CLERMONT, Ky. — While we don’t often think about winter as a time for outdoor adventures, it is a great time to see the forest in a new light. Gone are the bugs and the heat and humidity of summer. Because the foliage is absent from trees, sound travels better and allows the sounds of animals stirring and crunching leaves underneath your feet and the gurgling or trickling of water under a frozen creek to be the soundtrack to a winter hike. The bare landscape provides the ability to see so much more of the land and feel like a part of it.
Months after trees have shed their leaves, how can you identify the shagbark hickory, black walnut, pawpaw, or other trees in the winter? What Local tree has bark that was the forerunner of modern aspirin? Which native trees were used to treat malaria when quinine was not available? Which local trees can be used to make beverages, cough medicine, or cordage?
Participants will learn answers to these questions and other interesting facts, legends, and lore when they join Bernheim’s Interpretive Programs Manager, Wren Smith, for Trees of the Winter Woods on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
This hike costs $10 for Bernheim members and $15 for non-members. Weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy boots are recommended.
For more information and to register, visit Bernheim.org or call (502) 955-8512.
Events and programming for all ages throughout February are listed below.
Conservation in Action: Place-based Stewardship HikesThis new program series explores different ecosystems that demonstrate best practices of habitat stewardship. During these themed hikes, visitors will learn how healthy habitats are vital to biodiversity and clean air and water. February, Conservation in Action Hikes will take place on
- Feb. 4, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; Woodland Rehabilitation
- Feb.5, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Waters of Bernheim
- Feb. 18, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; Prairie Establishment and Management
Each of these hikes costs $10 for Bernheim members and $15 for non-members. Weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy boots are recommended.
For more information and to register, visit Bernheim.org or call (502) 955-8512.
First Sunday Nature Stroll
Meet a Volunteer Naturalist at the Visitor Center on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. for an engaging nature walk. These strolls along easy terrain are longer than our ECO Kids Hike of the Days and are aimed primarily at adults, but children six years and up are welcome. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable walking shoes.
The cost is $10 for Bernheim members and $15 for non-members. Registration and payment are due by 4 p.m. the day prior by visiting Bernheim.org or calling (502) 955-8512. No pets are allowed.
Forest Homeschool Hike: Tale TrailForest Homeschool Hikes provide opportunities for families and co-ops to join Bernheim educators for an afternoon of learning, exercising and adventure. Enjoy a short lesson followed by a hike or activity that brings the lesson to life. The cost is $6 per person and children under four are free. Join us for a story along a trail on Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Registration is required by 4 p.m. the day before the program. Call (502) 955-8512 or visit Bernheim.org to register.
The Great Backyard Bird CountBernheim is at the frontlines of many bird conservation efforts and provides over 16,000 acres of protected and varied habitats. More than 200 species of birds have been observed at Bernheim.
Birding can connect you and your family more deeply to nature. Join us on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for The Great Backyard Bird Count, an annual community science project in ornithology. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society support the event.
This free program requires registration and will start indoors with a short introduction to some of the technology and protocols you will need to participate in this global Citizen Science initiative before heading outdoors to observe birds in their natural habitats.
For more information and to register, visit Bernheim.org or call (502) 955-8512.
Volunteer Orientation
Perfect for anyone who loves to play in the dirt, learn about volunteer opportunities at Bernheim on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Volunteers can give a few or several hundred hours to support Bernheim and our visitors. Have fun in the great outdoors by participating in a variety of activities. This program is free of charge, but participants must register at Bernheim.volunteerhub.com.
ECO Kids Discovery Days
The E-C-O stands for Every Child Outside, and that’s exactly where kids can be found during ECO Kids Discovery Days. Discovery Days take place the first and third Saturday of each month near Bernheim’s Visitor Center and may include:
Hands-On Discovery Stations from 1 to 4 p.m.
Hike of the Day, led by a Bernheim guide, starts at the Visitor Center at 2 p.m. and runs 45-60 minutes.
Pop-Up Story Circles because everything and everyone has a story. Watch for our storytelling and story-sharing circles.
ECO Kids Discovery Days are weather dependent. Call (502) 955-8512 on the day of the event for weather-related updates. For details on ECO Kids Discovery Days, visit Bernheim.org. No registration is necessary. January ECO Kids will take place on the following dates:
- Feb. 4
- Feb. 18
Bernheim Bee Team Meet and GreetBernheim has an active team of volunteer beekeepers who maintain our honeybee hives and work to learn and share knowledge of mason orchard and other important native bees.
Drop by the Visitor Center on Saturday, Feb. 4, anytime between 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. for a cup of tea with honey. Some of our Bee Team will be on hand for you to ask questions and hear about some of their adventures with these essential winged wonders.
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