Upcoming Hikes, Programs & Presentations by NEST
Click on any provided links to get more information about our 2026 events that are open to the public:
* Feb. 16, 2026: Jason will give a presentation for the Rutherford County Master Gardeners on how to create and maintain a tree trail/arboretum. This event takes place at 6 p.m. at the Rutherford County Extension Services building at 315 John R. Rice Blvd, Murfreesboro, TN. This event is free and open to the public.
* March 17, 2026: Leslie Anne and Jason will give a presentation on rare and unique spring wildflowers of the cedar glades for the Tennessee Native Plant Society at 6:30 p.m. For more info and to access the Zoom seminar link, visit TNPS - Springtime in the Cedar Glades.
* March 28, 2026: Leslie Anne will be leading a Birding Hike for Spring Nature Day at Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park. The free hike begins at 10 a.m. For more info or to sign up, go to Spring Nature Day - Birding Hike.
* April 7, 2026: Leslie Anne and Jason will give a presentation for the Wilson County Master Gardeners on cedar glade plants and ecology. More info at https://wilsoncountymg.org/events-classes/
* April 17, 2026: NEST will be teaming up with TennGreen Land Conservancy for a hike at Lamar Cedar Glades and Woodlands in Rutherford County. This private site features many rare plant species, including Glade Phlox, Tennessee Milk Vetch, and Limestone Fameflower. For more info or to sign up, go to Lamar Cedar Glades Hike.
* April 22, 2026: NEST will have booth at "Table Talk for the Earth" at Middle Tennessee State University from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Several other organizations will be in attendance as well. Stop by and see us! More info at Table Talk for the Earth.
* April 22, 2026: Leslie Anne and Jason will lead a Wetland Night Hike at Murfree Spring for Outdoor Murfreesboro's Earth Week Outdoors event. The evening hike begins at 7 p.m. and will focus on the bats, moths and frogs of Murfree Springs. For more info or to sign up, visit Wetland Night Hike at Murfree Spring.
* April 30-May 3, 2026: NEST will lead two hikes for the Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Wildflower Festival which takes place at Cedars of Lebanon State park and various state natural areas. NEST will have a booth set up at the Cedar Lodge all day on Saturday the 2nd. On Sunday the 3rd at 10 a.m., Leslie Anne will lead a hike at Mount View State Natural Area, which is the site where Elsie Quarterman rediscovered the Tennessee Coneflower. More info and sign up at Discovery of the Coneflower Hike. On Sunday the 3rd at 6:30 p.m., Jason will lead a nightjars hike at Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area to search for nighthawks, chuck-will's-widows and whippoorwills. More info and sign up at Nightjars: Birds of Mystery.
* May 14, 2026: Leslie Anne and Jason will give a "Spring Wildflowers of the Cedar Glades" presentation for the Master Gardeners of Davidson County. This event takes place at 6:30 p.m. at Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Ed Jones Auditorium, 416 Hogan Rd, Nashville, TN 37220. This event is free and open to the public.
* June 6, 2026: We will join the Nashville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and our friend Melissa Turrentine for an evening nightjars program at Cedars of Lebanon State Park. We will begin with a tour of the Nature Center garden at 6 p.m., then we will venture deep into the cedar forest to listen for Common Nighthawks, Chuck-will's-widows, and Eastern Whip-poor-wills. More info available here.
* June 8, 2026: Leslie Anne and Jason will be presenting educational programs for the Stoney Creek Farm Nature Explorers Camp in Williamson County. More info at Stoney Creek Farm.
* June 20, 2026: We will join the Lebanon Birding Club and our friend Melissa Turrentine for an evening nightjars program at Cedars of Lebanon State Park. We will begin with a tour of the Nature Center garden at 6 p.m., then we will venture deep into the cedar forest to listen for Common Nighthawks, Chuck-will's-widows, and Eastern Whip-poor-wills. More info available Lebanon Birding Club calendar.
* July 26-Aug 30, 2026: Leslie Anne will teach the annual NEST Wildflower ID Class at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. More info at https://www.nest-tn.org/wildflower-classes
* September 1, 2026: Leslie Anne and Jason will give a presentation on the cedar glades of Middle Tennessee for the "Lunch and Learn" program in Crossville, Tennessee. This event will take place at Obed River Park & Arboretum at 11 a.m. More info at
https://www.facebook.com/events/1395700115807627
* September 5, 2026: NEST will participate in the Wilderness Station's Hummingbird Festival in Murfreesboro, TN. The event will feature hummingbird banding, conservation organization booths, craft booths, speakers, fun activities, food trucks, and more! NEST will have a table set up during this event, and we look forward to seeing you! More info at https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/2726/Hummingbird-Festival
* Sept. 11-20, 2026: We will be at the Nashville Fair from Sept. 11-20 presenting "Nature's Greatest Hits with Rangers Jason & Leslie." Our show will focus on the flora and fauna of Tennessee. The show will be weekdays at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and on weekends at 2:30, 5:30 and 8 at the Nashville Fairgrounds. You can find us at Discovery Forest located inside the Creative Arts Expo building. In addition to our scheduled fair shows, Leslie Anne and I will be hangin' out at Discovery Forest daily to display our nature collections and connect with fairgoers about the plants and animals of Tennessee. We'd love for some of you to stop by, pull up a log and visit with us. More info about our fair show can be found at https://www.nashfair.fun/events/2026/natures-greatest-hits
* Sept. 24, 2026: Leslie Anne and Jason will give a presentation for the Nashville Chapter of the Tennessee Trails Association at their monthly meeting. The presentation is titled NEST Presents: Nature's Greatest Hits! For this special program, rather than focusing on one particular subject, Jason and Leslie Anne plan to discuss "a few of our favorite things." Topics will include favorite wildflowers, trees, hiking trails, natural areas, birds, frogs, insects, night critters, unusual findings, nature books and movies, wild edibles, and more. Additional info at https://tennesseetrails.org/event/nest-presents-natures-greatest-hits/
* Oct. 10, 2026: NEST will be a part of the Nature Day: Backwoods to Backyards event (formerly Conservation in Action Expo) in Murfreesboro, TN. Presented by Murfreesboro Parks & Recreation. Nature Day will include hikes, presentations, exhibits, and other activities. There will also be a native plant sale and food trucks. More info at https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/2716/Nature-Day
Check back later for more program announcements and updates!