Join the UT Arboretum Society as we learn the connections between moths and our native plant species and the important roles these insects play in our natural communities. Presented by Lenny Lampel, natural resources supervisor with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation’s Division of Nature Preserves and Natural Resources in North Carolina, this virtual presentation will be Thursday, February 23, 7 p.m. EST via Zoom.
Over the past decade, Natural Resources staff and local naturalists have spent many late nights in the nature preserves, parks and greenways in and around Charlotte, North Carolina, as part of a coordinated effort to document the diversity of moth species that are found within Mecklenburg County.
Also highlighted will be Mecklenburg County’s growing moth collection which is housed at the Dr. James F. Matthews Center for Biodiversity Studies.
Lampel is also the curator for Matthews Center and is responsible for the management of biological assessments and inventories, the monitoring of federal- and state-listed rare plant species and the coordination of various fauna and flora studies and projects.
Studying moths at night
He holds a master’s in environmental studies with a concentration in conservation biology from Antioch University New England and a bachelor’s in biology from SUNY College at Old Westbury. Lenny lives in Concord, North Carolina, with his wife, three children and their big, furry dog and cat.
The program is free, but registration is required to receive your Zoom link and the recording. Closed captions are available. Register here.
Hike on Presidents’ Day: The UT Arboretum Society will hold a hike on Saturday, February 18, at 9 a.m. at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge, 901 S. Illinois Avenue. Enjoy the forests and trails in this lovely, wooded setting before spring begins next month. It is a free, two-mile guided hike. No pets. To learn more about the Arboretum Society or for questions on this program, go to www.utarboretumsociety.org
Melanie Staten is a public relations consultant with her husband, Vince.
