Being so close to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it seems we have a fascination with bears. Come to the UT Arboretum Auditorium on Tuesday, March 21, 7:00 p.m. for an educational presentation about the American black bear by renowned photographer Chris Norcott. This very popular program is free but seating is limited, so people must RSVP in advance to “The American Black Bear.”  RSVP at http://utarboretumsociety.org/.  The UT Arboretum is located at 901 S. Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

Norcott has spent more than a decade observing and studying black bears in the wilds of the Great Smoky Mountains. Over the past few years, he has been filming black bears for production companies and networks to be shown on wildlife documentaries. He currently has a video on Netflix and will soon have his work featured on the Discovery Network and NBC. He spends much of each year hiking off trail in the backcountry observing the wild and secretive lives of black bears. He photographs the bears’ rarely seen habitat and documents the behaviors of these beautiful animals. Norcott will be showing his images and sharing stories of their family relationships and survival in the wilderness. 

The Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center which celebrated its 50^th anniversary in 2014, is one of ten outdoor laboratories located throughout the state as part of the UT AgResearch system. AgResearch is a division of the UT Institute of Agriculture. The Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research and public service through the UT Herbert College of Agriculture, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension offices, with locations in every county in the state.

To learn more about the Arboretum Society or for questions on this program, go to www.utarboretumsociety.org