Center for Cedar Glade Studies
The Center for Cedar Glade Studies will copartner hosting a workshop about native seed collecting with the Tennessee Plant Conservation Alliance, at Cedars of Lebanon State Park, Friday, May 3, 2024. Due to the limitations of space, the event is by invitation only. For more information about the workshop contact our TPCA partner, Cooper Breeden, cooper.breeden@segrasslands.org PH 615-545-3277 cell, or for other questions related to the Center, contact: Dr. Jeff Walck, email: jeffrey.walck@mtsu.edu PH: 615.904.8390
Please join us for the Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Wildflower Festival, the evening of May 3 and all day May 4, 2024 at Cedars of Lebanon State Park. Most events will take place outside, weather permitting. Keep in mind extreme weather or excessive rain will cancel most outdoor activities. Click here for the 2024 Schedule.
Please NOTE: Preregistration is required for some events due to space limitation and some events require a small fee for materials. Click here for more information.
What's Happening in 2024! Bird-watching in the morning (7am to 8:30am) with Dr. Jeffrey Walck, Professor of
Biology at MTSU.
-Sam KIng, Stewardship Ecologist with DNA, will share from 9am to 11am about restoration
practices in cedar glades in action. -There are 3-hour morning and afternoon hikes
with botany professionals: the morning hike is 9am to noon and afternoon hike is 1pm
to 4pm with Holly Taylor, Associate State Naturalist, and Milo Pyne, NaturServ, retired.
-Native plant specialist Linda Robertson will lead a program (9am to 10am) about gardening
with our beautiful native plants, showcasing the native plant garden at the Nature
Center.
-There are family-friendly activities from Ranger Shauna Bridges throughout the day
that teach cool things about cedar glades. -You will learn more about the geology
of the glades from 10am to 11am and a discussion about fossils from 3pm to 3:30pm
with Ron Zurawaski, TN Department of Geology, retired.
-Sharen Bracy will lead a native edible plants program (noon to 1pm) and provides
samples of her delicious jellies, juices, and dips.
-Two other programs are a photography workshop by David Pineros, Data Specialist with
DNA (10am to 12:30pm). Back by popular demand, 'Paint a Coneflower' session (11am
to 12:30pm) with in-residence artist, Renee Moore will let you explore your creative
side.
-We welcome Dr. Matt Niemiller, Friday evening speaker, AND as he leads a Saturday
program to discover "Karst and Kreepy Krawlers" in Jackson Cave (3:30pm to 5pm).
-Grab dinner in Lebanon or grill hotdogs at the park on your own. Plan to stay Saturday
evening for the evening program (7pm to 8:30pm) Owl Prowl led by Cedars of Lebanon
park rangers. Here is the 2024 Elsie Quarterman Program of Events.
If you have questions, contact Kim.Sadler@mtsu.edu PH: 615.904.8283, or contact Ranger Sarah Geeslin Sarah.Gesslin@tn.gov or call the park office which is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PH: 615.443.2769.
Limestone cedar glades are globally unique and fragile habitats found primarily in Middle Tennessee. Viewed historically as wastelands, they support a plant community of highly specialized species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. (Slideshow photographs by Darel Hess.)