Photo courtesy of Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Birmingham Botanical Gardens will offer an Oak Mountain Sandstone Glade Field Trip on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon at Oak Mountain State Park.
Naturalist Michelle Reynolds will lead participants across the rocky ridges of Double Oak Mountain, exploring sandstone glades, grassy knolls, longleaf pine forests, thickets and oak groves. The field trip will include exclusive access to a section of the park that is closed to the general public.
Glades form where bedrock lies at or near the surface, resulting in thin, rocky soils that make it difficult for many trees and shrubs to become established. Those conditions create distinctive habitats for rare and unusual plant communities adapted to the challenging environment.
Participants will meet at the Peavine Falls Parking Lot for access to the hiking area. Closed-toed shoes are recommended for navigating the sandy, craggy terrain.
Registration is $50 for Birmingham Botanical Gardens members and $55 for nonmembers. Oak Mountain State Park entrance fees are separate and cost $5 per adult and $2 for seniors ages 62 and older. The gate accepts cash or cards.
For registration and more information, visit bbgardens.org/event/oak-mountain-sandstone-glade-field-trip.
