Berea College Forestry Outreach Center

Have you done the reading? Please join The Joy Trip Reading Project for our next online discussion with Amber Wendler and Shaz Zamore, editors of the anthology “Been Outside ~ Adventures of Black Women, Nonbinary and Gender Nonconforming People in Nature”. We’ll gather on Thursday November 30, 2023, at 5PM Central Time.

Encompassing four major themes—identity, inspiration, ancestry, and stewardship—Been Outside explores the relationship between nature, science, and self through essays and poems from leading Black women and nonbinary scientists. Edited by Amber Wendler and Shaz Zamore, stories from 22 writers showcase both the challenges and joys of carving out your own path—and will inspire any reader looking to craft their own outdoor life.
This collection highlights the vast expanse of the outdoor experience. Camille Mosley contemplates the rich fishing history of Black Americans and how that relates to their career in freshwater ecology. Sharon Dorsey reflects on how it felt to finally meet a wildlife professional who looks like her. Tanisha Williams shares her powerful emotional journey of returning to South Africa to study plants. These essays and more reflect on the outdoor experiences through both a personal and intersectional lens while looking at the historical context of being a Black woman or gender nonconforming in the outdoor space. Been Outside also looks forward and promotes collective action toward making the outdoor community more inclusive and welcoming to all, and invites readers to join.

AMBER WENDLER is a PhD candidate in biological sciences at Virginia Tech and earned a BA in biology from Boston University. She has studied organism and plants in Latin America and across the US. Wendler is passionate about making STEM and the outdoors more inclusive. DR. SHAZ ZAMORE is a teaching assistant professor and STEAM coordinator at Colorado University–Boulder. They apply their background in neuroscience and STEAM communication to their company, Craniate.

This is a free event. Click link to register: https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIqc-6orTMiG9FwP9HPCSN-Xhu3wygISbUK

"We use the word “decolonize” a lot, and that has a lot of application in what we do. But really what we do at Akomawt is re-indigenize history. History in America has always included Native Peoples. We’ve been there through every piece of American history: World War I, the American Revolution, World War II, the Industrial Revolution. Native Peoples were there for each and every part of that. Yet we’re not very well talked about in American history education, and that needs to change. It’s rendered us into a relatively invisible culture. "
Photo and text from The True, Indigenous History of Thanksgiving:
https://bioneers.org/the-true-indigenous-history-of-thanksgiving-ztvz1911/?fbclid=IwAR0XM_EdNBAlj33S-VC6VcA4BeAe8HU6JtqjH496TkUz6xqxGlcEyVUnw0k

Starting at noon today, 11/22, the FOC building will be closed through 11/27.
The trails remain OPEN dawn to dusk and the FOC outdoor restrooms are available. If you need maps or other info, visit our website: https://forestryoutreach.berea.edu/trails/the-pinnacles/

Exciting news from the Biodiversity of the Berea College Forest project on iNaturalist! We're only 300 observations away from hitting 30,000, and it would be fantastic to reach this milestone before the end of 2023.

When you're out hiking the Pinnacles, Brushy Fork, or Anglin Falls, be on the lookout for interesting plants or animals. Submit your findings to iNaturalist, and they'll automatically be added to our project, contributing to our efforts in monitoring the forest's biodiversity.

Pictured are new species added just this month, some of which are the first state records for those species! There's still much to discover, and your role as citizen scientists is crucial to making it all possible. Thank you for your contributions!

The forest's colors are shifting to browns and bright yellows. As we have passed "peak" color, we'd love to see some of the beautiful fall pictures you've taken this year! Share them in the comments below. 🍂

Our ecologist, John, found this elusive folding-door spider (Antrodiaetus unicolor). The spiders in this family, Antrodiaetidae, form their webs in a way that they can close themselves in securely. From their burrow, they have lines of webbing set as "trip wires" When prey is detected, the spider can erupt through their "door" and pounce!
This individual is a female, as males have longer legs. And no need to worry, these spiders are not interested in trying to get into your home--they prefer the forest and do not wander.

A note about Nature R&R (relaxation & restoration) events:

In the shorter days of winter, it's harder to find times to offer full two-hour Nature R&R (Relaxation and Restoration) experiences. I am still working with classes and campus groups, but watch for public offerings of Nature R&R again in early spring.

In the meantime, you can experience the many health benefits of being outdoors (including: increased energy, lessened anxiety, enhanced immunity, improved digestion, lower blood pressure, accelerated healing, improved learning and memory, and more!)

