NATURE NOTEBOOK - Louisville Nature Center

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NATURE NOTEBOOK
Summer 2016
In This Issue:
Metro Parks Partners
with LNC
Cultural Pass
Welcome Interns
Fundraisers
Energy Audit
What’s Up
Updates & News
Volunteers Needed
Friends & Supporters
Membership Form
Tree Planting Partnership
Louisville Nature Center Naturalist, Rosemary Bauman, recently worked with Martha
Berner and Metro Parks on an invasive plant control project. This project focused on
reducing invasive species through planting trees that will eventually shade out invasive porcelain berry growth along the perimeter of the property line between the park
and the preserve. Rosemary has worked diligently over the past year, along with
many volunteers including Kay Combs , Mike Smith and Elizabeth Rouse-Wong, to
control invasive species in this area and reduce the opportunity for these invasive
plants to work their way into the preserve.
Once the work area was cleared, Metro Parks stepped in to plant fifteen trees. LNC
is hopeful that Metro Parks will partner in planting more trees in the near future. Louisville Nature Center’s contribution was the time and expertise of its staff and volunteers. Metro Parks contributed the trees, equipment and people power for installation. This partnership is a wonderful example of how a small group of committed
folks working together can make a big difference.
Thanks to Rosemary and her team and to Martha Berner and the Metro Parks folks
for making this happen. LNC looks forward to many years of working together to
preserve the city’s natural resources including the 41 acre Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve. The preserve is home to
over 150 local and migratory birds as well
as deer, fox, weasel, raccoon and an assortment of other animals and insects.
Studies show that an urban forest promotes good mental, physical and emotion
health. The preserve also offers free access to those wishing to spend time in
nature or get physically fit on the hikng
trails.
Louisville
Nature Center
Mon-Sat 9-4
3745 Illinois Avenue
Louisville, KY 40213
Phone: (502) 458-1328
Fax:
(502) 458-0232
www.louisvillenaturecenter.org
Use your Cultural Pass at Louisville Nature Center
Louisville Free Public Library offered cultural passes to students to allow them to
learn about the many educational opportunities in Louisville and have fun during their
summer break. This year, Louisville Nature Center is participating by offering youths
a chance to go on a scavenger hunt here at the center. Kids visit three times and receive a prize for each visit. Names of those who complete each scavenger hunt are
entered into a drawing for a free family membership to be held in early August.
Come visit and discover all the wonders of nature here at LNC.
Our mission at LNC is to provide nature education and encourage stewardship in an urban forest.
Welcome Summer Interns
Once again, Louisville Nature Center is fortunate to have several interns working at LNC through the
summer to earn college credit. Each one brings a unique set of skills and experiences providing the
center with many opportunities to utilize their talents. The entire staff would like to express its gratitude for their dedication and hard work. We know their experiences here will enhance their leadership skills and give them a broad understanding of the joys
and challenges of working in the nonprofit sector.
David Ary is returning for a second year, having spent
several months interning at LNC during 2015. In the fall,
David will be entering his senior year at Murray State University. He is majoring in Parks and Recreation and is interested in pursuing a career in forest management. One
of LNC’s biggest challenges is keeping the growth of invasive species under control in the preserve as they are
harmful to healthy plants living their. David is adept at
identifying invasive species and will spend most of his internship on forest restoration. However, as our Preserve
Ambassador, he might be spotted in the preserve greeting
visitors with information about the value of urban forests.
Hans van Hamburg is from the University of Louisville.
He is majoring in Geography and
Geosciences
with specialization in Environmental
Analysis. He worked with Olmsted Parks Conservancy in 2015 and chose Louisville Nature Center for this
year’s internship as a “part of his longitudinal study of
parks in Louisville”. Hans feels his internship will enable him to take part in educating the community on the
importance of preserving the natural land areas of the
community. Most of his internship will be spent assisting with children’s summer nature programs. What
better way to educate the community than to start by teaching youths to develop a love for the outdoors.
