“We love living in a town with the Kentucky River running through it. I think the river brings creativity and new ideas, and it is inspiring and refreshing for us, having lived in places that didn't have natural waterways so close,” Tara says

The Woods and Waters Land Trust community is full of artists—art and nature go hand-in-hand—and one of the newest artists to share his time and talent with the organization is Levi River House.

Gazing out into her forest on a Sunday afternoon, Owen County resident Connie May takes delight in a stand of beech trees, their coppery leaves glistening in the sun.

Have you had a chance to get outside this winter to check out the bird scene? Birders around Frankfort and the surrounding area have been busy logging some hours with their binoculars this season.

Woods and Waters Land Trust wants to send a heartfelt congratulations to our student board member Emma Strong, who was recognized by the professional women’s group EmpowHER Frankfort as a Top Young Women Leader in Frankfort/Franklin County.

Introduced to the U.S. from China as an ornamental in the early 1900s, wintercreeper’s rapid growth combined with its ability to withstand harsh conditions makes this invasive plant species a force to be reckoned with—so much so that the Kentucky Exotic Pest Plants Council considers it a severe threat to Kentucky’s native landscape.

Thousands of mistletoe species can be found around the world, but the one that takes up residence in Kentucky, the American mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum), is the only one found in the U.S. What’s beautiful about this plant—as with all things in nature—is it’s interconnectedness with its environment, perhaps harking back to that kissing tradition.

Woods and Waters Land Trust is proud to be taking part in this year’s GoodGiving Challenge from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6. This week-long online-giving campaign is hosted by the Blue Grass Community Foundation and Smiley Pete Publishing to make it simple to support the nonprofits in our community that you love and value.

Thanks to a lead from a knowledgeable hiker, with confirmation from the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, we’ve located a patch of running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum) near the stream at Vaughn Branch Nature Preserve.

While shorter, colder days may require a little extra motivation to get outdoors, you’ll likely thank yourself for putting in the effort. Here are some ideas to get you through the time-change slump.

Thank you to Louisville’s Beckham Bird Club for naming Woods and Waters Land Trust a recipient of one of their 2021 Birdathon grants, which are awarded to organizations that support bird conservation through habitat preservation and improvement, environmental education and public advocacy.