Fall adventure supports research into park biodiversity

As days grow shorter in the Great Smoky Mountains, the colorful landscape hums with life. Creatures large and small scurry through the blanket of fallen leaves gathering nuts and berries, crafting intricate homes to wait out the winter, and preparing for the stillness of the season ahead.

“It’s a great time to be out in the park,” said Jaimie Matzko, biodiversity program specialist for Discover Life in America, a nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “In spring, things are winding up, but fall is a winding down. All sorts of species are out and about, getting ready for the colder months. You end up seeing a lot of wildlife activity around this time.”

These transitional seasons, she continued, are the perfect time to engage visitors in DLiA’s work. Through its flagship project, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, the Gatlinburg-based nonprofit aims to identify, catalog and observe the park’s estimated 60,000-plus species. Currently, less than half of that approximate number has been officially identified by a park scientist—and DLiA’s first fall Great Smokies Eco-Adventure, held October 27 to 29, presents a unique opportunity to join the search, combing the underbrush with park scientists to record sightings of even the tiniest, most often overlooked creatures.

“If you’re out hiking on your own, you might pass by things on the trail that are really unique or interesting and not really know the importance of what you’re seeing,” Matzko said. “It’s one of the great benefits of hiking with local naturalists. I think a lot of times people just view hiking as: ‘I’m going to hike to a waterfall and then back to my car.’ But I truly believe that, when you have a deeper understanding of the ecology—about all the different relationships between species out there—it also gives you a deeper appreciation for enjoying the natural world. It gives every hike more meaning.”

And that’s the precise purpose of DLiA’s three-day, two-night Eco-Adventures: fostering deeper connections with nature by encouraging participants to find, identify, and learn about species in their natural habitats. The new fall adventure is an expansion of the “glamping” (glamorous camping) program that DLiA has organized each spring for the last four years. Each Eco-Adventure experience includes off-the-grid lodging, gourmet food and drink, and guided hikes. It also doubles as a fundraiser for DLiA, supporting vital research on biodiversity in the national park.

“As E.O. Wilson said, ‘It’s the little things that run the world.’ And that is very much DLiA’s realm,” said DLiA Executive Director Todd Witcher. A nodule on the underside of a leaf may not look all that interesting at first glance. “But once you learn what it is and what value it has to the environment, it suddenly also has value to you, too. We are always looking at things that most other people are not—and also trying to bring attention to those things—because every part of an ecosystem is important. People love bears and elk, but those animals wouldn’t be around if we didn’t have the small things that pollinate plants and create food for the larger species.”

This fall’s adventure will invite participants to observe life from a variety of habitats found throughout the park, from the lush lower elevations of Greenbrier to the balsam-covered peaks along the Appalachian Trail. Adventurers spend their days exploring the wilds of the Smokies on expert-led nature hikes and their evenings and nights “glamping” at Camp Atagahi, a premiere off-the-grid luxury camping facility owned and operated by partner organization A Walk in the Woods.

Evening activities include a night walk to learn about nocturnal life in the mountains and time around the campfire with new friends. All hikes and programs are led by DLiA staff Will Kuhn, science and research director and entomologist, and Matzko, a recipient of REI Adventures’ “Top Guide of North America” award.

Eco-Adventures have proven to be popular with those who love the outdoors: avid naturalists, solo travelers, camping couples and families with teens. Limited to just 15 participants per season, the small group setting provides ample time for individuals to ask questions and learn from and chat with the expert guides.

While participants in the spring adventures get to see the Smokies “waking up,” fall adventurers will have the chance to observe “the fruits of the spring,” Witcher said. “Things that we’ve seen blooming or starting to flower earlier this year are now propagating themselves for the next generation.”

As a small nonprofit, fundraising efforts like these are immensely important to DLiA’s continued work. “We realized that, if we were going to organize events to raise funds, we wanted them to be educational—to bring attention to the understudied and underappreciated things we see along the trail,” Matzko explained. “Eco-Adventures are a great way for people who love the Smokies to get to know the park in a totally different way.”

Tickets for the fall 2024 Great Smokies Eco-Adventure are $950 per person, which includes all food (including vegan and gluten-free options) and libations—including a special harvest apple ginger cocktail (or mocktail) from this year’s sponsor, Ole Smoky Distillery—as well as glamping accommodations, entertainment, and transportation during the event. Tickets are limited, so those interested are encouraged to reserve their spots soon, as trips often sell out. Registration closes on October 1 or when all tickets are sold. For more information, visit dlia.org/event/fall-adventure-2024.