Clay Hill Memorial Forest

06/17/2026

Our pollinator garden is already attracting pollinators and their larvae! The first photo is a tiny monarch caterpillar happily munching on a milkweed leaf, and the second photo is what we believe to be a cluster of tussock moth eggs on the underside of a leaf. We love seeing the garden being used just as it was intended! 🦋🐛🌱🌼

05/22/2026

🚨UPDATE: 🚨We unfortunately have to cancel the OCI workshop coming up next week. We are hoping to be able to reschedule for next month. We will make an official updated announcement when we have made a decision!! If you have any questions please feel free to reach out!

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting Outdoor Classroom Institute: Roots, Rivers, and Wildlife! This opportunity is open to educators of all kinds, including formal educators, informal educators, and homeschool educators, to connect with nature, explore hands-on environmental education activities, and gain resources they can bring back into their learning environments.

We are excited to partner with Kentucky Association for Environmental Education to provide educators with valuable environmental education materials, including select Project WILD and Project WET resources. Participants who complete the institute and create a lesson plan on the final day will also receive a $200 stipend.

Join us June 8–10 from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. for three days of learning, exploration, and ideas designed to inspire outdoor learning experiences for students.

Spaces are limited sign up soon with the QR code or the link at the bottom of this post!

Please note that childcare is not provided during this event.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16yCUgqwXYRMao-vC_lhY86_Qs43htGJLLRzaRXtwRrM/viewform?edit_requested=true

05/21/2026

Turtle Crossing Season has arrived! ⚠️🐢

Many turtle species are on the go as they move between habitats and seek out nest sites. As you encounter turtles in roadways this spring and summer, remember the following:

✅Help turtles cross the road (in the direction they seemed to be heading) if it is safe to do so
🚫Do NOT relocate turtles - removing them from their territory and natural habitat decreases their chances of survival
🚫Do NOT take turtles home as long-term or temporary pets - let them be wild!

Be on the lookout and lend a helping hand when possible!

You can also support turtles, and other vulnerable wildlife, when you join Kentucky Wild. Learn more and become a member at FW.KY.GOV/KYWILD.

📷An Eastern box turtle crosses a roadway at Barren River Lake State Park

05/21/2026

05/20/2026

Clay Hill Memorial Forest had so much fun having Taylor County’s first grade field trip groups out for two awesome days! Students got to explore, learn, and get hands-on with nature while rotating through different activities.

They learned about reptiles and amphibians with Ms. Brooklyn, explored different leaves and made leaf rubbing crafts with Ms. Nova, discovered pond life with Mrs. Sue, and learned about the history of the cabin at Clay Hill with Dr. Moore.

We loved seeing all of the curiosity, excitement, and questions from students throughout the day. Thank you to everyone who came out and spent time learning and exploring with us! 🐸🪲🐍🌱

05/15/2026

At Family Nature Night, we learned about different pollinators and why they play such an important role in our environment. We listened to a story from , then became pollinators ourselves as we searched for the sweetest and prettiest flowers to create fun nature bracelets!

Thank you to all who showed up and learned with us!

05/04/2026

Events in May!