Oak Ridge Today

UT Arboretum begins construction on auditorium

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University of Tennessee Arboretum Auditorium

Construction on the new auditorium for the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge is now under way. The building’s open design, wooden beams, and stone fireplace will complement the site’s woodland setting. The building is expected to be completed in June 2015. (Image courtesy UT Institute of Agriculture)

 

Construction work has started on the auditorium at the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge.

The auditorium will complement the existing outdoor pavilion, but it will be a stand-alone facility capable of accommodating gatherings of up to 120 people, said Kevin Hoyt, director of the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center and UT Arboretum.

Hoyt described the facility, which will be more than 2,400 square feet, as a good fit for the Arboretum’s environment. It will have large windows that overlook the Arboretum’s hardwood forest, and the design includes a unique two-sided stone fireplace that can add ambiance to events that spill over from the indoor space to a large outside patio, a press release said. [Read more…]

MOTH-ers Night Out at UT Arboretum on Saturday

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Tiger Moth

Tiger Moth

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will sponsor the fifth annual MOTH-ers Night Out program Saturday evening.

The program starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge

“Have you ever wondered about what kind of insects are out hunting and eating while you sleep snugly in your bed at night?” a press release said. “Come learn about these creatures with naturalist Kris Light. After an introductory program in the main office building, we will venture outdoors to check the sheets to observe the insects that have been attracted by the black lights.” [Read more…]

UT Arboretum to have presentation on bats on Thursday

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Bat at UT Arboretum

Northern Long-eared Bat (Photos courtesy of Middleton Photos)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum will host a presentation on bats—“Let’s Go BAT-ty”—from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday.

Gerry Middleton, a biologist who has studied bats extensively, will present a slide show at the Visitor’s Center to discuss his two-year study of Arboretum bats. Using his “bat detector,” he will take the group outside to look for the nocturnal creatures.

A biologist with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation in the U.S. Department of Energy-Oversight Office, Middleton promised that this will be an opportunity for all ages to learn more about the local bat population, a press release said. Middleton has an master’s degree in wildlife and fisheries from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has plant sale April 11, 12

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UT Arboretum Society Plant Sale

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society plant sale is Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue. (Submitted photo)

Submitted

For those gardeners looking to replace landscape plants that have shown a poor tolerance for this past winter’s sustained low temperatures and damaging winds, the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s 47th annual Spring Plant Sale will present the best of four local nurseries in one location on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, at the UT Arboretum, 901. S Illinois Avenue (Highway 62) in Oak Ridge.

Hours for the sale on Saturday, April 12, are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Friday, April 11, sale is for members only from 5 to 7:00 p.m. Memberships may be purchased at that time for this “early bird” shopping opportunity at $15 for students, $30 for individuals, and $45 for families. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has Feb. 15 father-daughter hike

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Popular program is offered for fifth year

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society has a father-daughter hike at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge on Saturday, Feb. 15.

The fun, short trail hike will last about one to 1.5 hours, a press release said.

“This is a great late-winter occasion to spend some quality time with your daughter outdoors,” the press release said. “Wear clothes appropriate to the weather and boots or good shoes for outdoor walking.” [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has fall plant sale Saturday

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University of Tennessee Arboretum Society Plant Sale

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s Fall Plant Sale is Saturday at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge.

The plant sale is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the arboretum, which is at 901 S. Illinois Ave.

“Fall is the ideal time to add plants to the landscape,” a press release said. “Milder temperatures, more dependable rainfall, and the fact that plants are not putting energy into their top growth, but devoting all their resources to developing a stronger root system, will give them a head start in the spring and a much better survival rate.” [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has two wildflower walks Saturday

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society has two wildflower walks on Saturday, one at 10 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m.

Due to the popularity of the walks in past years, the Arboretum Society will offer a morning walk with Kris Light and an afternoon walk with Charlie Samuels, a press release said. The walks are free and open to the public, but participants must call ahead to register for one of the walks. The phone number is (865) 483-3571. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has presentation on NOAA weather station

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UT Arboretum Weather Station

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society is sponsoring a presentation this evening on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather station at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge. (Image courtesy of UT)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society is sponsoring a presentation this evening (Monday, July 22) on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather station located at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge.

The program will be led by Tilden Meyers, deputy director of the Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division of NOAA.  A scientist with NOAA for nearly 28 years, Meyers has worked on issues related to acid deposition, air quality, and climate change. Much of his research is focused on land-atmosphere interactions, particularly the role various land surface types (grasslands, forests, crops) play in both the water and carbon cycles and how these are affected by significant climatic events such as droughts and extreme temperature events, a press release said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has MOTHer’s Night Out today

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Tiger Moth

Tiger Moth

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society has its fourth annual MOTHer’s Night Out at 7:30 p.m. today.

The event will allow visitors to learn about moths and other nocturnal insects. It will be led by naturalist Kris Light.

“Bring your camera, your friends, and your kids as well as a magnifying glass, a flashlight and a desire to learn about these fascinating critters,” a press release said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society plant sale this weekend

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UT Arboretum Society Plant Sale

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society plant sale is Saturday at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue, and there is a members-only plant sale Friday evening. (Submitted photo)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will hold its annual spring plant sale on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue. The “Members Only” sale will be on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. Memberships may be purchased at that time.

The Society will be offering plants with colorful foliage or flowers. Selections will include crape myrtle, vitex, encore azalea, hardy gardenia, hydrangea, and loropetalum. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society hosts azalea workshop Tuesday

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will sponsor an azalea workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the UT Arboretum at 901 S. Illinois Ave. in Oak Ridge. Follow the signs in the parking lot to the event site.

“Longtime Oak Ridge resident Huey Sides, a true azalea aficionado, will share his lessons learned regarding the planting, care, and propagation of azaleas,” a press release said. “Huey’s knowledge on this topic has been mostly self-taught and demonstrated with over 40 years of both successes and failures in his New York Avenue backyard.” [Read more…]

Father-daughter hike at UT Arboretum on Saturday

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Father Daughter Hike at UT Arboretum

Jeff Holt, pictured above in the green jacket and baseball cap, will lead a Saturday morning hike for fathers and daughters at the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have its 2013 Father-Daughter Hike on Saturday at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge.

The hike starts at 9 a.m. Saturday in the UT Arboretum parking lot at 901 S. Illinois Ave.

To learn more about the Arboretum Society, go to www.utarboretumsociety.org.