Try This: Find a spot not far from your home that you can easily visit; it might even be a front or back porch—or a spot near a window in your home. Commit to spending 15 minutes in this spot every day—or as often as you can.

This is time not to do, but just to be: to watch, to listen, to smell, and to feel. Our senses help us become more attuned to our bodies, which remember our deep connections with each other and with and the more than human world. This brief time commitment can do wonders for our mental and physical health. Let's practice this together—and when spring comes, we'll return to a longer shared experience.

We'll check in throughout the winter months on our page and encourage you to share your Sit Spot experience—a perfect time for quiet contemplation.

As the temperature drops, it's sometimes harder to motivate ourselves to get outdoors, but the benefits of doing so do not change just because its cold or the leaves are off the trees.
If you want some motivation, company, and learning about the ecosystem, join us on a group nature hike at the Pinnacles! Saturdays at 1:00pm, meet here at the FOC building.
*there is no group hike November 25th*

For those interested in the topic of construction on the dam to raise the level and capacity of Owsley Fork Reservoir, the main source of our drinking water in Berea, here is the latest from the city. Some key points are listed here:
◼️Due to the presence of pyritic shale, (that has the potential to expand when in contact with water, which could cause damage to the dam) the new proposal includes adding thicker layers of concrete to fortify the dam
◼️This project will allow the reservoir to hold ~1 billion gallons of water as opposed to the current 770 million (all of Berea's reservoirs together currently can hold 890 million gallons)
◼️The current timeline waiting for design approval from the federal government puts holding townhall meetings for concerned citizens in Jan/Feb 2024. The city did comment in response to a question on their page about the cemetery near the reservoir's bank: "a crew is supposed to be out there this week to see if the new burial site, which is nearby, is suitable from an archeological standpoint (i.e. that nothing historically valuable will be disturbed). The graves will be respectfully relocated to that site."

Read the full article here:
https://cityofbereaky.wordpress.com/2023/10/30/owsley-fork-dam-upgrade-closer-to-start-up/?fbclid=IwAR1_OqMNzbWrQRdjD_HtaQBHxdNYtKCGKDlNrvkep0HIfmZT7DUSPxNhNv8