Andrew Grubb, also from the University of Louisville, is majoring in Geography. He began
his internship assisting with grounds management as he has experience working on the family farm
and enjoys the great outdoors. He is very flexible and interested in learning new skills so he also
performs the role of education assistant for summer camps. This is a perfect fit for Andrew, as well,
since he has experience working with youths in summer soccer camps.
Many thanks to all of these students. We know you will be successful in your career
pursuits.
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Another Successful Gardenaganza
This year’s Gardenaganza generated nearly
$11,000 in net revenue. This event was truly a
group effort. Jefferson County Master Gardener
Association partnered with Louisville Nature Center
again this year and several volunteers, old and
new, joined in making the event a great success.
The preview for Gardenaganza was a series of garden education workshops held during the
month before the event. The classes included information on tree and plant ID as well as ideas on building and maintaining a sustainable garden. Participants learned about native plants
and gained skills to help them choose the best plants for their home gardens.
Randy Hall offered his woodworking skills to craft a beautiful potting bench and garden
gate for the raffle. He also set up a vendor space displaying many other unique wood items
and donated all his proceeds to the event. Volunteer photographer, Christine Anderson, spent
many hours photographing the beauty of the nature center and preserve. She created lovely
notes cards and donated them for sale at the event. Unique flower pens were created by
Kathaleen Riggs and donated for the sale as well. Thanks to Janie Kanzler for supplying some of the materials for this project.
Vendors offering a variety of handcrafted items, Lexie
Lus Food Truck and, or course, music from our favorite
local musicians, Hominy and Grizz, enhance the enjoyment of the day. Master Gardener, Marlene Killiam,
was on hand to answer questions about Rain Gardens.
LNC would like to thank Jefferson County Master Gardeners, Dropseed Nursery, Wallitsch Nursery and the
many volunteers for their enthusiastic participation. We
look forward to seeing everyone again on the last Sunday in April for Gardenaganza 2017.
Save the Date
Louisville Nature Center’s fall fundraiser is Saturday, September 10th, from 6 pm to 9
pm. As always, there will be food, entertainment and opportunities to meet and greet
old and new friends. We are in need of sponsorships to help defray the cost of expenses as well as items for our auction. Please pass the word and invite friends and
family to this very important event.
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Energy Efficiency Study
Longtime volunteer, Roger Ohlman, is truly committed to finding ways to lessen our footprint
on the earth and improve the environment. He has taken an active role in Beargrass Creek
water clean-ups including his solo trips through the water to pick up trash. He recently installed solar panels on his home and has seen a significant drop in his energy usage. Recently, he decided to focus his efforts on helping the Louisville Nature Center reduce energy costs
and find ways to tread more lightly on the earth.
Roger spent many hours climbing in our attic, checking the doorways, studying the heat and
air flow through the building and contacting local experts to help him come up with a plan of
action for making some positive changes. He hired Eric George, Building Performance Group,
to conduct an energy evaluation on the Louisville Nature Center.
Eric performed an audit of our building to determine how we might improve our energy efficiency. The audit was extensive and included blower fan pressure check, infrared check for possible leakage, static pressure check of the HVAC system and a visual tour to point out areas
where LNC can make improvements. Eric gave multiple suggestions on how to resolve and
prioritize issues. Additionally, he did the work at a greatly reduced rate over his normal fee.
Many thanks to Eric.
Based upon Eric’s recommendation, along with conversations Roger had with various contractors, Roger worked up a recommendation to present to LNC’s board. The recommendation
included a list of low and medium costs fixes as well as a wish list including adding solar panels and expanding the lobby for solar display to inspire and educate visitors on the many ways
we all depend on the sun. Roger’s plan was unanimously approved by the LNC board.
Roger is so passionate about this effort that he has funded the cost of the energy audit and
has offered to assist with the plan by supervising and implementing some of the low cost fixes.
