# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens
- **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 18 Jun, 2026 at 07:00 pm
- **Event Description**: The mid‑Appalachian shale barrens are one of the rarest ecosystems on the planet — found only in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Perched on the steep, south‑facing slopes of the Ridge and Valley Province, these barrens form where thin soils, crumbling Devonian shale, and intense solar exposure combine to create an environment so harsh it resembles a desert more than an eastern forest.

Out of these extreme conditions emerges a community of drought‑tolerant, heat‑adapted, and highly specialized species, including plants found nowhere else on Earth.

This talk explores the natural history of the mid‑Appalachian shale barrens, the geologic forces that shape them, and the remarkable suite of rare and endemic species that call these fragile habitats home.

FREE BUT YOU MUST RSVP HERE TO HAVE THE ZOOM DETAILS EMAILED TO YOU: https://marylandnature.wildapricot.org/event-6702610

Bio: Clara Thiel is a lecturer of Biology at Frostburg State University, where she teaches courses in plant taxonomy, forest ecology, and economic botany.  She is the curator of the Frostburg State University Herbarium and coordinates the Interpretive Biology & Natural History program. Her research interests include rare plants and ecosystems of the mid-Atlantic region, with current work focusing on pollination dynamics of the mid-Appalachian shale barrens.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/parkville/mid-appalachian-shale-barrens/200030159967435
- **Event Categories**: workshops
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 0

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Parkville
- **state**: MD
- **country**: United States
- **location**: 6908 Belair Rd, Baltimore, MD, United States, Maryland 21206
- **lat**: 39.35748
- **long**: -76.52801
- **full address**: 6908 Belair Rd, Baltimore, MD, United States, Maryland 21206, 6908 Belair Rd, Baltimore, MD 21206-1122, United States, Parkville

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens
  - **Image URL**: https://dyn-image.allevents.in/generate-image?v=4&title=Mid-Appalachian+Shale+Barrens&date=Thu%2C+18+Jun%2C+2026+at+07%3A00+pm&bg=1

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens being held?
  - **A:** Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens takes place on Thu, 18 Jun, 2026 at 07:00 pm to Thu, 18 Jun, 2026 at 07:00 pm at 6908 Belair Rd, Baltimore, MD, United States, Maryland 21206, 6908 Belair Rd, Baltimore, MD 21206-1122, United States, Parkville.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens?
  - **A:** Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens is organized by The Natural History Society of Maryland.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens is ideal for curious learners, students, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Parkville, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Mid-Appalachian Shale Barrens sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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