Monday is Earth Day - a day held to demonstrate and promote environmental awareness to protect our planet.
Your contribution might be something as simple as riding your bike to work or school, planting a tree, buying reusable bags or using a refillable water bottle.
Following are more ways Earth Day is being celebrated locally.
NATIVE PLANT SALE
» Where: Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, 400 Garden Road
» When: 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, April 19-20
» Admission: Free; plants priced $7-$30.
Native plants (plants that are indigenous to the area) are not only beautiful but sustainable, contributing to habitat conservation. Experienced staff gardeners and knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand to help visitors choose the right plant to make less work for the gardener and support native wildlife.
Best of all, for every plant you buy, the Riding staff will plant one, too. Your purchase will support the ecosystem at home and at the RRANC's 317-acre teaching landscape, says Martha Hunter, RRANC marketing and outreach manager.
Nearly 200 varieties of perennials, grasses and sedges, flowering vines, shrubs and trees will be sold. Crabtree Farms will also have a booth on-site to sell veggie starts, herbs and fruit bushes. Barnes & Noble will have nature-related books for sale.
Workshops are scheduled at 10 a.m., 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Friday. Join a wildflower walk with Michael Green at 11 a.m. or hike with a hawk and naturalist Taylor Berry at 12:30 p.m.
Saturday's activities in conjunction with the native plant sale begin with a 7:30-11:30 a.m. birding walk with Tennessee Ornithological Society members. Or opt for a wildflower walk at 1:30 p.m. with Michael Green.
At 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Mark Warren will lead a nature excursion called "Through the Eyes of the Cherokee." During these easy walks through the forest, participants will learn how nature supplied the Cherokee with everyday needs from food to medicines.
EARTH DAY FESTIVAL
» Where: Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, 400 Garden Road
» When: 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20.
The Earth Day Festival is being held in conjunction with the plant sale on Saturday only. In addition to the before-mentioned workshops and hikes, there will be live music, food and beer sold on-site, vendors and information from local environmental groups.
Earth Day Festival will include a 24-hour Bioblitz, a community science project to find and document all flora and fauna throughout the Riding's 317-acre property. Scientists will lead groups to document the living species they find. Volunteers will support the research using photography and the iNaturalist app.
EARTHDAYZ
» Where: Rock City Gardens, 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain
» When: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday, April 19-21
» Admission: $26.95 adults, $14.95 ages 3-12
» For more info: 423-821-1160
In addition to enjoying Mother Nature's beauty from Rock City's panoramic views, guests can go on a RockQuest Adventure, climb to the top of the rock-climbing wall at Lovers Leap, learn to build a rain barrel and learn how to use recycled materials for a make-and-take project.
Birds of Prey shows will be presented in the Critter Classroom at 11 a.m., 1, 3 and 4:30 p.m. Walk in the footsteps of Rock City's founder, Frieda Carter, on a guided tour to learn about native species, pollinator plants and recycling facts.
Kids will love a "cup of dirt and worms" from Big Rock Grill. It's a sweet treat combining chocolate cake with Gummi worms.
New this year: "Aralia the Living English Ivy" presented by the Rock City Talent Dancers, a movement performance paired with with Jerry Bowman's Living Magnolia Tree performance.
- Compiled by staff writer Susan Pierce