The Howard School to our campus and hired three Native Landscape Management Apprentices—Jahore Vann, Blandy Lopez, and Maria Alonzo Francisco.

In a marvelous act of nature, one trillion periodical cicadas have emerged into our eastern forests this spring! Dubbed “cicada-geddon” by some, our country has witnessed the synchronization in time and space for both the Great Southern Brood and the Northern Illinois Brood.

You filled this year with genuine community connection. Together we celebrated friends, family, caretakers, and the wonders of nature.

At Reflection Riding, we value the importance of inquiry-based learning. Through everything from Nature Experiences to Field Trips, our team strives to spark curiosity at every stage of life.

North American turtles face rapid decline due to a number of factors, including the illegal pet trade and international smuggling. As a founding member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) American Turtle Program, we currently care for eight box turtles who have been rescued through the program.

In response to community demand, we expanded our outreach programs and greatly increased our public engagement efforts.

Writing about our George S. Bryan Discovery Forest Treehouse, Nancy Dorman Hickson said: “Kids instinctively understand the magic of a tree house.” But many people over the years—not just kids—have felt the magic of our treehouse and its impressive, three-trunked Overcup oak (Quercus lyrata).