Red Wolf Summit 2024
As a partner of the American Red Wolf SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction), we sent our Wildlife Curator, Taylor Berry, to the annual summit meeting this summer to discuss conservation efforts. Read on to learn his key takeaways!
Tracking the Wood Thrush with Motus
Have you noticed a tower fitted with antennas beside our office buildings? This special device is a Motus tracking station suited for scientific research–namely, tracking migratory animals. Read about Dr. David Aborn’s journey tracking the Wood Thrush using Motus.
Our Best Summer Yet
And, that’s a wrap! This year at Summer Camp at Reflection Riding, sponsored by Local 3 News and Rock/Creek, we had an amazing time with all kinds of nature discoveries and play! We are so thankful for our campers, who made each moment extraordinary.
Kym Martin Saves Monarchs
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are beautiful wonders of North America. During their southerly migration in late summer, we welcome them to our campus, where they can feed at two waystations filled with milkweed. Kym Martin is a monarch enthusiast who manages the two stations and has big plans for their future!
Restoring an Imperiled Bog Ecosystem
Last week, our land management team ventured to the southern Blue Ridge Mountains to aid in the restoration work of an imperiled Southern Appalachian bog ecosystem. Read on to see the collaborative work being done to restore this bog.
See Wildlife at Rock City
We are proud to be partnering with Rock City this summer season during their Mountaintop Summers events. Our wildlife team and animal ambassadors are making a show-stopping appearance as they share the importance of native animals with the public in an all-new educational show.
George S. Bryan Discovery Forest Treehouse
It is with a sense of nostalgia and deep gratitude that we announce our beloved Overcup Oak has reached the end of its natural life. This tree makes up the heart of our George S. Bryan Discovery Forest Treehouse. Read on for a tribute to this mighty oak.
Journey to Summer Camp
Summer Camp at Reflection Riding is officially here, and we could not be more excited! Each week of June has brought a new adventure, from tromping in the woods to coming face-to-face with a native animal ambassador! We have had such a great time exploring nature with our campers, and we look forward to what July will bring!
Students of Landscape Management
Thanks to generous support from United Way, Reflection Riding has partnered with Howard High School to engage their students in conservation work and establish a career pathway in conservation and native landscape management. This past January, we hired two Howard students as Native Landscape Management Apprentices, and we’ve been so grateful to have them on our team! Read on for an update of their experiences in environmental stewardship!
Philp Memorial Garden
The P. Robert Philp Memorial Garden is a beautiful woodland collection of ericaceous plants on our campus that honors the late Percy Robert “Bob” Philp, Sr. Follow the ridge-line as you journey west from our entrance, and you will come upon this sanctuary of stunning blooms. Read on for the history of the garden and its future.
Tribute to Todd
We are sad to announce the passing of Todd (or Toddy), our red fox, a valued member of our team since he arrived in 2016. Over the years, he has been an amazing ambassador for his species. Our Learning and Engagement Specialist, Tish Gailmard, has shared many special years with Toddy. Read more to learn more about her perspective on Todd’s journey.
Can I Ride at this “Riding”?
The name Reflection Riding does not refer to horses; in fact, our namesake originates from our roots (quite literally). Read on to learn more about our namesake.
Meet Our Summer Camp Co-Directors!
Meet our Summer Camp Co-Directors—Laura Shropshire and Ailani Ramirez-Pineda, who are hard at work to make sure our campers have their best summer yet! We sat down for a conservation about their perspective on all things summer, and here’s how it went…
Royalty on the Wing
Meet our newest animal ambassador, Nala, the Great-Horned Owl. Her regal nature lives up to her namesake, which means “queen” in Swahili. She is quickly becoming a fan-favorite in our educational programming! Read on to hear the story of how she came to Reflection Riding and the importance of great horned owls in our ecosystem
Get Ready for our Spring Campfire Concert Series!
We are thrilled to announce our lineup for the spring 2024 Campfire Concert Series! We have some returning bands and new ones to enjoy. Join us for some of the best artists the Chattanooga area has to offer!
Summer is for Exploring the Great Outdoors
We’ve compiled a list of local, week-long day camps that introduce young explorers to nature. Check out these camps below that answer the call of the wild, and may you never hear “I’m bored” from your kids this summer!
Clearing the Sea of Invasives
We are excited to give an update on our invasive species removal project, thanks to grant funding from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture! Since the summer of 2023, we have worked on habitat restoration on the northern end of our property through the removal of invasive species–more specifically, fragrant honeysuckle. Read more on the work completed and what we have to look forward to as the weather allows for the project to resume.
Engaging Students in Hands-On Conservation Work
Thanks to generous support from United Way, Reflection Riding has partnered with Howard High School to engage their students in conservation work and establish a career pathway in conservation and native landscape management. We are excited to announce that we have recently hired two Howard students as Native Landscape Management Apprentices to get hands-on experience working outdoors and restoring native biodiversity. Read on for more about our partnership with Howard and our apprentice’s experience working at Reflection Riding.
Exploring Nature’s Classroom: Forest Homeschool Fall 2023 Recap
We had an amazing fall semester of Forest Homeschool and we wanted to share all that our students learned over the last few months!