On page 5 is a letter from Roger with his recommendations and a request for support for the
project. If you know of an organization that has a willingness to assist with any of these recommendations pro bono or offer a discount or, if you know of individuals interested in helping to
fund this effort, they may contact Roger at the number shown on the letter or Kathy at 2975096.
What’s Up at LNC
Dreams with Wings planting raised beds
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Deer at the edge of the forest.
Greetings,
My name is Roger Ohlman and I am a volunteer at the Louisville Nature Center (LNC). I am
involved in an effort to make the LNC building more energy efficient and a model of what can
be done with a little effort and support from the community - a Louisville community that wants
to be more sustainable while creating a better world for future generations.
LNC educates approximately 5,000 school age kids each year about our natural world and
how to take care of it. In addition, there are summer camps for kids, adult programs such as
yoga, gardening and beekeeping and groups that meet in the building after hours. The sights,
smells, sounds, feel and, yes, tastes in the sensory garden are enjoyed by visitors and the garden accommodates those with disabilities. LNC also uses and sells rain barrels and has a rain
garden. We are a natural for people who think taking care of our planet Earth is a good idea.
We hope you think so too and will support this effort through a financial, material or labor contribution.
We have a plan for reducing our gas and electric consumption with an eventual goal of eliminating our electric use with solar panels. We have already had Building Performance Group do
an energy audit of the building envelope and HVAC systems. We are now seeking estimates to
perform much of the work listed below.
Low Cost Recommendations:
Repair, reroute, insulate and seal duct work.
Add ceiling fan in the education room and possibly the lobby.
Add duct in attic to pull hot air out of the attic and into office area in the winter.
Design a method to keep attic door closed while still making it easy and safe to access.
Add vent to HVAC room that would allow excess heat to enter the education room.
Install LED lighting.
Medium-High Cost Recommendations:
Spray foam in attic where ceiling meets wall header and on west wall.
Insulate front and back porch cantilevers.
Expand the front porch with another glass wall and door to create more space and gain
passive solar heat during the winter.
Add solar panels to roof that would generate the remainder of the electricity needed.
The last piece of the plan is a vision for a solar display that will inspire visitors and educate
them to the many ways we depend on the Sun.
I have implemented a similar plan at my own home where I no longer have an electric bill and
each year I supply more electricity to the grid – no charge. I am also part of the Solar Array
team at First Unitarian Church, which has won both KYIPL and Louisville Energy Alliance
awards for its energy conservation efforts and continues to add to its solar array bank.
I would welcome any support you or your organization could offer to help implement this energy conservation effort.
Roger Ohlman
(502) 635-1572 or [email protected]
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Updates and News

Welcome to our newest board member, Tony Marconi. Tony is the
Operations Support Service Director for MSD. He is an engineer and
has been involved in many community initiatives including MSD Cares
Campaign and the Louisville Chapter KSPE, earning the Young Engineer of the Year Award for 2011. He replaces Tom Luckett, IT Director at MSD. Many thanks to Tom who will be missed.
 Storywalks are scheduled for various Saturday dates throughout
the summer. Be sure to check the website for more information.
 Volunteers, Sarah Browers and Karyn Freshley, skilled in GPS and
GIS, have volunteered to do mapping of the preserve. Sarah is concentrating on a comparative analysis of the forest invasive species
population as it is today versus the documented growth reported in
2013 by volunteer, Laura Darnell. Karyn hopes to update the trail
map used by visitors and add an online version that hikers can access
at our website throught their cell phones. Thanks to Karyn and Sarah
for taking the initiative on these projects.
 The NAPECA People for Pollinators project is moving along swiftly.
Project Manager, Steve Brown, has installed several gardens with the
help of University of Louisville intern, Sarah Hettel, volunteer, Ann Rosa, and staff educator Rosemary Bauman. LNC is still looking for
volunteers who are passionate about increasing the monarch butterfly
and bee population in our community. There are also still openings
for schools wishing to be included in the project. Participating schools
receive free pollinator plants for their school gardens and assistance
with educational opportunities relating to
the need to attract monarch butterflies and
bees. Contact Steve Brown at 270-3070150.
