[ask] FW: Explore Kentucky's Natural Areas - Join KSNPC's 35th Anniversary Hikes

Look at these opportunities to explore new habitats.

 
 
 Subject: Explore Kentucky's Natural Areas - Join KSNPC's 35th Anniversary Hikes
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:17:12 -0400
From: dalexander@xxxxxxxx
To: dalexander@xxxxxxxx



I thought you would be interested in this announcement about upcoming hikes by 
one of our partner organizations, the Kentucky State Nature Preserves 
Commission. Commonwealth of KentuckyEnergy and Environment Cabinet Steven L. 
Beshear, Governor                                          Leonard K. Peters, 
Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 
   CONTACT: Leslie Isaman                                                       
                                                                                
                                        502-573-2886 Explore Some of Kentucky’s 
Best Kept Natural AreasNature Preserves Commission Celebrating 35th Anniversary 
FRANKFORT, Ky.  (Sept. 30, 2011) – In celebration of its 35th anniversary, the 
Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission (KSNPC) is providing Kentuckians 
with an opportunity to experience some of Kentucky’s best natural communities 
through guided group hikes and natural-history interpretation by KSNPC’s staff 
and preserve volunteers.A schedule of the planned activities follows:Letcher 
CountySaturday, Oct. 8; 9 a.m., EDT at Bad Branch State Nature Preserve. 
Southeastern regional preserve manager Kyle Napier and ecologist Martina Hines 
will take experienced hikers along a 7.5 mile, 8-hour hike to explore Pine 
Mountain’s most unique areas including an expansive sandstone outcrop extending 
along the mountaintop known as High Rock that offers a spectacular view of the 
Cumberland Plateau and Black Mountain. Participants must be in good physical 
condition as this hike traverses uneven terrain and crosses several streams and 
large boulders. Please do not attempt this hike unless in good physical shape. 
Hikers should bring a sack lunch, plenty of drinking water and wear hiking 
boots and long pants. Registration ends Oct. 6. Barren CountySaturday, Oct. 15; 
9 a.m., CDT at Brigadoon State Nature Preserve. Western regional preserve 
manager Libby Watt and preserve monitor Harold Kelly are guides. Take a 
two-and-a-half hour hike along a moderately difficult trail through a great 
representation of a mature mesophytic forest with scenic ravines and 
150-year-old trees. Please wear sturdy shoes for hiking, bring water bottles, a 
light snack, bug spray and binoculars. Registration ends Oct. 12. Garrard 
CountySunday, Oct. 16; 1 p.m., EDT at Tom Dorman State Nature Preserve (SNP). 
Lead botanist Deborah White will guide participants along two miles of trail on 
an easy walk with some gradual grades and uneven footing. Tom Dorman SNP is 
known for spectacular 220-foot palisades cliffs along the Kentucky River.  
Please wear sturdy shoes for hiking, bring water and a snack if needed.  
Registration ends Oct. 13. Powell CountySaturday, Oct. 22, 1 p.m., EDT at Pilot 
Knob State Nature Preserve. Nature preserves branch manager Joyce Bender leads 
this nearly 3-hour moderate to strenuous hike, culminating in a view from the 
summit of a 730-foot-high knob providing an outstanding panorama of three 
regions of Kentucky: the Bluegrass, the Knobs, and the Cumberland Plateau. 
Pilot Knob is thought to be the place where Daniel Boone first looked upon the 
Bluegrass Region in 1769. Please wear sturdy shoes for hiking, bring water 
bottles and a snack. Registration ends Oct. 19. Livingston CountySaturday, Oct. 
22, 9 a.m., CDT at Bissell Bluff State Natural Area.  Robert Dunlap, a longtime 
commission volunteer and recipient of KSNPC’s 2005 Volunteer Steward Award, 
will guide participants on a moderate-to-strenuous mile-and-a-half hike through 
bottomland hardwood and mesic ravine forest. A state natural area is a site 
jointly managed with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. 
Please wear sturdy shoes for hiking and bring water bottles. Registration ends 
Oct. 19. Advanced registration is required. Registration is free and open to 
the public on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, contact Leslie 
Isaman by email at Leslie.Isaman@xxxxxx or by phone at 502-573-2886 no later 
than the registration deadlines indicated. Additional information about each 
hike is located online at http://naturepreserves.ky.gov. The number of 
participants is limited to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment and to 
protect resources at certain areas.            On June 19, 1976, Gov. Julian 
Carroll signed legislation establishing the Kentucky State Nature Preserves 
Commission. Since then, the commission has endeavored to create a nature 
preserve system that protects Kentucky’s best, most intact natural areas.Sixty 
state nature preserves cover more than 25,000 acres of Kentucky’s natural 
heritage. These preserves contain some of the best examples of natural 
communities and rare plant and animal habitats in the state – 219 rare species 
in 444 distinct populations and 22 different natural community types in 35 
occurrences. To locate the best lands for preserves, the commission’s field 
biologists have cataloged more than 12,000 records in the most complete and 
accurate inventory of rare species, natural communities and conserved lands in 
Kentucky.The commission was one of the first in the country to join the 
NatureServe National Heritage Network, which covers all 50 states and Canadian 
provinces and 19 Latin American programs. In the past two years, KSNPC 
biologists have located two plant and animal species never before known in 
Kentucky, relocated two species that had not been seen since the 1800’s, and 
discovered two species new to science, i.e. never described before in 
scientific literature.Discover more about KSNPC online at 
http://naturepreserves.ky.gov.###     Donna AlexanderKentucky Natural Lands 
Trustwww.KNLT.org1-877-367-5658 Become a 
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