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Page 1: August 2024 Friends of the Forest Newsletter. Upper left corner shows the logo, a poplar leaf and the words “Berea College Forestry Outreach Center”. Below reads “at the Pinnacles: Homelands of the Shawnee and Cherokee Peoples. Tuesday-Saturday 10a.m.-4p.m., Sunday 12p.m.-4p.m. Trails open dawn to dusk daily. 2047 Big Hill Rd. Berea, KY 40403. 859-756-3315. forestryoutreach.berea.edu. All events at the FOC/Pinnacles unless otherwise noted. Free and open to all. Outdoor activities weather-dependent. Nature Hikes at the Pinnacles: Saturdays at 10:00 am, meet at FOC. Nature R&R. August 7th, 5:30-7:30pm at Anglin Falls. August 29th, 5:30-7:30pm at Brushy Fork. RSVP on Eventbrite, info on page 2. Family activities: 1st-4th grade Forest Superheroes Day Camp, August 6th-9th, 10:00am-12:00pm. Please email to RSVP zagrayk@berea.edu. August 11th, 2:00-3:00pm: Eco-friendly Water Balloons & Bubbles. August 18th, 12:00-4:00pm: Try out the Discovery Drawers! August 25th, leave at 2;00pm: Bug Safari. *Discovery Drawers available each day we are open & returned by 3:30pm* Below this is a list of social media logos including Facebook, “Instagram @bereacollegefoc, iNaturalist Citizen Science Project: Biodiversity of the Berea College Forest, Seek: App by iNaturalist, great I.D. tool for kids and families. The upper right corner has an overlook image from the Pinnacles. Below is the main article. More Superheroes in the Forest. Though many think of beavers as a nuisance, these ecosystem engineers have shaped North America. Beavers reshape waterways creating wetland habitat–one of the rarest and fastest declining ecosystems–for many threatened species. During wildfires, these wetlands act as a refuge for animals, control floods, and serve as a natural barrier against fire. Read Beaverland by Leila Philip to learn more! To the right is an image of a beaver in the water with the caption “Nature’s firefighters” in a comic book bubble. Below and to the left is an image of many mushrooms on a log with the text “Decomposition! Fungi and microbes break down organic matter with enzymes creating the delicate layer of topsoil that sustains us!. Join us for mornings of forest superhero fun August 6th-9th, 10:00am-12:00pm. Free activities for families with children 1st-4th grade. Email zagrayk@berea.edu to sign up. A yellow circle to the right has the text: Please sign up for camp days by August 3rd–5 spots left! The bottom of the page has a green shape with an image of six organizer drawers with labels. The text reads “Explore the forest with our new…Discovery Drawers! Stop by the FOC to check out a self-guided activity to learn about the forest while you’re in the forest! With a range of topics in science and art, there’s something for every family! Current activities include: Life Cycles, Exploring Biodiversity, Butterfly Hide & Seek, Water Cycle Play, Tree Adventures, Tessellation Time. Thank you to our student, Claire Mast, for putting these together!
Page 2: Under graphics of flowers and vines is the text: there is text. Nature R&R/Forest Bathing. Wednesdays: start out each month by relaxing and restoring mind, body, and spirit with Nature R&R. Then, transition gently out of the month each last Thursday. Nature Relaxation and Restoration is a 2 hour, slow-paced, restorative forest experience. Please bring a portable chair or something to sit on, dress for the weather and wear walking shoes. We hope you’ll join us! Weather dependent, RSVP for updates. August 7th, 5:30-7:30 pm at Anglin Falls. August 29th, 5:30-7:30 pm at Brushy Fork. Please RSVP for a FREE spot and find directions on Eventbrite! To the right is a yellow box with vines behind it with text: Stay tuned for our first Farm & Forest Festival at the Pinnacles in early November. Events will include: a horse barn open house, horse logging demonstration, BC farm & community partners. Stay tuned for more information! Below is the text: Annual Pollinator Stakeholder Meeting. We were delighted to host the yearly pollinator stakeholder meeting at the FOC. State and local agency representatives, along with major land managers from across the state convened to explore collaborative projects aimed at enhancing pollinator habitats throughout Kentucky. Attendees also toured our native prairie with FOC ecologist John Abrams! An image below shows a butterfly on a flower in the pollinator garden. To the left is a green shape that has an image of six harnessed horses in a row. The text says: Horse Progress Days. In July, two members of our draft horse team, John and Zen, attended the 30th anniversary of Horse Progress Days in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This event is the largest of its kind in the country where folks come from all over to demonstrate, learn, and share about the culture of working equine. John and Zen were able to learn about types of horse-drawn equipment, as well as share the work of Berea’s Forestry Department! On the bottom of the page is a dark green shape with text: Family Activities free and open to all. Outdoor activities are weather-dependent, RSVP on Facebook to follow any updates. Forest Superheroes Morning Camp August 6th-9th 10:00am-12:00pm. Join us for mornings of fun and learning about the “superpowers” of local wildlife! We will meet at the FOC each morning and activities will be in the lower forest. Please email zagrayk@berea.edu to sign up your child(ren) in 1st-4th grade. Eco-Friendly Water Balloons & Giant Bubbles August 11th, 2:00-3:00pm. We’ll have water and our eco-friendly (crocheted) water balloons on our lawn to play with–cool off from the summer heat! Try out the Discovery Drawers! August 18th, 12:00-3:30pm. Check out a self-guided activity to do during your visit to the forest! Bug Safari August 25th, leave at 2:00pm. We will walk in the lower forest and see what bug friends we can find!