In celebration of its 35th anniversary, the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission (KSNPC) is providing Kentuckians with an opportunity to experience some of Kentucky’s best natural communities through guided group hikes and natural-history interpretation by KSNPC’s staff and preserve volunteers.

Beautiful Brigadoon State Nature Preserve is located in southern Barren County. On Saturday, Oct. 15 at 9 a.m., CDT, join Libby Watt, Western regional preserve manager and Harold Kelley, preserve monitor, on a two-and-a-half hour hike along a moderately difficult trail through a great representation of a mature mesophytic forest with scenic ravines and 150-year-old trees. Please wear sturdy shoes for hiking, bring water bottles, a light snack, bug spray and binoculars. Registration ends Oct. 12.

Brigadoon State Nature Preserve is located approximately 6.5 miles south of the Cumberland/Nunn Parkway off of Highway 31E. Turn left onto Browning School Road and travel approximately 1.5 miles. Turn left onto Mutter Road. The parking area is .5 miles on the left.

Advanced registration is required. Registration is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, contact Leslie Isaman by email at Leslie.Isaman@ky.gov or by phone at 502-573-2886 no later than October 12. Additional information about the hike is located online at http://naturepreserves.ky.gov. The number of participants is limited to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment and to protect resources at certain areas.

 On June 19, 1976, Gov. Julian Carroll signed legislation establishing the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission. Since then, the commission has endeavored to create a nature preserve system that protects Kentucky’s best, most intact natural areas. Sixty state nature preserves cover more than 25,000 acres of Kentucky’s natural heritage. These preserves contain some of the best examples of natural communities and rare plant and animal habitats in the state – 219 rare species in 444 distinct populations and 22 different natural community types in 35 occurrences. To locate the best lands for preserves, the Commission’s field biologists have cataloged more than 12,000 records in the most complete and accurate inventory of rare species, natural communities and conserved lands in Kentucky.

The Commission was one of the first in the country to join the NatureServe National Heritage Network, which covers all 50 states and Canadian provinces and 19 Latin American programs. In the past two years, KSNPC biologists have located two plant and animal species never before known in Kentucky, relocated two species that had not been seen since the 1800’s, and discovered two species new to science, i.e. never described before in scientific literature.

Discover more about KSNPC online at http://naturepreserves.ky.gov.