Kyle Napier, southeast regional nature preserves manager, received a $20,000 grant from the Recreational Trails Program on May 13, 2009. Gov. Beshear announced the grant awards at a ceremony held at the Salato Wildlife Education Center in Frankfort. Kyle’s grant will be used to improve a hiking trail that will pass through Stone Mountain State Natural Area and Cranks Creek Wildlife Management Area in Harlan County. The funds will be used to develop a parking facility, refurbish an amphitheater for classroom use, install an information kiosk at the trail head and interpretive signage for the trail. The intended user groups are local school children and other visitors who would like to learn more about the plants and animals that are protected within these state managed lands. Congratulations to Kyle for his award among some stiff competition.

. Heavy hearts note the passing of Jon Rickert, a visionary legislator who wrote the Nature Preserves Act, which created the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission. Read a story on Jon in our winter newsletter (Naturally Kentucky #61 ).

· KSNPC staff recently assisted the Kentucky Department of Parks and members of the American Cave Conservation Association in building bat-friendly cave gates for Natural Bridge Cave to protect the federally endangered Virginia big-eared bat.

· Retirements! KSNPC sends off two of its own. Ecologist Marc Evans and Terrestrial Biologist Brainard Palmer-Ball Jr. are embarking on new paths in their lives. Both men have been invaluable resources over the course of their extensive careers, each having made benchmark contributions in their fields. While we wish them well, their absence will be unmistakable.  Read a story on both men in our winter newsletter (Naturally Kentucky #61 ).

· Rare Wildflowers of Kentucky, authored by Thomas Barnes and KSNPC’s Deborah White and Marc Evans, is now available. This new book provides a great introduction to Kentucky’s signature rare plants with 220 beautiful full-color photographs. It also addresses the plight of the state’s flora. The book discusses the causes of rarity and draws attention to the beauty of Kentucky’s forests, prairies, wetlands and other natural communities while focusing on the state’s endangered flora.

· Short’s goldenrod protected. Using a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the commission acquired 571 acres in Fleming County that harbors a population of federal and state endangered Shorts’ goldenrod (Solidago shortii). Eighty acres surrounding the population was dedicated as an addition to the existing Short’s Goldenrod State Nature Preserve in September. The remaining land will become an addition to Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park, and available for future expansion of the goldenrod.

· KSNPC welcomes three new commissioners: Mr. Adrian Arnold from Mt. Sterling, representing the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation; Mr. Carl Breeding and Mr. Peter Brown, both of Lexington, representing members at large.
  
· A new internationally distributed book, Wildlands Philanthropy, highlights 40 extraordinary natural areas from around the globe. Three of the areas highlighted are right here in Kentucky - Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve, Floracliff Nature Sanctuary and Bernheim Forest. The stories of the people who are responsible for saving these unique natural areas showcase examples of philanthropy, a very important aspect of conservation that is often overlooked. More information available online at www.wildlandsphilanthropy.org.

· Three male black bear cubs were born just outside of Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve (Harlan County) in January 2008. University of Kentucky bear researcher Ben Augustine notes that these births signify the furthest west that reproduction has been documented on Pine Mountain. Ben and fellow graduate student Rebekah Jensen wrote an article on their black bear study for our summer newsletter (Naturally Kentucky #59 ).

· On Feb. 24, 2007, the hemlock wooly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) was discovered at the Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve in Harlan County. This aphid-like insect pest was found during a volunteer day survey. The adelgid causes death to hemlock trees, usually within six to 10 years of infestation. Chemical control methods can reduce the rate of spread of the adelgid and can protect individual trees, but are not feasible on a large scale. Biological control methods are being explored but have not been established regionwide. For more information on the adelgid visit http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/hwa/.

· A Fish Consumption Advisory is still in effect for Metropolis Lake.

Visit the Newsletter Archive for past newsletters.

Nov. 5, 2009 . The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission recently purchased a 98.5-acre tract as an addition to the River Cliffs SNP in Franklin County.

Sept. 10, 2009 . Quarterly Meeting. The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission will conduct its quarterly meeting on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, at 10 a.m. EDT in the meeting room of the Eagle Creek Branch of the Lexington Public Library, 101 N. Eagle Creek Dr., Lexington. After the meeting and a break for lunch, a hike is planned through Floracliff State Nature Preserve.

June 30, 2009 . An additional 64 acres have been purchased and dedicated at Jim Scudder SNP in Hardin County.

June 30, 2009 . An additional 28 acres have been purchased and dedicated at Terrapin Creek SNP in Graves County.

April 16, 2009 . The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission's Western Regional Preserve Manager Lane Linnenkohl will host a wildflower hike at Brigadoon SNP in Barren County on Saturday, April 25, 2009.

April 13, 2009 . Hike and trail dedication in honor of former Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commissioner Jon E. Rickert at Jim Scudder SNP in Hardin County.

April 9, 2009 . The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission will partner with the Kentucky Native Plant Society to celebrate “Wildflower Weekend” April 16-19, at Natural Bridge State Park Nature Preserve in Powell County. KSNPC Botanist Tara Littlefield will guide nature lovers on hikes of varying levels of difficulty in search of an array of spring wildflowers.

Feb. 5, 2009 . KSNPC properties are currently closed to visitors until further notice due to the danger from ice storm debris.

Visit the Press Release Archive section for past information.

Visit the KSNPC Annual Awards Archive for a list of past recipients.