From Jim Embry:
Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of state residency. Also, Invite us to your community to develop a SEED COMMONS in your region.
CUMBERLAND SEED COMMONS TRACK
November 30 - December 1, 2023..
The Cumberland Seed Commons working group is pleased to host two days of dialogue, knowledge sharing, and organizational planning around the ongoing work of preserving, growing and sharing heirloom and native seeds as part of the 2023 TN Local Food Summit..Nov 30-Dec 3...Cumberland University, Lebanon TN
ABOUT THE CUMBERLAND SEED COMMONS
The Cumberland Seed Commons is a recently formed community-based initiative which consists of individuals and organizations from diverse organizations in the Kentucky, and Tennessee region who understand the importance of having regionally adapted seeds and a network to support seed work. Our name is inspired by the Cumberland River (known as Wasioto by Native Americans) watershed which traverses both states and connects us in a web of interdependence, mutual care and responsibility for our bioregional ecosystem and communities. Collectively, we understand the foundational importance that seeds have to all life and commit ourselves to the preservation, growing and sharing of a great diversity of heirloom and native seeds. Our view is that seeds are the foundation of creating community resilience as we are challenged by climate change.
Everyone, regardless of their state residency is welcome to participate in the further work of developing the conceptual framework and infrastructure of the Seed Commons which has national significance.
Read the conceptual framework document
PRESENTERS
CHRISTINA JUSTICE
Cherokee Nation
FEATHER SMITH
Cherokee Nation
CHRIS SMITH
Utopian Seed Project
AMYROSE FOLL
Virginia Free Farm (joining virtually)
SUSANA LEIN
Salamander Springs Farm
MEGAN ALLEN
Care of the Earth Community Farm
JIM EMBRY
Sustainable Communities Network
ELEANOR LOPEZ
Native American Indian Association of TN
CUMBERLAND SEED COMMONS TRACK SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2023, 3:00 PM -9:00 PM
Comfort Suites, 904 Murfreesboro Rd. Lebanon, TN 37090, Banquet Room
2:00 PM -3:00 PM – Registration
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Organizing Our Cumberland Seed Commons
Guided discussion will include review of mission, working group reports, assessment of structure, legal entity, committees, membership categories.
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM – Dinner
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM – Discussion & Film Screening
Discussion on further organizational development of Cumberland Seed Commons with a focus on committee assignments and future visioning. Conclusion with film showing of Seed Mother Comes Home.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2023, 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Cumberland University Alumni Hall, 408 S Maple St, Lebanon, TN 37087 (9:00am-6:30pm)
Cumberland University June & Bill Heydel Fine Arts Center, 1 Cumberland Dr, Lebanon, TN 37087 (7:00pm-9:00pm)
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM –Seeds for Community Resilience
This is Day 2 of the Cumberland Seed Commons Track which will include these topics: conceptual framework for a seed commons, guidance of Indigenous culture, historical examples of seed commons, current USDA seed initiatives, TVA seed projects, and resources.
Cumberland University Alumni Hall, Classroom A
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM – Seeds for Community Resilience Continued
This is Day 2 of the Cumberland Seed Commons Track which will include these topics: conceptual framework for a seed commons, guidance of Indigenous culture, historical examples of seed commons, current USDA seed initiatives, TVA seed projects, and resources.
Cumberland University Alumni Hall, Classroom A
12:00 PM - 1:45 PM - Lunch & Keynote Address
Keynote address by Christina Justice, Secretary of Natural Resources, Cherokee Nation on Cherokee People and Seed Relationship
Cumberland University Alumni Hall, Banquet Room
2:00 PM - 3:15 PM - Seed Saving, Storing & Cleaning
This is Day 2 of the Cumberland Seed Commons Track which will include these topics: theory and practice of seed keepers, TVA seed projects, seed saving techniques and tools, resources for seed farmers and more.
Cumberland University Alumni Hall, Classroom A
3:30 PM - 4:45 PM - Future of the Cumberland Seed Commons Initiative
This is Day 2 of the Cumberland Seed Commons Track which will include these topics: how to continue the work to develop the Cumberland River Seed Commons, relationships with TVA, USDA, Tribal nations, seed hubs, concept document, committee formation.
Cumberland University Alumni Hall, Classroom A
5:30 PM - 6:45 PM - Banquet Dinner
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM - Keynote Panel: Building A Seed Commons through An Indigenous People’s Lens
As we move closer to developing a food sovereignty, and we become the caretakers of the seeds that provide us with food to nourish our physical bodies, let us "go back and fetch" the seed saving wisdom of the original inhabitants of Turtle Island. The "seed commons" of today can build on the millennia of passed down knowledge and wisdom of caring for and adapting seeds to our bioregion.
Cumberland University, June & Bill Heydel Fine Arts Center
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Cumberland Seed Commons — Tennessee Local Food Cumberland Seed Commons trackNovember 30 - December 1, 2023 The Cumberland Seed Commons working group is pleased to host two days of dialogue, knowledge sharing, and organizational planning around the ongoing work of preserving, growing and sharing heirloom and native seeds at the 2023 TN Local Food...

Happy November!
If you don't receive our monthly email newsletter and you would like to, you can sign up and view them here: https://forestryoutreach.berea.edu/newsletters/

No, this isn't a modern art piece made with watercolors...it's a twinkling star!
These images are screenshots of 1/30th of a second from a video taken through a telescope of the white star, Sirius. Art is in the stars!
Learn more about this star and what celestial phenomena are coming up in November by reading our monthly Skies Above the Pinnacles article, thanks to Jeff Hutton!
Jeff also runs the Pinnacle Astronomy Club. If you're interested, you'll find his contact info on the article page:
https://forestryoutreach.berea.edu/skies-over-the-pinnacles/

We had a Halloween visitor... a giant Eastern Hercules Beetle (Dynastes tityus) named Edie Jo!
While they're normally not THIS large, they ARE the largest beetle in the Eastern United States. The males have horns, as seen in this amazing costume and the last image.

The spotted lanternfly has been identified in Gallatin County, KY. This is important info to help make sure our native insects are not being negatively affected by efforts to stop the spread of lanternflies.

While Spotted Lanternfly is a unique-looking insect, there are some other insects with similar coloration and markings that can lead to confusion.

Happy Bat Week!

The squirrels are gearing up for winter. There seems to be some disagreement on how well squirrels can find the food they've hidden--some studies say they fail to recover ~75% of what they hid, others say they DO actually recover more than half!
Either way, this stash is fairly obvious...maybe it is a squirrel potluck!

