Events

Events Search and Views Navigation

Event Views Navigation

Today

Webinar: Classifying Nature after Linnaeus: Charles Darwin’s Insight Changes the Conversation

Presented by: Rob Paratley, University of Kentucky
This webinar presented by Rob Paratley begins in 18th Century Sweden with botanist Carl Linnaeus, the so-called “Father of Taxonomy” (the science of classifying Nature). Linnaeus’ conversation with Nature, the How and What of Nature’s diversity, are with us yet today, but he and those that followed left unanswered the questions of Why. Why is Nature patterned the way that Linnaeus first saw? What causes natural groups? What does natural affinity actually mean? Religious men and creationists, the best they could do was to invoke the plan of the Deity. This changed forever with Darwin’s Great Taxonomic Insight. Rob will discuss how Darwin’s evolutionary thinking changed forever the way we converse with Nature.

$10

Hike: Signs of Spring Wildflower Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Join us for a hike to find the earliest spring wildflowers. One hike will head to the Kentucky River floodplain, while the other hike will look for the snow trilliums and feature Elk Lick Creek.

$10

Webinar: The Ecology of Spring Ephemerals

Presented by Beverly James, Preserve Director

As the days become longer and the temperatures begin to warm, the forest floor comes alive with spring wildflowers and the wildlife they attract. This webinar will guide you through the wildflower season at Floracliff, taking a closer look at the phenology, pollinator relationships, and natural history of our most treasured spring wildflowers.

$10

Hike: Early Spring Wildflower Hike

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Join us for a wildflower hike to Elk Lick Falls. Hopefully, we will see some of our earliest spring wildflowers, such as bloodroot, trout lilies, and spring beauties.

$10

Hike: Wildflower Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

By late March, our spring wildflower season should be in full swing. We will be offering two separate hikes to view wildflowers throughout the sanctuary.

$10

Hike: Wildflower Hike to Elk Lick Creek

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

This should be a good time to view a variety of early spring ephemerals at Floracliff. We hope to see sessile trillium, Virginia bluebells, yellow trout lilies, and many more.

$10

Wildflower Hike with Joyce Bender

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Celebrate spring’s beauty and explore some of the connections between spring wildflowers, their habitats, and us.

$10

Hike: Wildflower Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Join us for a wildflower hike during peak wildflower season. We will be offering two separate hikes to view wildflowers throughout the sanctuary. One hike will take our best wildflower trail and visit Elk Lick Creek. The other hike will head to Elk Lick Falls and Elk Lick Creek.

$10

Hike: Wildflower Hike to Elk Lick Creek

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

This hike will feature our best wildflower trail during peak wildflower season.

$10

Hike: Wildflower Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Peak wildflower season will continue for these hikes. We will be offering two separate hikes to view wildflowers throughout the sanctuary. One hike will take our best wildflower trail and visit Elk Lick Creek. The other hike will head to Elk Lick Falls and Elk Lick Creek. We hope to see dwarf larkspur, wood poppies, and more.

$10

Hikes: Magic Hour Wildflower Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff. We will be offering two separate hikes to view wildflowers throughout the sanctuary as the early evening sunlight shines through the trees. One hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and the other hike will feature the Kentucky River.

$10

Hike: Wildflower Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Join us for a hike to see and enjoy Floracliff's wildflowers during their peak. We will be offering two separate hikes to view wildflowers throughout the sanctuary. One hike will take our best wildflower trail and visit Elk Lick Creek. The other hike will head to Elk Lick Falls and Elk Lick Creek. We hope to see bishop's cap, shooting star, Jacob's ladder and more.

$10

Webinar: The City Nature Challenge: A New Way to Discover Lexington

Presented by Beverly James, Preserve Director

The City Nature Challenge is a global 4-day community science project aimed at documenting nature in and around urban areas. Floracliff Nature Sanctuary is bringing the City Nature Challenge to Lexington for the first time in April. Learn more about the City Nature Challenge, how you can participate, and the value of finding and sharing observations of urban nature.

Free

Hikes: Earth Day Magic Hour Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your Earth Day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff. We will be offering two separate hikes to view wildflowers throughout the sanctuary as the early evening sunlight shines through the trees. One hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and the other hike will feature the Kentucky River.

$10

City Nature Challenge 2021: Lexington

Floracliff is thrilled to bring the City Nature Challenge 2021 to Lexington. The City Nature Challenge is a global community science event that mobilizes urban residents and visitors to observe, document, and celebrate the wild plants, animals, and fungi in and around urban areas. This focused and collective effort increases our awareness and understanding of urban biodiversity around the world.

City Nature Challenge: Nighttime Exploration

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Calling all community scientists! This program will focus on exploring Floracliff's ponds and forest edges after dark for the City Nature Challenge. We’ll focus on discovering and documenting frogs, moths, and more. Each registered party must have at least one member who has, or can create, an iNaturalist account in advance of the program. Be prepared to photograph your findings and upload them to iNaturalist either during the program or by May 3rd.

Free

City Nature Challenge: Creek Exploration

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Calling all community scientists! This program will focus on exploring a section of one of our creeks to discover and document aquatic life for the City Nature Challenge. Each registered party must have at least one member who has, or can create, an iNaturalist account in advance of the program. Be prepared to photograph your findings and upload them to iNaturalist either during the program or by May 3rd.

Free

City Nature Challenge: Field and Forest Exploration

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Calling all community scientists! This program will focus on exploring an area of Floracliff known as Bird Hill for the City Nature Challenge. We'll focus on discovering and documenting birds, trees, wildflowers, butterflies, bees and more. Each registered party must have at least one member who has, or can create, an iNaturalist account in advance of the program. Be prepared to photograph your findings and upload them to iNaturalist either during the program or by May 3rd.

