The BioBlitz continues Saturday, Sept 26th at Worthington Cemetary Trail/Cedar Barrens

Saturday, September 26 from 9am to 12pm Eastern: We will start by looking and listening for birds, then continue to look for other flora and fauna throughout the morning. Participants can also remove invasive species to expand the cedar barren habitat along the trail.

Join us for pizza after we finish!

Meeting location (Saturday): Elza Gate Park. Worthington Cemetery .75 Mile Loop, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. (link to Google Maps)

About Oak Ridge Barrens

Oak Ridge Barrens (the Barrens) is a registered state natural area preserved in 1988 by agreement of the City of Oak Ridge (the City), Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning (TCWP). TCWP maintains the Oak Ridge Cedar Barrens to preserve its unique community of rare plants, control invasive species, and protect its open, prairie-like environment. The Barrens support at least two rare or endangered plant species in Tennessee, prairie goldenrod and Torrey’s mountain mint.

About Worthington Cemetery Trail

This TVA area is special because of the unusual cedar barren habitat, which is more common in middle Tennessee. A cedar barren is an open area surrounded by plants that prefer thin, shallow soils around limestone outcroppings like Eastern red cedar, blazing star, prairie dock and big bluestem. Other features of this trail include an old cemetery (1800s), a pond and a recently built pier that extends out into a wetland, offering an excellent opportunity to see some of the 125 bird species that have been observed here. An easy trail for young ones to navigate—but be prepared to get muddy as the trail holds water. This trail is east of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on Hwy. 95 at Elza Gate Park.

Worthington Cemetery holds deep historical and ecological significance. The land was first settled in 1795 by Samuel Worthington, a Revolutionary War veteran, whose descendants remained until the family was displaced in 1942 for the Manhattan Project. The cemetery—now a TVA-designated Small Wild Area and ecological study site—includes 80 to 100 graves and a surrounding natural landscape rich with native species and wildlife. Family historian Ann Hewitt Worthington will be present to share stories about the site’s past, including family legends of unmarked graves and insights into evolving burial customs. This event is a chance to honor both the cultural heritage and the ecological value of this rare green space in Oak Ridge.