Tennessee Naturalist in Training

My counselor once told me that one of his main concerns for folks entering retirement was whether they would find something meaningful to do. There are many who do not plan that far ahead. There are those who simply think that one day they will quit working and life will automatically be wonderful. There are some who think the last chapter writes itself all the way to the happy ending. 

But he also said that he didn’t have that concern for me because I’ve got several interests. Indeed, most everything interests me to some degree. I envisioned retirement as a time to explore more. I saw it as being wide open to educational possibilities. 

So in order to keep me sane and healthy, in order to involve one of my interests, in order to be active in ways that will be good for me and others, I have enrolled to become a Tennessee Naturalist.

I am signed up for the program at Seven Islands State Birding Park in Kodak, Tennessee. It’s a lovely park with the French Broad River running through it. It has a combination of wetlands and hills and fields and forest that make it a great setting to study all kinds of nature. It is 416 acres of land that spreads out and offers views of the Great Smoky Mountains. 

I can remember the first time I saw a sign for the park. I thought to myself, ‘Well, that’s new.’ Plus I remember thinking that I hadn’t seen a sign that was geared so specifically to birding. Most state parks just mention the name. Some are historical or even archaeological, but one just for birds was different. I was intrigued, but it was years before I actually got there to check it out. 

Fast forward several years—now it’s only 16 miles from the cottage where we live. I can be there in short order. I have walked all the trails many times. I am familiar with much of what it offers. I enjoy walking up the Hickory Ridge trail and sitting in the woods. It gives me pleasure to walk the Upland Trail Inner and Outer Loops—especially to sit and look up at Mount LeConte. There have been plenty of times when I stood on the bridge and watched birds and even bats. 

So you can see why I would want to engage in something that gets me out and observing even more of what the park and the program offer. 

The program is 40 hours of coursework, at least, half of that has to be ‘in the field.’ So it is very hands-on. There will be courses on birds, reptiles, trees, flowers, water, geology, and natural history. We’ll meet about once/month from March until November. So there will be a chance to see the park in a variety of seasons. Going through the seasons will enhance the depth of learning. 

It also involves 40 hours of volunteering, which, of course, is a definite fit for a Tennessee Naturalist. The volunteer hours might be helping to lead a class, or guiding a hike, or doing trailwork, or banding birds, or studying water quality. I like the balance between coursework and community involvement. One of the goals of the program is to help others appreciate the natural wonders Tennessee offers. 

I’m excited to get started. I’m looking forward to knowing more about this beautiful park. I think helping others to see and appreciate the flora and fauna will be fascinating for me—and for them. 

I’ve had folks tell me that I should be a guide or something like that. This may be a step in that direction. At the very least it will give me structure and study that will keep me busy. So I’ll begin this new journey in the weeks ahead. I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going and what I’m learning. There may even be a story or two to come out of it—that’s pretty much guaranteed. Hope you enjoy following along and maybe you’ll even come out to the park one day and engage in the education. I promise I’ll not be bored.