From our group hike yesterday...the colors are gorgeous! Come take a hike, walk, or just relax in the forest before the colors disappear!
We have group hikes every Saturday at 1:00pm, we'd love to see you.

Yesterday was another successful Mountain Day full of fun in the forest!
It is always a joy to celebrate our community and the natural world together on Berea College Forestryllege Forestry horses got in on the fun, too!
Until next year... Mountain Day is every day here at the FOC!

Today is the last day of Berea Tree Week and we have two family events:

🍁 2:00-3:00 pm at the Forestry Outreach Center, Painting Leaf Portraits with Natural Watercolors, *Supplies limited

🍂5:00-7:00 pm at Brushy Fork (meet at the bridge), The Great Tree Hunt friendly competition to see who can find the largest tree, with prizes! *Bring a smartphone to scan QR codes

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate trees this week!

Happy Tree Week!
There's lots to do and learn this week to help celebrate trees. We hope to see you!
There are events across the state this week--find our more about Tree Week here: https://ufi.ca.uky.edu/treeweek

You never know when a spider trying to crawl into your sleeve is a rare find on iNaturalist.org ! This lattice orbweaver (Araeneus thaddeus) is the first individual of its species seen here in the forest, with only a few others observed in the state. There's always more to discover!
iNaturalist is a great tool to identify any type of plant, animal, or fungi and learn about the natural world around you while participating in citizen science. If you upload photos you took while at the Pinnacles, Anglin Falls, or Brushy Fork/campus, they are automatically uploaded to our project 'Biodiversity of the Berea College Forest'. Stay tuned for our year wrap up in December to learn how many new species were represented through observations since 2022!

We're so excited to see you all for our Glades Garden Harvest Market Saturday October 21st. Come support our Youth Vendors and try your hand at pressing some apple cider!!!

We still have a couple of spots left for youth vendors. Fill out the application here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftXWUUEkafmWJuFoksUDl0qgGqzc71upJkUHUq_AVCIe-CZw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Keep this in mind and keep an eye out for spotted lanternflies and their eggs. They're getting close to Kentucky and these critters are not good news.
Folks that like to travel to hike/any outdoor rec activity, please be mindful about cleaning your equipment--boots, kayaks, etc. and even cars and tires. Invasive species eggs/spores/seeds are often transported in these ways.

Officials sounding alarm as invasive insect spotted near Kentucky Recently, increased reports of Lanternflies in the Cincinnati area have city officials sounding the alarm to Kentuckians – making them aware that the invasive bug could make its way down into the Bluegrass.

Tree Week Mulch Madness at the Pinnacles was a huge success! Thank you so much to Glen from Berea College Forestry, Michael from Grounds, and the students and volunteers that joined us. In the lower forest, over 100 trees' roots are now more protected, will retain more water, and gain more nutrients.

Happy Tree Week!
There's lots to do and learn this week to help celebrate trees. We hope to see you!
There are events across the state this week--find our more about Tree Week here: https://ufi.ca.uky.edu/treeweek

This photo will likely be our last installment of our hickory horned devil caterpillar saga...this is one of the friends we released a week ago. A week!
They will soon find a place to hunker down to pupate over the winter. This is why it's important to leave your leaves and other organic materials in your yard/gardens. Insects and other critters rely on this shelter to keep them safe.

Happy October!
View and sign up for our newsletters one our site here: https://forestryoutreach.berea.edu/newsletters/

This jumping spider found a good meal!

Berea College Forestry was featured in Keeneland magazine! You can find it on page 90, where the section about Berea College starts on page 82 discussing how we are certainly "a college like no other"!
https://www.keeneland.com/media/keeneland-magazine?fbclid=IwAR3Cyl57RFwGLY4rrcuDYhJxY7s0rD1otZ3CRqznhaJFz2yULBizY_p3EgM

Keeneland Magazine

Due to illness, the Outreach Center will be closed on Sunday, September 3rd. The trails and outdoor restrooms will remain open. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Check out the new story on the Berea Story Trail in the city park!

There’s a new story up on the trail! “Scaredy Squirrel” by children’s book author Melanie Watt is here just in time for acorn season as you’ll start noticing more acorns falling to the ground this coming fall!

Sorry, no Nature R&R tonight... The next opportunity is Sept 7th, 5:30-7:30 at Anglin Falls!

Oops! Interrupted someone during their lunch break!