Honoring the land and the Mahr legacy
through education, art and nature.
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Welcome to the April “Friends of Mahr Park” monthly newsletter!
If you're looking to shake off the winter blues and blahs, there is no better place in western Kentucky than Mahr Park at Hidden Hills Farm.
Whether you take a stroll (or jog) along the paved trails, join a birding hike, kayak or canoe on Lake Pee Wee, or sit lakeside for a few minutes to reset and recharge, Mahr Park is the place to be!
Bring your binoculars and/or cameras because spring birds have arrived! On Monday, March 19, the first Purple Martin was sighted! And Eastern Bluebirds are busy building nests!
Break out your kayaks and canoes. Lake Pee Wee is an amazing place to paddle, drift and cast a line! And if Disc Golf is your thing, we've got you covered!
We hope to see you at Mahr Park soon! And be sure to let us know you visited. Give us a review on
Facebook
! And tag your photos
#mahrpark
.
Is this monthly letter is working for you? Please reach out and let us know your thoughts. What you would like to see more of?
If you're reading this letter for the first time, this is what you can expect the second Sunday of each month.
- Upcoming educational programming and events
- Opportunities to learn and experience the land and nature through scheduled hikes
- How to support Mahr Park through giving
- How to get involved in the Mahr Park volunteer program
- Creating a sustainable environment for nature
(You can unsubscribe from this letter anytime. But we hope you don’t!)
With so much going on at Mahr Park this month, let's dig in!
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Here's What's Happening at Mahr Park!
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Mahr Park is Going Batty Over BrandenBark
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Last November, as part of the Mahr Park Living Legacy Learning series, Piper Roby, Research Director at Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc. spoke about the importance of bats at Mahr Park.
“Bats are one of the most undervalued animals in the world and they are in trouble due to habitat destruction, disease, and active removal.”
Piper's two-hour presentation about how to attract bats to Mahr Park produced serious interest from volunteers and others attending the series.
How do you attract bats?
Build a bat tower using BrandenBark of course!
BrandenBark is an artificial bat roost to help increase bat populations.
Why does Mahr Park want
bats
?
In addition to what Piper said at the meeting, having a BrandenBark bat tower at Mahr Park would be a fantastic educational tool to communicate the importance of bats to students, residents and park visitors.
Plus
b
ats feed on insects. And bats are so cool!
The BrandenBark bat roosts are intended for the endangered Indiana bats (
Myotis sodalis
) and the federally threatened northern long-eared bat (
Myotis septentrionalis
). Other species that may inhabit the bark on Mahr Park are big brown bats (
Eptesicus fuscus
) and possibly little brown bats (
Myotis lucifugus
).
Shortly after the Living Legacy Learning series in November, Piper Roby contacted Clarks River NWR, who generously donated two pieces of BrandenBark to Mahr Park.
Today, thanks to Piper Roby, Clarks River NWR and Mahr Park volunteers, Mahr Park is on its way to raising two bat towers!
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April 4, 2018. Mahr Park Volunteer Beverly Carrico (l), and Mahr Park Development Coordinator Donna Stricklin (r), receive BrandenBark at Clarks River NWR from Clarks River Refuge Manager, Michael Johnson.
Contact Donna
to learn how you can support this awesome bat program.
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Get Out There!
Upcoming Birding & Hiking Schedule
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Hiking is the perfect opportunity to experience Mahr Park!
Whether you like to hike, bird-watch or just enjoy the outdoors, Mahr Park has something for every nature-lover. Search for early spring migrants! You may even see some wildflowers around the park too. Upload your photos to
Facebook
and
Instagram
and tag them
#mahrpark
. We'd love to see what you're seeing at Mahr Park.
Check out the hiking scheduled below to find out who is leading the April and early May hikes. Follow Mahr Park on
Facebook
for start times.
Normal duration is approximately 2-3 hours but you are welcome to end your hike anytime you wish.
- Please meet at the Welcome Center ten minutes prior to hike.
- The weather is unpredictable this time of the year so dress appropriately and wear good boots or hiking shoes.
- Bring binoculars, water and a snack if you need it.
- Scheduled hikes are FREE. No registration required.
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Birding Hike at Mahr Park
with Donna Stricklin
April 8 & 22
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Hike the Trails at Mahr Park
with Mark Lee
April 21
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Birding Hike at Mahr Park
with Beverly Carrico
April 29 & May 12
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Birding Hike at Mahr Park
with Erika Wood
May 6
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Make plans to enjoy Mahr Park Sunday, April 22 to celebrate Earth Day
Lace up your sneakers, polish your binoculars and camera lens and enjoy the outdoors!
- Mahr Park offers birding hikes, disc golf, and walking trails.
- Lake Pee Wee's 360-acre lake is perfect for kayaking, canoeing and fishing.
- Don't forget to check out the Mahr Park Visitor's Center which includes the Ray Harm Gallery and the Mahr Library.
On a global scale, the 2018 official
Earth Day Network
campaign is to End Plastic Pollution.
From littering landscapes and clogging streams, lakes, and oceans to poisoning marine life and wildlife, plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to the health of our planet.
What can you do to make a difference?
Choose to "reject, reduce, reuse and recycle plastic."
Plastic pollution at Mahr Park is a big problem too.
