From forgotten grasslands and river cane to black bears, mushrooms and Appalachian modernism, a new lineup of fall classes at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center will invite residents to see the region from new perspectives.

The six-week classes begin September 15 and are offered through the College for Older Adults, the Higher Ed Center’s lifelong learning program for adults age 50 and older.

One featured offering is Our Natural Heritage, one of the program’s most popular series. Jordan Coscia of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute will discuss Appalachia’s native grasslands and restoration efforts, while botanist Adam Griffith will explore the ecological and cultural importance of river cane.

Other presentations will feature Chris Allgyer on Southwest Virginia’s dragonflies; Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources biologist Brandon Bernhardt on living safely alongside bears; Lee Borg on local mushrooms; and wildlife biologist Caylin Wooler on regional raptors, including the declining American kestrel.

Drawing on the Higher Ed Center’s academic partnership with King University, professor Brandon Story will lead a course examining Appalachia’s place in 20th-century American architecture, music and literature. Topics will include Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, Appalachian Spring, the Tennessee Valley Authority and works by authors such as Thomas Wolfe, James Still, Lee Smith and Cormac McCarthy.

“These classes give people an opportunity to look more closely at the place we call home,” said Ed Morgan, director of the College for Older Adults. “Participants can learn from experts, connect with others and gain a deeper understanding of the region.”

Registration Day is September 3, and semester membership is $40. There are no tests, grades or homework.

Explore the fall schedule and registration information at swcenter.edu/coa.