Biodiversity research benefits from coming fundraiser

Discover Life in America has partnered with hiking company A Walk in the Woods, to present the Great Smokies Eco-Adventure, a fundraising event offering “glamping” (glamorous camping), gourmet food and drink, guided nature hikes, as well as live music.

The adventure will be held April 10–12 near Gatlinburg, and all proceeds will help support DLiA’s mission to conduct biodiversity research in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Discover Life in America’s mission is to discover, understand, and conserve biological diversity.  DLiA’s flagship project, the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, is a joint effort with the National Park System to identify and understand every species within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To date, DLiA has helped document 10,000 species in the park inventory, 1,044 which are new to science.

During the fundraiser, guests will see the Smokies at the height of the spring wildflower season. Guides from A Walk in the Woods will lead guests on day hikes through the park, and DLiA staff will provide insight on Smokies flora and fauna, drawing from their knowledge of Smokies biodiversity. Guests will stay at A Walk in the Woods’ off-grid camp near Cosby, Tennessee, and will be treated to gourmet food, local beer and wine, and live music by local bluegrass duet Elza Gate.

All proceeds will help support the DLiA mission in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“The Eco-Adventure is a wonderfully ‘edu-taining’ experience for any nature lover, Guests learn about the wildflowers and wildlife that make the Smokies so spectacular, but in a fun and luxurious atmosphere,” said Todd Witcher, executive director for Discover Life in America.

Tickets are $950 per person, which include all food (including vegan options) and libations, glamping accommodations, entertainment, and transportation during the event. For more information, visit dlia.org.