Kentucky Heartwood and The Explore Kentucky Initiative are teaming up to host a series of hikes exploring some of our more beautiful, endangered forests.
For this trip we’ll be heading to the mountains of the Redbird District in Clay and Leslie counties to see what’s at stake with the South Redbird project. We’ll first take an easy walk along a gravel road to look at a mountainside recently cut as part of the Group One projectand talk about the impacts and trade-offs that come with this type of logging. Then, we’ll drive about 20 minutes to a second location where we’ll hike off-trail, up and down a steep slope, with about 450 feet of elevation gain, and through a forest proposed for intensive logging, similar to the Ulysses Creek site. The hike will be strenuous, but participants will be rewarded with some exceptional secondary old-growth, gorgeous trees, and excellent views of the mountains. If it’s cold, we’ll be hauling up hot coffee and cocoa for you to make your day even better. This trip is limited to 12 participants, and a donation of $20 ($15 for Kentucky Heartwood members) is requested. January 26th will be a backup day in case of severe weather.