River Fields

05/07/2026

Hey River Fields friends!

We had a fantastic time out at Garvin Brown today with our pals from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife banding birds. Bird banding is the process of trapping birds in a net and assessing their weight and measurements, then placing a small metal ring on their leg before re-releasing. It was really something to watch these wildlife biologists gently untangling tiny fragile birds from the weblike nets without doing any harm.

Bird banding is an excellent tool for identifying and tracking birds for research and conservation purposes. If you want to learn more about the practice, here's a great article from the Smithsonian: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/what-bird-banding
These folks from Fish and Wildlife do this kind of work all the time, but they said their time at Garvin Brown was really special for the diversity of birds they managed to band. We even got an extremely rare Bell's Vireo that has never been reported at Garvin Brown before! Other species included Indigo Bunting, Yellow Warbler, Goldfinch, Kingbird, Catbird, and several others. This is one of many reasons that we protect places like Garvin Brown!

05/06/2026

River Fields folks!

May is Mental Health Month. There are many ways to look after our mental wellness, and one that comes with a lot of scientific validation is taking a walk in nature. I invite you to come out to our own Garvin Brown Nature Preserve for a mental wellness boost.

Start by walking through our riparian woods and wetlands, either by following the Deb Burda Memorial Trail or the Josephine Sculpture Park Trail. One trail is named for a beloved member of the community, the other for an artistic space founded on an old family farm. There's a lot of love and care invested in both those names - pause to think about that.

Follow either of those paths while listening to the enchanting songs of red-winged blackbirds, hawks, and many of the other 210 species of bird that have been spotted here. Soon you'll see the path open up to fields of grasses and wildflowers, the sky wide and bold above them. Continue through the canyons of green, yellow, white, and purple, pausing to observe the butterflies, bees, birds, and other creatures benefitting from these pollinator plants.

But the best is still ahead - now you've arrived at the full-on views of the Ohio River and 12 Mile Island. A recent study showed that viewing bodies of water can lower blood pressure and heart rate and increase feelings of relaxation.

I would dare to suggest, too, that part of why we feel mentally recharged in nature is that when we're outdoors, we can feel like we're part of something bigger than we are that will outlast us - and that's comforting, somehow.
River Fields is proud to manage Garvin Brown for the full mental and physical benefit of our public. We invite you to take some time -- this month and every month -- to immerse yourself in our 46 acres and celebrate wellness. And bring a friend, too!

--Kristin Faurest, President and CEO, River Fields

Photos by John Nation

05/04/2026

River Fields folks!

We've got two fantastic programs coming up in June and July, and I am here to tell you that there won't be free spots for long. Programs are a member-only benefit and are free of charge, but reservations are required. Both these programs are a great way to learn more about how River Fields protects natural and cultural beauty for us all.

Sunday June 28: Edyalmoor Estate tour

Join local tour guide Gina Bergner for a visit to Edyalmoor Estate, a storied home and grounds protected by River Fields and the Kentucky Heritage Council. You won't want to miss the stories about the families who lived here, the architects and landscape architects who shaped the spaces over generations, and the extraordinary barrier-breaking Black educator who began life here as an enslaved boy.

Sunday July 12: Nature walk at Garvin Brown Nature Preserve

We'll be joining Gina Bergner once again for a walk around our own Garvin Brown to talk about wetlands, floodplain ecology, the natural history of the Ohio River and its islands, and many other topics. We'll also experiment - weather permitting - with cyanotype prints to capture summer nature patterns.

Both programs begin at 10 a.m. Accessibility note: both programs involve some slow-paced walking on relatively flat unpaved terrain. Please check with us if you have questions about accessibility or difficulty.

How to register: Email [email protected] to secure your spot. If you aren't sure about your membership status, just ask!

Remember: Your support as a member helps us provide these same programs free of charge to teens in residential care at the Home of the Innocents.

Thank you for supporting River Fields, and see you outside.
--Kristin Faurest, President and CEO, River Fields

Photos by John Nation

04/27/2026

Happy last Monday of April, River Fields friends! Check out this short but fun video about spring at our beautiful Garvin Brown Nature Preserve. Today would be a great day to visit!

Spring at Garvin Brown

04/24/2026

Hey River Fields friends - happy Friday! Just a reminder that this year the Deb Burda Classic Golf Scramble will be benefitting River Fields, and signups are still going on! This will be a fun event for an awesome cause - and just a few spots left. See you on the course?

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day, River Fields friends!
We're celebrating by posting a series of videos we shot recently on the lands we steward and protect. You can learn about the importance of protecting the floodplain, what a land conservation visionary is, why Garvin Brown Nature Preserve is awesome all year round - and more. Check it out here:

River Fields protects, advocates, and educates about the Ohio River and its natural and cultural treasures. We stand up for what's right for the river and the people who depend upon it. Here are some of our stories!

04/21/2026

Dear River Fields friends:
April is Membership Celebration Month here at River Fields, and we want you to be part of it!

If you aren't a member yet -- or you have been a member but haven't yet renewed this year -- let's make today the special day we change that.

You can tell from images like this beautiful John Nation photo of Garvin Brown Nature Preserve above that a lot of River Fields's work is highly visible. Our community is healthier and lovelier because of the successes you helped us make happen.

But a lot of our work - the work we've been doing since 1959 - is invisible.

You can see the river views and the trees and the historic structures that got saved.

What can't you see?

The flat-out bad ideas that never got put into action. The terrible development proposals that didn't happen. The destruction of natural or cultural treasures that got halted. The scenic views that were almost blocked. That's all part of our work, too. Always has been, always will be. And we're counting on your support to keep doing it.

Our membership base is truly our lifeblood -- we are 95% member-supported. Members like you make it possible for us to permanently protect 2,300 acres, manage 66 acres of green space for the public, advocate for good planning decisions, and help teens in residential care at the Home of the Innocents build connections with nature.

Memberships start at $50/year and come with the extra-special benefit of free access to all our programming. Programs are a member-only benefit and include experiences like tours of historic properties not open to the public and birding adventures with local treasure Lee Payne.

Bonus: You can bring a non-member friend with you for any and all programs. Because here at River Fields we believe there's no such thing as strangers - just members we haven't met yet.

All you have to do is go here to choose a membership level and donate securely online:

https://riverfields.org/ways-to-give/

and THANK YOU!

04/21/2026

Hey, River Fields friends! Check out our newest video on YouTube about how River Fields can help you protect your land!

Protected Forever: How River Fields saves land

04/10/2026

Just a reminder about our bird banding event - and an invitation to volunteer there! Signups are here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054DA9A82AAAF4C34-63450677-bird