Free

Hike: Global Big Day Bird Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Put on your Community Scientist hat and join us in finding, counting and identifying birds at Floracliff.

$5

Hike: Creative Reflections at Elk Lick Creek

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Enjoy a full hour immersed in the sights and sounds of Elk Lick Creek to write, create, meditate, or just enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. This program offers the opportunity to slow down, connect to nature, and disconnect from electronic devices. At the end of the hike, participants will have a chance to share as much or as little as they like.

$10

Magic Hour Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff. We will be offering two separate hikes through the sanctuary as the early evening sunlight shines through the trees. One hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and the other hike will feature the Kentucky River.

$10

Nighttime Exploration

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

This program will focus on exploring Floracliff’s ponds and forest edges after dark. We will visit the ponds near the nature center to inspect the frog activity and will have UV lights and sheets set-up to attract moths and other insects.

$10

Magic Hour Hikes

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff. We will be offering two separate hikes through the sanctuary as the early evening sunlight shines through the trees. One hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and the other hike will feature the Kentucky River.

$10

Elk Lick Creek Walk

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Elk Lick Creek flows through the heart of Floracliff and provides habitat for a diversity of amphibians, reptiles, insects, fish, and more. Join Floracliff Naturalists on this trek along a scenic 1/2-mile section of of the creek to explore the biodiversity and take in the beauty of the area.

$10

Webinar: Butterflies of Central Kentucky: 
Identification, Diversity, & Ecology

Nearly 150 butterflies have been documented throughout Kentucky. This webinar presentation will feature over 45 of the most common summer butterflies in the Inner Bluegrass region. Participants will learn tricks for identification, basic biology of butterflies, and their relationships with native plants. We will also cover community science projects and resources so that participants can document and share their butterfly observations.

$10

Workshop: Butterflies of Central Kentucky

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

This half-day workshop will provide field experience in butterfly identification at Floracliff and another nearby location in Fayette County. It should be a great primer (or refresher) for those wishing to participate in the Central Bluegrass Butterfly Count in July. Workshop registration also includes registration for the Butterflies of Central Kentucky webinar on June 24th.

$25

Central Bluegrass Summer Butterfly Count

Floracliff is hosting and organizing the 5th annual Central Bluegrass Summer Butterfly Count with NABA - Central Kentucky. Community scientists and butterfly enthusiasts are encouraged to help us count and document butterflies at various locations throughout the Lexington count circle. All data will be submitted to the North American Butterfly Association. This count is one […]

Magic Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “magic hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and one of Kentucky's oldest trees.

$10

Nature at Night: Moths and More

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Floracliff has a diversity of moths that come in many different sizes and colors. These insects play an important role in the ecosystem, having intricate relationships with our native plants, birds, and bats. Join us for this program to kick off National Moth Week, when we will have a few light stations set up with sheets to get a close-up look at our moths and other nocturnal insects. Bring a flashlight!

$10

Elk Lick Creek Walk

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Elk Lick Creek flows through the heart of Floracliff and provides habitat for a diversity of amphibians, reptiles, insects, fish, and more. Join Floracliff Naturalists on this trek along a scenic 1/2-mile section of of the creek to explore the biodiversity and take in the beauty of the area.

$10

Golden Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This will feature Elk Lick Falls and one of Kentucky’s oldest trees.

$10

Golden Hour Hike to the Kentucky River

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This will head down to the Kentucky River floodplain, where setting sun lights up the palisades.

$10

Butterflies and Wildflowers of Late Summer

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Preserve Director Beverly James will lead this hike highlighting identification and natural history of butterflies as well as the wildflowers and hostplants they depend on. We'll spend some time in the pollinator field by the nature center before heading into the forest to look for woodland butterflies and flowers.

$10

Fall Bird Walk

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

This early morning walk will focus on observing and identifying migratory and resident birds of Floracliff's fields and forests.

$10

Bring the Bluegrass Home

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

In this program, we’ll visit some of the small trees and shrubs growing at Floracliff that support our birds, butterflies, and other animals. We’ll discuss how you can add these vital native plants into your yards, replace those pesky invasives (honeysuckle, burning bush, and pear, oh my!), and welcome Bluegrass biodiversity back into our neighborhoods. 

$10

In the Company of Trees: A Contemplation Hike w/ Lucia Gilchrist

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

This contemplation walk through the Floracliff forest will provide an opportunity to reflect on the roles of trees and the relationships they support. There will be an opportunity for quiet contemplation and personal expression through writing, drawing, photography, or meditation.

$10

Bearing Fruit: Dispersing Seeds and Tree Identification w/ Rob Paratley

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Meet with botanist Rob Paratley for a two-part program at Floracliff Nature Sanctuary. We will have a look at a number of fruit types of native trees. Then we will hike a portion of the Preserve to see some of the fruit of the trees and shrubs in the field.

$10.00

Tree Week Golden Hour Hike to Elk Lick Falls

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This hike will feature Elk Lick Falls and one of Kentucky’s oldest trees.

Free

Tree-lationships Hike

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

Trees have intricate relationships with their environment as well as other living plants, animals, and fungi. This hike will highlight the various relationships and benefits trees provide, from hostplants and nest sites to stream health and human health. Join us on a hike through the forest to Elk Lick Creek to learn about these connections and deepen your own relationship with trees.

$10

Golden Hour Hike to the Kentucky River

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary 8000 Elk Lick Falls Road, Lexington, KY, United States

End your day with a quiet and relaxing “golden hour” hike at Floracliff while the early evening sunset shines through the trees. This will head down to the Kentucky River floodplain, where setting sun lights up the palisades.

$10