In May, bog conservationists from Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia convened in the north Georgia mountains for the spring, 2014 meeting of the Bog Learning Network. The event provided an opportunity for biologists to see, first hand, the result of management efforts at two north Georgia bogs. More importantly, the outings provided an opportunity to share innovative approaches to bog management, such as the role of the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance in conserving rare plants and coordinating a cadre of volunteers to work on bog management.

The Bog Learning Network was convened in the winter of 2013 as a way to bring together people working for bog conservation across the Southern Appalachians. Southern Appalachian bogs are one of North America’s rarest habitats and home to many rare plants and animals.