• ONSITE | 

  Instructor: Alexandra Holland

  $35 Adult Non-Member

   (**Arboretum Members receive a 10% discount on all classes.)

  BRN – Elective, 2 hours | BREG – Elective, 2 hours | NCEE – Criteria II, 2 hours

  Limit: 15

  Spring is here, and the natural world is waking from its winter rest! Naturalist and botanist Alexandra Holland leads this wildflower walk at the Arboretum, pointing out the array of spring wildflowers emerging and in bloom. Learn some basics of wildflower ecology and identification while taking in the beauty of spring.

  Alexandra Holland graduated from Duke University and earned her Master’s degree in botany from the University of Texas at Austin. She was in the first class of students to be certified as Blue Ridge Naturalists. Alexandra managed the UTEX Culture Collection of Algae at UT Austin and spent many hours working with education programs at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.  She has taught botany for over a decade and leads nature hikes in Western North Carolina for groups of all ages.

Guide: Christa Hebal

$55 Non-member Adult**

 (**Arboretum Members receive a 10% discount on all classes.)

Limit: 15

The changing seasons are rich with wisdom and guidance. Winter is a time for rest and dreaming, followed by spring, ripe with opportunities for renewal and growth. Cultivate those winter dreams and invite them to birth into reality during this enlivening afternoon retreat. Let your most authentic Self emerge from within and flourish amidst the beauty of the early spring! New Graph: Your guide, Christa Hebal, will lead you on a gentle journey through the awakening forest, weaving mindfulness, breathwork, forest bathing (Shinrin Yoku) and nature therapy together for a restorative afternoon on some of the trails less traveled at the North Carolina Arboretum. We’ll celebrate the experience in community, enjoying a wild-foraged tea ceremony and snacks. Bring an open mind and an open heart. All are welcome. Presented through Adult & Continuing Education Programs in collaboration with Asheville Wellness Tours.

Christa Hebal is a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. Born and raised in the mountains of NE Tennessee, she has lived in Asheville for 23 years. Christa has an adventurous heart, and loves to help others encounter wholeness through embodiment and nature connection practices. She has had a professional bodywork practice for 17 years as a nationally certified Massage Therapist, and is also a practitioner of Ortho-Bionomy®, Usui Reiki Master, Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist, Clinical Aromatherapist, and Certified Traditional Herbalist. She is also certified in CPR and Wilderness First Aid.

Spring Awakening & Renewal Forest Bathing Retreat | ONSITE | Saturday, March 9, 2 – 5 p.m. Or Saturday, March 23, 2 – 5 p.m.

Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.

Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.

**The Upstate Pathfinders Volkssport Club** is a not-for-profit club providing interesting walks available daily, at your pace, in 11 different Greenville locations. Our Swamp Rabbit Trail route is somewhat shaded. The March 10 walk features 6k and 10k routes starting at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe at 205 Cedar Lane Rd, Greenville. The walk goes north to Sulphur Springs at the RR car and returns to and past the Cafe to Unity Park for 10K walkers. 6k walkers may stop and enjoy lunch at the Cafe or just shop the Grocery store for that unusual item you have not seen for a while. 10k walkers can stop at the Commons or Pangaea Brewery for a bite and refreshers before returning to the finish at the Cafe. Pets are allowed on a 6 ft leash.
* **Start Point:** 205 Cedar Lane Rd, Greenville; start from a table in the outside seating area. Restrooms available at the Cafe and at Unity Park in the Commons.
* **Registration**: Register between 9:30 and 10:00. Walk with a group or on your own with turn by turn instructions. Group walks start very shortly after 10:00. 9:30 and 10:00. Walk with the group or on your own with turn by turn instructions. Groups start very shortly after 10:00. Cost is $4 for all participants at registration. Please bring exact change and small address stickers to speed up registration.
* **Parking**: The Cafe is popular and to assist in parking use the lot across the Reedy River from the Cafe. This allows spaces for customers to shop there.
* The walk is sanctioned by America’s Walking Club and eligible for IVV Credit.

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 4 p.m., Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Promenade. Please note, Rocky Cove Railroad will not operate in rainy or wet conditions.

Instructor: Susan Patrice

$24 Non-member Adult**

 (**Arboretum Members receive a 10% discount on all classes.)

