Raven Run Nature Sanctuary - Forest Health Field Day
Everyone wants a healthy forest, but what does this mean?
Welcome to Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
Raven Run is a nature sanctuary located along the Kentucky river palisades of central Kentucky. With 734 acre and over 10 miles of hiking trails, Raven Run is home to many species of plants and animals. Open to the public year round, Raven Run faces significant management difficulties from invasive plants and insects.
Prather homestead site, Rave Run Nature Sanctuary
Numerous species of plants and animals call Raven Run home. The sanctuary is also the location of the remains of a 19th century homestead site, with historical significance to the area.
Lichen and moss, Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
Invasive species can have significant impacts on on the health and ecology of a landscape. At Raven Run, invasive plants like bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) present considerable management challenges.
Garlic mustard is a perennial herbaceous plant that is invasive in Kentucky and throughout the US. For information on how to manage garlic mustard and control the spread of this invasive plant
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Bush honeysuckle is a highly invasive perennial shrub. Native to Asia, it present significant management challenges in many landscapes across the state. For information on control of bush honeysuckle
Bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) or EAB, is an invasive beetle found throughout eastern North America.
EAB adult on oak leaf
EAB infects native ash trees. In Kentucky, white ash (Fraxinus americana) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) are particularly susceptible to EAB, and the vast majority of infect ash will die as a direct result of EAB infestation.
If you would like to learn more about EAB, and how to protect your trees from or manage your woodlands for this invasive insect
Native plants in the open fields of Raven Run
There are numerous invasive plants and insects that can impact the health of Kentucky forests and woodlands and disrupt the growth of native plant species. If you would like to learn more about Kentucky forest health, click here.
Bridge at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
If you would like to learn more about Raven Run, or would like to visit the nature sanctuary, you can find more information here.
To record and document ash trees in your woodlands, consider downloading the TreeSnap App. This app, designed in part by researchers at the University of Kentucky Forestry Department, allows users to record at-risk tree species such as ash in forests and woodlands. Researchers can then use this information in studies to learn more about the insects and diseases threatening these trees, and hopefully how to better manage them in the future.
