Date: March 18, 2023

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Location: Anne Elizabeth Suratt Nature Center at Walnut Creek Preserve

Speaker: Nicholas Mullins, filmmaker, and Katherine Etchison, NC Wildlife Resources Commission bat biologist

Join us for a special showing of a new documentary centered on the fight against White Nose Syndrome in bats in Western North Carolina.  Filmmaker, Nicholas Mullins, documents the work of NC Wildlife Resources Commission bat biologist, Katherine Etchison, and her work to learn more about this malicious fungus that is causing a deadly syndrome that has killed millions of bats across North America. Katherine is one of a few determined individuals dedicated to fight for the survival of the remaining bats teetering on the brink of extinction.  Both Nicholas and Katherine will be on hand to show and discuss the film, current research, and to answer questions from participants.  To watch a trailer to the film, click here.

Nicholas hails from a family where the outdoors are king, and spent much of his childhood making films in the woods with his siblings. Decades later, stories of nature still capture his heart. Based in the Southeast, he specializes in non-fiction filmmaking. With years of video production experience that has spanned award-winning documentaries and advertisements, he lives for the next opportunity to share the stories of things which have gone overlooked and unseen.

Katherine is a Wildlife Diversity Biologist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, a position she’s held since 2015. She conducts surveys for bats designated as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the state’s Wildlife Action Plan and monitors populations of bats statewide. She received a B.S. in Ecology and Environmental Biology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 2010 and a M.S. in Biology from Ball State University in 2015.

In order to make this an enjoyable and educational experience for participants, space is limited to 100 participants and pre-registration is required.

*Walnut Creek Preserve is private property and guests are only allowed on the property by invitation (a planned event or scheduled group).  Thank you.

Contact Pam Torlina, [email protected], with questions or for more information.