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Page 1: June 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. May Events. 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. Sounds and Sights of the Night Walk June 21st, 8:30-10:00pm Nature R&R June 5th, 5:30-7:30pm at Anglin Falls June 27th, 5:30-7:30 at the Pinnacles, lower forest RSVP on Eventbrite, info on p. 2 Family Activities June 1st, 2:00pm: Make a Mushroom Walk & Craft June 2nd, 1:00-3:00pm: Teddy Bear Picnic w/ Madison County Public Library June 16th, leave at 1:00pm: Hike to East Pinnacle June 23rd, 2:00-3:00pm: Eco-Friendly Water Balloons & Giant Bubbles! June 30th, 2:00-3:00 pm: Bug Safari Happy Summer Solstice June 20th! 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. Jumping into June like a Jumping Spider.Are you afraid of spiders? Many people are wary of these eight-legged creatures for various reasons—fear of getting bitten, their movement, or all those eyes. However, no matter how deep-rooted your fear is, it is possible to overcome it and even grow to like some of the spiders that once repelled you. The friends that helped me overcome my visceral fear were jumping spiders. Their small size and large eyes made them more approachable. Many of them seem to have distinct personalities, making eye contact and showing interest in interacting with you. John, the ecologist here at the FOC, encouraged me to care for a bold jumping spider we found before winter. We got some mealworms, made a terrarium that I placed on my desk, and I cared for her each day. I found myself checking on her throughout the day, curious about how she explored her environment. I then began to keep an eye out for “jumpers” while outdoors and was surprised at the variety I encountered. According to iNaturalist.org, there are 23 species that have been observed here in the Berea College Forest. I have found 14. Over the past year or so, I have learned to appreciate them deeply. While I still struggle a bit with larger species of spiders, I have come a long way, remembering that each living thing plays an immense role in our ecosystem, no matter how small. ~ Kayla. An image within the text is the cover of the book Jumper by Jessica Lanan. The caption reads: This picture book is a beautiful way to gain empathy for tiny animals just trying to live each day, as we are. Below are five images of different species of jumping spiders in circle frames. There is a yellow oval below with two images of black beetles and the title Insect Update! Back in February, we wrote about a research team from the University of Louisville that found 43 new state records of beetles in Berea’s forest and published a paper in the journal Coleoptera. The team has recently found seven more, in the family Eucnemidae, whose species’ presence are an indicator of a healthy ecosystem that supports vast biodiversity!
Page 2: In a yellow blob shape surrounded by green vines, there is text. Nature R&R/Forest Bathing. Welcome Wednesdays: start out each month by relaxing and restoring mind, body, and spirit with Nature R&R. Then, transition 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. June 5th, 5:30-7:30 pm at Anglin Falls. June 27th, 5:30-7:30 pm at the Pinnacles, lower forest. Please RSVP for a FREE spot and find directions on Eventbrite! To the right, a green blob has two images of horses standing in front of a red barn with text. Happy Birthday to Lena and Hallie on June 5th! Lena is turning two years old! She likes to hang with her buddy, Theo, in the pasture. Hallie is 10 years old and is mother to Lena! She is paired with Willow and they work well as a team! Left and below has a light blue box with an image of a lightning bug, luna moth, and scorpion glowing in UV light with text. Sounds and Sights of the Night Walk, June 21st, 8:30-10:00 pm. Join us as the sun sets on the forest for a slow, short walk in the woods. We’ll see what critters we can hear and see on the walk, as well as what is attracted to a UV light on a white sheet. It’s a great opportunity to observe and listen to the beauty of the forest at night. Please bring your own flashlight, headlamp, or lantern! To the right is an image of image of Forestry staff cutting a tree, the cover of the book Backwoods Chairmaking by Andy Glenn, and hickory nuts There is text below: The horse logging team recently pulled hickory logs from the forest that will be used for chairmaking! Thirteen chairmakers featured in woodworker Andy Glenn’s book, Backwoods Chairmaking, will be in Berea on June 2nd for a hands-on event. Tickets are required and can be purchased online. Below is a dark green box across the page with text. Family Activities. Free and open to all *** outdoor activities are weather-dependent, RSVP on Facebook to follow any updates. Make a Mushroom Walk & Craft June 1st, 2:00pm. Learn about mushrooms by observing and making your own! Teddy Bear Picnic June 2nd, 1:00-3:00pm. Join us and the Madison County Public Library to have snacks, craft, and read. Bring your teddy bear friend! Hike to East Pinnacle June 16th, leave 1:00pm. Been wanting to try a family trek up the mountain? This is a 3.5 mile round trip hike with some challenging terrain. Please bring water! Eco-Friendly Water Balloons & Giant Bubbles June 23rd, 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! Bug Safari June 30th, leave at 2:00pm. We’ll investigate the lower forest area to see how many insect friends we can find!