Cups, straws, fishing line and lures are regularly found around the park. These items can be harmful to wildlife. Last year, fishing line was found in a Purple Martin’s nesting material. This is often deadly to young hatchlings. Balloons are another concern. When released into the air, they get stuck in the trees around the park and are found around the lakes and ponds. Again, these become dangers to wildlife and simply look bad.
Whatever you decide to do, please clean up after yourself and enjoy Earth Day 2018! The weather forecast looks bright and sunny with temps in the low 70s.
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National Arbor Day is April 27
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(Image Warrena J. Barnerd)
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Celebrating National Arbor Day at Mahr Park
The women of Highland Gardening Club (above) are celebrating National Arbor Day 2018 by planting three
Yellowwood trees
at Mahr Park as part of the "Tree to Trail" fundraising program.
Last year, these fine women planted two Redbuds at Mahr Park!
WTG Highland Garden Club! And thank you!
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Living Legacy Learning Series
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Sunday, April 8
Warblers
Join Ronald Canterbury, warbler expert and Ornithology Professor and at the University of Cincinnati, Sunday, April 8, 2:00-4:00 pm in the Mahr home at Mahr Park.
Canterbury has extensive knowledge of this group of small often colorful, passerine birds which make up the family
Parulidae
. Canterbury has been involved in a Golden-winged warbler conservation initiative due to its swift decline in population.
Don’t miss this fascinating program. It’s free and open to the public.
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Sunday, May 6
Pollinator Protection Plan
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Join Dr. Ricardo Bessie, University of Kentucky Extension Etymology Professor, Sunday, May 6, 2:00-4:00 pm at the Mahr home in Mahr Park.
Bessin provides insect and pollinator education to a wide audience from Master Gardners to youth groups to the commercial agriculture industry.
This free event offers something for many. Please join us at Mahr Park, from 2:00-4:00 pm and welcome Dr. Bessin.
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April is National Volunteer Month
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Volunteers play a vital role in the daily operations of the park, providing the informational and educational services offered to visitors.
How can you help and join the Mahr Park team of volunteers?
- Mahr Home Hostess
- Administrative Support
- Zone Garden Volunteers
- Educational Ambassador and Tour Guide
- Community Gardens Support
- Welcome Center attendant
Volunteer today at Mahr park!
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Meet Beverly Hamman
Bev’s first volunteer experience at Mahr Park was in 2014 when she participated in a United Way Day of Caring event. Later that year, she and husband Jack co-hosted the first Friends of Mahr Park fund raising event.
Bev had been retired from Baptist Health about one year when she approached Barbie and Donna to find out if a person could volunteer at Mahr Park. Naturally, they said YES!
Bev became the first weekly volunteer! She worked tirelessly for the next three months cleaning and readying the Mahr Home for the October 2016 Grand Opening of Mahr Park.
Bev feels a special connection to Mahr Park for many reasons. She enjoys caring for the historic Mahr home and considers the library an important piece of the Mahr story.
In her words, “I enjoy being associated with the efforts to preserve this beautiful land, its plants and wildlife, and the Mahr Home so that all can enjoy.”
Thank you Bev!
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Artist In Residence
Continues with Storytelling Workshops
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Mahr Park's Artist In Residence Jim Loucks and Director Lisa Chess of THE BISCUITEATER are offering free Storytelling Workshops.
Local writers and wanna-be's are learning about the art of storytelling from renowned storyteller
Jim Loucks
from Los Angeles, along with Director Lisa Chess.
Storytelling Workshops will be held at Mahr Park at Hidden Hills Farm the first two weeks of April.
- WORKSHOP A: Wednesday, April 4 & 11, 6-9 pm
- WORKSHOP B: Thursday, April 5 & 12, 6-9 pm
- WORKSHOP C: Unfortunately this workshop was canceled.
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THE BISCUITEATER Plays Again!
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Jim Loucks’ rollicking solo performance, THE BISCUITEATER, is based loosely on his childhood, told in a Southern storytelling-style with songs and humor.
Granddaddy was his hero, a big man with a bigger personality, haunted by his days as Chief of Police. As he nears the end of his life, he seeks redemption through teaching his grandson to respect life and to respect himself.
THE BISCUITEATER is a moving tribute to an imperfect hero.
Directed by Lisa Chess.
Glema Mahr for the Arts
- Saturday, April 28, 7:30 pm
- Sunday, April 29, 2:00 pm
Tickets are available online or at the Glema Mahr box office. Admission is FREE but advance reservations are recommended. Call today (270) 824-8650.
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Become a Friend of Mahr Park!
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Your generous support helps make programming possible at
Mahr Park.
Here are a few ways your gift honors the land and the Mahr Park legacy through education, art and nature.
- Community Gardens
- Educational Programming
- Pollinator Gardens
- Native Wildflower Areas
- Hiking Program
- Bluebird Trail
- Bat Housing
- Purple Martin Housing
- Artist in Residence Program
- Tree the Trail Program
- Sculptures at Mahr Park
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Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this letter, please share with a friend, and follow Mahr Park on
Facebook
and
Instagram
.
Warmly,
Donna
& Barbie
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Mahr Park at Hidden Hills Farm
is a donor-supported public park. We rely on your contributions, donations and volunteers! Please consider donating your time and or resources to this special park. Mahr Park Charitable Trust is a 501c3 organization and your contributions are tax deductible.
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Donna Stricklin - Development Coordinator
Mahr Park at Hidden Hills Farm
270-584-9017 office | 270-871-5839 cell
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