River at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont; image by Jeaneane Payne

TOWNSEND, TN — Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont invites everyone to celebrate its 50th year of Connecting People and Nature at their fourth annual Spring Open House on Friday, May 24, 2019. The event will be held on Tremont’s campus from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Admission is free.

This event kicks off their bird-banding season and celebrates national “Citizen Science Day”. Citizen Science Day is an annual event to celebrate and promote science done by the public: amazing discoveries, incredible volunteers, hardworking practitioners and inspiring projects.

Bird banding has been one of Tremont Institute’s most popular citizen science programs for many years; it provides community members the chance to get a glimpse of wild birds of the Smokies up close. Nets are set up around Tremont’s campus as part of a hemisphere-wide project aimed at understanding bird migration. Tremont faculty members will collect birds from the nets, record information, band the birds with small identifying bands, and release them.

In addition to Tremont’s bird banding station, citizen science volunteers will be onsite to share information about other research projects going on and how anyone can become a citizen scientist. Tremont and Great Smoky Mountains National Park staff will be conducting activities for all ages as an introduction to projects: bird banding, butterfly inventories, phenology monitoring, soil respiration monitoring, and terrestrial and aquatic salamander monitoring.

“We strive to rekindle curiosity and wonder in the natural world. That is the starting point, not only for all scientific inquiry, but for a healthy and happy life,” says new Tremont Manager for Science Literacy and Research, Erin Canter. “I am thrilled to be a part of bringing engaging field science opportunities to life for local communities.”

“In our 50th Anniversary year, we hope to reshape and enhance public perception of Tremont’s work and mission. In close partnership with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and local communities, our programs continue to have academic outcomes, but research also points to the benefits of experiences in nature related to physical, mental, and social health as well,” says Tremont President and CEO, Catey Terry. “We want to be a resource and gateway to this type of learning for all East Tennessee students and communities.”

Join us for a fun and educational day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All are welcome.

For more information and to register online, visit gsmit.org.

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont provides in-depth experiences through educational programs that celebrate ecological and cultural diversity, foster stewardship, and nurture appreciation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Connecting People and Nature since 1969.