EKU Division of Natural Areas

09/04/2026

Announcing the Fall 2026 Nature Exploration Series. A collaboration between Richmond Outdoor Committee, Natural Areas, and EKU's Center for Science and Environmental Education, this series is FREE and open to the public. Register for the first event now! Monarch tagging, 1:00-3:00pm September 19th:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5BUvIQRVMH8WnRc2JniOAhXU-jsSsYSCuS1JtBgP5y-9UxA/viewform?usp=dialog

Registration, per event, is required. Mark your calendars, and keep an eye out for future event registrations.

09/03/2026

The Division of Natural Areas is featured in Off the Beaten Path, a podcast by Sam Dick! Sam interviews William Taylor, an EKU graduate student who has been tasked with cataloguing the Yellow-Spotted Woodland Salamander throughout Eastern Kentucky. Give it a listen!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/off-the-beaten-path-with-sam-dick/id1733302733

https://open.spotify.com/episode/27u1fMNHdHyOcIm8k9jJlH?si=ktkdoO3FTvqh-RJSkJphXA

Off the Beaten Path with Sam Dick · Episode

07/24/2026

Come on out to Taylor Fork Ecological Area tomorrow for our Family Nature Day event! We'll have a food truck on site from 11:00-1:00 and plenty of activities from 10:00-3:00. See you there!

05/05/2026

Save the Date for the William H. Martin Appalachian Research Symposium at Lilley Cornett Woods Appalachian Ecological Research Station.

05/01/2026

Join us this Saturday as we learn about flowers and the fascinating process of pollination, and how they shape our environment!

Scan the QR code or use the link below to register:
https://forms.gle/YndCz9nf9VRtJt7WA

04/22/2026

04/17/2026

Join us this Saturday and become nature detectives, using scientific observations and questioning to solve mysteries!
Use the link below to register:
https://forms.gle/BEyTgWZp3jDRmn6U8

04/16/2026

Join us next weekend!

Join us and some new friends for Wildflower Weekend! (registration link below)

Pine Mountain Settlement School, Eastern Kentucky University, and Kentucky Natural Lands Trust will get together for a weekend of botanical exploration and floral findings in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains.

Wildflower Weekend is a multi-day celebration of Appalachian botany, ecology, and conservation, bringing together scientists, educators, land stewards, and community members for guided hikes, talks, and hands-on learning experiences. While staying at the historic Pine Mountain Settlement School campus, you’ll get the chance to explore the old-growth forests of Lilley-Cornett Woods, admire botanical treasures that lie within the James E. Bickford preserve, and learn all about regional plant conservation with botanical experts.

Registration link: https://pmss.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/pmss/event.jsp?event=632&

04/13/2026

Join graduate students to learn about migratory birds at EKU's Elmwood Estate on Friday morning.

04/08/2026

Join us on April 11th to learn about health and the human body!
Use the link below to register:
https://forms.gle/YCLgXR28VJJ36TEP7