Venerable Trees Field Course
We had a wonderful Field Course in Lexington, a tour of some of Lexington’s finest trees. Our friend Erin Barnhill was kind enough to share some of her photos of the trip.
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field course
The Three Sisters
The Three Sisters
Griffith Woods Wildlife Management Area is a magical place of huge, ancient trees. Some of our favorites are the chinkapin oaks that we call the Three Sisters. Katherine Shaw took this nice picture of the Three Sisters. These are very large, very old trees. However, unlike the kingnut trees that surround them, these chinkapin oaks do not appear to be reproducing. At our upcoming Field Course on March 4, we will take a very close look at these wonderful trees and search for their progeny. Lack of reliable reproduction is a major cause of the decline of our ancient trees and woodland pastures.
The Three Sisters at Griffith Woods Wildlife Management Area. Photo by Katherine Williams Shaw
Ancient Trees at the Urban Boundary
The margin between urban and rural areas is an area of constant change. In most cities, development rapidly gobbles up rural land, including its forests. In Lexington, Kentucky, strict land use regulations have slowed this trend. It is at the edge of the city that we can most closely watch and learn from the impacts of development and other land use changes on our Venerable Trees.
Please join us on Saturday, February 4 as we explore the city’s edge. We will explore the fascinating Coldstream complex, a diverse area of developed and agricultural land that is home to a remarkable population of ancient trees. Katherine Shaw and Tom Kimmerer will tell the fascinating history of the area, and we will together explore the unique biology of these ancient trees and their habitat. We will also help you hone your winter tree identification skills.
Registration is required, but there is no fee. To register, send an email to info@venerabletrees.org, and provide your name, number of people in your party, your email, and a phone number where you can be reached. We will then send you detailed information about the course. Right now, the weather forecast is for temperatures in the 50s and overcast. If that changes for the worse, we may reschedule the course.
People of all ages are invited. The walking will be easy, and the terrain not very rough. Children are welcome with adult supervision. Well-behaved dogs on a leash are also welcome, though cats and parakeets are not.
We hope to see you on the fourth.
The Coldstream Complex
Field Course – Ancient Trees of Fayette County
Fayette County, Saturday October 1, 9am-12pm. This course will focus on urban remnants of the original woodland pastures of the Bluegrass. We will begin at Veteran’s Park, a fascinating mix of very old woodland pasture trees and woodlands that have since become established. Our walk will include the famous Veteran’s Oak, and we will examine the factors that threaten its health. We will also explore the Wood Wide Web, the interconnections among trees that allow forests to remain healthy and vigorous. Time permitting, we will explore a residential neighborhood that includes an extraordinary number of woodland pasture trees.
To register for this Field Course, click the button below. The cost is $20 per person, $5 for students, including graduate students and postdocs. Children accompanied by an adult are welcome, and there is no charge for children. Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome; cats and parrots are not.
Field Course – Airdrie Stud
Venerable Trees, Inc. offers frequent Field Courses to introduce people to the amazing woodland pasture ecosystem of the Bluegrass and Nashville Basin. Recently, we were able to visit the amazing Airdrie Stud Farm at the gracious invitation of Mrs. Elizabeth Jones, the Owner. Airdrie Stud is one of the premier horse farms in the Bluegrass. It is also the location of one of the best-preserved and most extensive woodland pastures and some of the finest trees in the Bluegrass.
Below is a slide show of our course. The photos were taken by Rick Showalter and are used with permission. Thanks Rick and Sallie! Click pictures for a slide show.
Great Trees of Jessamine County
Jessamine County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Kentucky. A bedroom community for Lexington, it is also increasingly a center for business and manufacturing. In spite of this growth, much of Jessamine County retains its rural flavor. Some of the finest woodland pastures in the Bluegrass can be found in northern Jessamine County. Locations like the Robinson Farm and Chaumiere des Prairies are home to magnificent ancient trees. Our research has recently shown that some of these sites are probably unchanged for thousands of years. Remarkably, the farmers who settled these locations saw no need to disturb the woodland pastures or the deep, rich soils.
To whet your appetite, here is a gallery of trees from around Jessamine County. On March 19, Venerable Trees will hold a Field Course in Jessamine County and will reveal, for the first time, some of the remarkable history of the woodland pastures and farms of the county. Please join us.
Scroll down for a gallery of Jessamine County trees.
Jessamine County, Kentucky
Bourbon County Field Course
Saturday, February 27, was a beautiful day to spend with friends old and new exploring the woodland pastures of Bourbon County. We had 23 guests who had lots of great questions and observations. Special thanks to Jim and Kellye Pikul for their hospitality and enthusiasm. A special thanks to Jim for helping with navigation and path clearing – it is useful to have a Marine along.
The main focus of this Field Course was on conservation and on what we need to do to ensure a future for Bourbon County woodland pastures. The woodlot that we explored showed that the woodland pasture species can regenerate themselves under the right condition. However, without good management the woodland pasture will quickly revert to forest as we saw.
In addition to learning about conservation of woodland pastures, we had an opportunity to explore many aspects of tree biology. Nancy Barnett starred in the role of the vascular cambium, we had a contest to see who could accurately guess the height of a tree (not as easy as it sounds), and we talked about the life-time of unitary and clonal trees. One of the highlights was the discovery of a substantial stand of very large sugarberry, Celtis laevigata.
We hope that the folks who attended the course will become the nucleus of a sustained effort to ensure a future for the woodland pastures of Bourbon County. We are beginning additional projects in Woodford and Jessamine Counties. Check our Events page to find out what is coming up.
Woodland Pastures of Pisgah
Saturday, December 12, 9am to noon. Chandler Farm, Pisgah Pike, Woodford County.
The Pisgah neighborhood of Woodford County, Kentucky, has some of the finest woodland pastures in existence. Students in this course will learn to identify venerable tree species; discuss the biology of very old trees, including the role of wood decay; and examine opportunities for natural regeneration and planting of our venerable trees. The course requires some walking over rough terrain though the total distance will be less than two miles. Adequate shoes, warm clothes and rain gear are necessary. The course will only be rescheduled or canceled if severe weather is predicted.This course will fill, and registration is required. We will not be able to accommodate people who show up without registration.
To cost of the course is $20 (no charge for children with an adult). Click the Pay Now button and make a payment of $20 per person to help cover our expenses. The payments are made through PayPal, but you do not need a PayPal account. If you prefer not to pay online, please contact us and let us know how you would like to pay.