2016 Board Members
Walt Christensen
President
Phyllis Fitzgerald
Vice President
Ron Jolly
Treasurer
Pete Glauber
Secretary
Russell Cotton
Helen Dorroh
Perri Eason
Mark Eley
Ken Machtolff
Tony Marconi
Chris O’Bryan
Kenny Popp
Laura Reinhardt
Joe Chiles (Emeritus)
Kathy Morris
Director

The Jefferson County Master
Gardener Association has almost
completed its work on the new Frog
Pond. Stop by soon to see the
progress.
Volunteers Needed
Education, fundraising, marketing, crafting, hiking, greeting, cleaning and
much more. WE NEED YOU. Consider sharing your time and talents
with Louisville Nature Center. We provide training. All you need is a love
of nature and eagerness to help others.
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Staff
Rosemary Bauman
Ellie Block
Judy Gardner
Kerry Jones
Cathy Neeley
Joan Shanahan
Tracy Slone
Friends of the Forest — 2016
Please Support those who care as much about LNC
Limbwalker Tree Service, Inc.
901 Dumesnil St
Louisville KY 40203
Stock Yards Bank & Trust
4016 Poplar Level Road
Louisville, KY 40213
Beckham Bird Club
PO Box 5301
Louisville, KY 40255
[email protected]
Sandy’s Pet Shop
1421 Hess Ln
Louisville KY 40217
Frank Otte Nursery & Garden
Center
2939 Bardstown Road 40205
502-454-4000
St Francis High School
233 West Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202
Metro Parks
1297 Trevilian Way
Louisville, KY
Louisville Gas & Electric
Jefferson Co. Extension Office
Master Gardeners
569-2344
United Parcel Service
Boy Scouts of America
Bob Ray Company
Metropolitan Sewer District
700 West Liberty
Louisville, KY 40203
District 10 &
Metro Council Members
Gault-Marsh Development
Gardiner Point Office Building
4011 Gardiner Point Drive
Suite 200
Louisville, KY 40213-1988
Building Performance Group
Eric George
509-5535
Chatham Facial Plastic Surgery
4001 Kresge Way, Suite 310
502-895-4820
KROGER COMPANY
MONTHLY MEETINGS AT LNC
KY Herpetological Society
http://www.kyherpsoc.org
6 pm 3rd Sunday
KYANA Geological Society
http://www.kyanager.org
7pm 3rd Tuesday
KY Society of Natural History
http://www.ksnh.org
7pm 3rd Thursday
Louisville Rose Society
http://www.louisvillerosesociety.org/
7pm 4th Thursday
Jeff. Co. Master Gardeners Assn. http://www.http://www.jcmastergardeners.org 7pm 1st Tuesday
Buffalo Trace Leather Guild
6:30 pm 2nd Friday
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3745 Illinois Avenue · Louisville, KY 40213
Phone: (502) 458-1328
www.louisvillenaturecenter.org
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Louisville, KY
Permit No. 1156
Louisville Nature Center Membership Form
With your LNC membership, you'll receive our quarterly newsletter in your mailbox and discounts on family nature programs, adult workshops, birthday parties, and nature camps in the
spring and summer. Many of our education programs and guided hikes are offered free to
members. In addition to wonderful membership privileges, you’ll get satisfaction from making a
positive contribution toward effective nature education in our community. What are you waiting
for – become a member today! If you are already an LNC member, please show your support
at renewal time.
Mail to: 3745 Illinois Ave Louisville KY 40213
_____ Business $500_____ Business $250
_____ Steward $100
_____ Family $45
_____ Individual $30
_____ Senior $25
____ Teacher / Student $20
Name ___________________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________
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Email ____________________________________ Phone _________________________
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