Limit: 12

Take a fresh look at the objects, moments and vistas that surround you during this “awe walk” led by documentary photographer Susan Patrice. The contemplative practices she teaches help you experience place through new and loving eyes, to see beauty and wonder in your surroundings. Bring cameras or phones to capture what calls to you in the enveloping landscape. Participants will be sent meeting instructions for this small-group class that will take a slow intentional walk through parts of the Arboretum forest and forest meadow. This walk is a precursor to the generative writing and contemplative photography workshops to be held the following weekend.

Susan Patrice is a documentary photographer, community artist, and founder of Makers Circle. She recently launched Kinship Photography Collective, a global community of practice designed to create rich visual conversations that explore the intimate connections between nature, culture and belonging. Susan’s own photography and public installations focus primarily on the Southern Landscape and its people and feature intimate images that touch deeply into the questions of place, gender, and belonging.

Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.

Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.

Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.

Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.

All farm volunteer hours will be held at our Sullivan Street Farm location (15 Bolt Street, Greenville, SC, 29605, look for a white and grey pavilion-like building and metal garden beds, the yellow X on the map below denotes the location where we’ll meet before getting started on tasks).

Help with greenhouse tasks such as seeding, potting up transplants, labeling/organizing plant trays. Help with urban farm tasks such as weeding, mulching, composting/fertilizing, seeding, transplanting, harvesting.

This work will take place outdoors so you should dress accordingly (layers are always a good idea) in something you don’t mind getting dirty. Closed toe shoes are required. Items like sunscreen and/or hats are helpful. Please bring a water bottle and feel free to bring snacks if you’d like.

**PLEASE NOTE: These volunteer shifts require physical labor that involves activities such as bending, lifting, and standing for long periods of time. We also may use tools such as drills, hammers, shovels, wheelbarrows, etc. Please be prepared to work hard and have some fun!**

**PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept volunteers aged 12 or younger. Additionally, anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian or supervising adult.**

The YWCA Racial Justice Workshop is open to our entire YWCA Asheville community – including our staff, volunteers, board, donors, program participants, Fitness Center and community members. This 90-minute workshop will take place on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:30 am and will be facilitated by Gerry Leonard, Racial Justice & Outreach Specialist and Lexus Walker, Tzedek Social Justice Fellow.

Artisphere has approached us to participate in their Arts Partner Program, offering a chance to secure funding for GCCA through volunteer efforts. By collectively completing 250 volunteer hours, we can unlock vital resources that will be reinvested back into our community in various meaningful ways.
While our dedicated staff is committed to contributing their time, we recognize that our team alone will not reach the goal. That’s why we’re calling on our wonderful community to join us in this endeavor. With your help, we can achieve our target of 250 volunteer hours.
We’re asking for volunteers to sign up for 2 to 4 shifts each, with most shifts spanning 3 to 4 hours (some may be slightly longer). Your participation will not only support GCCA but also contribute to the vibrant cultural landscape of our city.
To sign up for shifts, please follow the instructions provided in the link below. When registering, be sure to indicate that you’re volunteering on behalf of GCCA to ensure your hours count towards our total. After signing up, we ask that you kindly inform our Operations Manager, Alicia Mizuno, of the number of shifts and total hours you’ve committed to. This will help us keep track of our progress towards our goal.

Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.

Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.

Artisphere has approached us to participate in their Arts Partner Program, offering a chance to secure funding for GCCA through volunteer efforts. By collectively completing 250 volunteer hours, we can unlock vital resources that will be reinvested back into our community in various meaningful ways.
While our dedicated staff is committed to contributing their time, we recognize that our team alone will not reach the goal. That’s why we’re calling on our wonderful community to join us in this endeavor. With your help, we can achieve our target of 250 volunteer hours.
We’re asking for volunteers to sign up for 2 to 4 shifts each, with most shifts spanning 3 to 4 hours (some may be slightly longer). Your participation will not only support GCCA but also contribute to the vibrant cultural landscape of our city.
To sign up for shifts, please follow the instructions provided in the link below. When registering, be sure to indicate that you’re volunteering on behalf of GCCA to ensure your hours count towards our total. After signing up, we ask that you kindly inform our Operations Manager, Alicia Mizuno, of the number of shifts and total hours you’ve committed to. This will help us keep track of our progress towards our goal.

Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.

Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.