GETTING TO KNOW...RAVEN RUN NATURE SANCTUARY

Bordering the Kentucky River just outside of Lexington is Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, a 734-acre natural area complete with trails, woodlands, streams, meadows, and a team of devoted staff dedicated to making visitors feel welcome and engaged. From classes exploring on field trips to families stopping by for weekend hikes, visitors to Raven Run find that there is something for everyone, and one visit is almost never enough.

“Although there are so many memorable moments from working with so many members of the public,” says Jennifer Hubbard-Sánchez, Recreation Manager, “some of our favorites are the kids who come out on school field trips and then come back shortly after with their parents because they want show off what they have learned.”

Open year-round, the nature sanctuary is an ideal classroom no matter the season. And it is a popular one—in the fall of 2019 alone, Raven Run hosted more than 500 youth from Fayette County Public Schools for school day programs.

Activities and workshops for these kinds of field trips are developed in alignment with Kentucky Academic Standards. “We have designed programs on fossils, Kentucky history, and habitats and adaptations that were implemented with groups of several different ages,” Hubbard-Sánchez says. “Our programs’ content can be adapted to fit the needs of teachers as we understand the need to structure field trips around the Standards.”

To make visits accessible to as many students as possible, Raven Run offers transportation grants through the Friends of Raven Run to cover the cost of school busses for Fayette County Public School groups.

Students stay engaged during lessons at Raven Run through a mix of indoor learning, outdoor experiences, and hikes. Scout groups and other community organizations also frequent the sanctuary for an array of activities, from wildflower walks to invasive species removal workshops. “It’s exciting to see people come to a program and leave with new knowledge that they’re excited about,” says Park Naturalist Anna Wiker. “Seeing people’s mindsets change about a preconceived notion they may have about a certain animal, snake, or spider is always satisfying to experience.”

And, Hubbard-Sánchez says,“seeing the magic of little kids tagging monarchs in late summer and watching them fly away is a special moment a lot of us remember.”

No visitor leaves Raven Run without having witnessed the staff’s palpable enthusiasm for their work. “Every day I learn something new about the land, whether it’s about the history of the preserve or a neat fact about an animal that lives here,” says Recreation Leader Phoebe Kingsley. “You never know who will stop by for a program or a hike, and seeing a kid’s face light up when they see a unique creature for the first time is always so exciting and sweet.”

Seth Paddick, Recreation Specialist, says he and his fellow staff are motivated by having the opportunity “to take part in conserving a natural area for people to enjoy and learn about the importance of the natural world.” And, Kingsley adds, “not everyone can say that they get to hike at work!”

Belonging to the city of Lexington and funded through tax dollars, Raven Run is a welcome retreat from city life for more than 60,000 visitors each year. “We may be a nature sanctuary, but we also work for the public,” Hubbard-Sánchez says. “We welcome new ideas and feedback from all members of the public on how we can improve Raven Run for everyone!”

Member Feature: Jackie Gallimore

Jackie Gallimore is the Lower School Science Teacher at Sayre School in Lexington and has worked around the country at several environmental education centers and museums. She is a facilitator of Project Wet, Project Wild, Project Learning Tree, and Project Underground and is a Certified Professional Environmental Educator.

​1. If you could be any animal, which would you be? A dolphin

2. What is the top destination on your would-love-to-visit list? Amazon Rainforest

3. If you could visit another period in time for a year, what time would you return to? The early 1800’s

4. What is your favorite place to visit in Kentucky? Mammoth Cave

5. Who inspires you? Many people! Jane Goodall, Greta Thunberg and Brene Brown come to mind.

6. What’s the last book you read? Erosion by Terry Tempest Williams

7. Who would you most like to swap places with for a day? A remote field biologist

8. If you could choose a superpower, what would it be? Flight

9. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Moss green

10. What’s the weirdest food you’ve ever eaten? Swedish salty black licorice – do not recommend!

11. What do you find most energizing about environmental education? Sharing the outdoors with young people who appreciate it

12. What was your first job? Bagger at Kroger

13. What is something you saw recently that made you smile? PreK students planting their first seeds

14. What is something—big or small—that you think you’re really bad at? Singing

15. What is something—big or small—that you’re really good at? Organization

16. If you had to pick one age to be permanently, what age would you be? 33

17. What fictional place would you most like to visit? Hogwarts, of course!

18. What kind of art do you enjoy most? Contemporary watercolor and anything made of felt!

19. What is one hobby you’d love to get into? Photography

20. What is your favorite aspect of being a member of KAEE? Learning and friendships at conferences

THE SCOOP ON...KAEE BOARD CHAIR JENNIFER HUBBARD-SÁNCHEZ'S OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO EE AWARD

Jennifer Hubbard-Sánchez has been awarded the 2019 Outstanding Service to Environmental Education Award at the Local and Regional Level by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). ​ Sánchez was recognized for her work as the Recreation Manager at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, her contributions to climate change research at Kentucky State University and her leadership roles with regional and state environmental education associations. Sánchez places equity and inclusion at the forefront of her work, including facilitating Kentucky’s only bilingual Project Learning Tree trainings. She is a certified Kentucky Professional Environmental Educator and has served on the national stage on NOAA’s Climate Stewards Program and NAAEE’s climate change panel. “What has inspired me is working with and learning from so many dedicated young people who are beyond just educating the public, but really working toward getting folks to understand the ‘why’ of environmental programming and the call to action to get engaged and involved in making our world a bit better each day,” said Sánchez. NAAEE began awarding the Outstanding Service to Environmental Education Award in 1974 to recognize environmental educators and advocates who have made notable contributions to the field. Individuals and organizations at the global, regional, national and local levels are eligible. “Jennifer Hubbard-Sánchez's contributions to environmental education have been remarkable and she serves as a model for so many people inside and outside Kentucky,” said Judy Braus, Executive Director for NAAEE. “She is one of the most creative and thoughtful leaders in the field and has helped strengthen environmental education through her passion, creativity and dedication to building a more equitable and sustainable society.” ​Jennifer has served on the board of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education since 2013. She has been at the forefront of the organization for the past seven years, most recently as chair. She has lived and studied in Spain, México, and Costa Rica, and has implemented youth development programming in México and Honduras. Her diverse career path, education and training, volunteer experience, and professional passion have provided her with experience not only in the environmental education field, but in sustainability, diversity, and climate change education. She is a visionary, yet highly action-oriented individual. She has a love and determination that cannot be beaten and has earned the respect of everyone in the environmental education field. ​

STORY BY NAAEE STAFF