September 28th is National Public Lands Day, which celebrates the connection between people and nature in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and general health. Nature offers one of the most reliable boosts to mental and physical well-being, and spending time in the outdoors has been found to improve short-term memory, concentration and creativity—while reducing the effects of stress and anxiety.
As part of this celebration, Thrive Allen County is connected to three events over the weekend, related to Iola’s gem of a natural space, the Lehigh Portland Trails, which feature not only a popular network of hiking and biking trails, but also one of the largest and most diverse publicly-accessible natural areas in the region:
September 27, 2019
BioBlitz: Nocturnal Biodiversity of the Lehigh Portland Trails
Explore the amazing diversity of nighttime insects at Lehigh Portland Trails while participating in citizen science! If you can find a wild critter and take a picture of it you can participate as a BioBlitz observer. Join Rachel Stone, Biology Instructor at Allen County College, and her “Principles of Biology” students, along the Backbone Trail, where blacklight and sugaring stations will be set up to attract nocturnal insects.
September 28, 2019
Anderson County Seed Collecting
Thrive is collaborating with the Grassland Heritage Foundation, which owns property in nearby Anderson County. They are hosting seed-collection events on their Leadplant Prairie and Paintbrush Prairie. We’re in the early stages of our prairie restoration work at Lehigh, and GHF has very generously offered to support our efforts by sharing both their seeds and their expert knowledge! These events are a great opportunity to learn about prairie restoration, plant identification, and seed collecting, plus connect with individuals and organizations involved in this exciting and rewarding work. The seed collection events will take place on September 28th and October 26th.
September 29, 2019
Lehigh Nature Walk
Enjoy a stroll through the natural beauty of Lehigh Portland Trails, and learn about the stunning biodiversity and diverse ecosystems along the trails. Our trails steward, Randy Rasa, will lead this exploration of the trail system, concentrating on identifying flowers, grasses, and trees, and discussing the ongoing work of restoring and managing the trails and surrounding natural lands.
