On Sunday, January 29, 2023, the Wild Ones Southern Kentucky Chapter hosted its second annual birdfeeder make-and-take event. This hands-on, family-friendly event has proven very popular, with spots filling up two years in a row.
Dozens of creative participants worked their way through the River Birch Room at Lost River Cave to pick a pine cone, smear it with bark butter, roll it in bird seed, and decorate it with dried fruits, foliage and other natural objects. The finished products will benefit local birds and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. Many participants also went home with cedar log birdfeeders kindly donated by local optometrist and avid birder, Dr. Kevin Burt.
Chapter membership chair, Kathee Morgeson, notes, “This event is a great way to encourage local families to bring nature into their backyards. Feeding and observing birds can inspire a love of nature and encourage people of all ages to be environmental stewards.”
Events like this couldn’t be planned or executed without passionate members and volunteers, including 13 volunteers who helped participants during the event. Wild Ones member and first-time volunteer, Clara Vest, enjoyed her inaugural event. She explains, “I was delighted to take part in an event that helps connect young people to nature! That connection is so frequently lost in today’s digital society, and yet it is so vital to the child’s development and to the future health of our planet.”
The birdfeeder make-and-take event is one of many events that allows the chapter to fulfill its mission to promote environmentally sound landscaping practices and preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities. The chapter hosts monthly meetings and activities such as field trips, plant sales, volunteer opportunities and gardening projects.
Community members can learn more about the Wild Ones SOKY Chapter at a Cross Pollinator Party in the River Birch Room of Lost River Cave on Thursday, February 9, 6–7:30 p.m. Cross Pollinator Parties are informal meetings that encourage participants to connect with each other through sharing experiences, resources and information about native plants and native ecosystems.
Visit our events page to explore all of our upcoming events.
