Date of trip: 07/31/2021
Start time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Central Time
Location: Ballard County
Difficulty of hike: Easy – We will caravan/car pool on the gravel roads in the wildlife management area, stopping to view a variety of native plants and habitats. At a couple of the stops we will walk distances of under a 1/2 mile.
It’s been well over a year since KNPS has been able to have field trips exploring the diverse botany of Kentucky. We are excited to get back into the field with our first field trip since the start of the pandemic. Join KNPS Board Member, Jeff Nelson, Ballard WMA employee, Gerald Burnett, and KNPS member, Bob Dunlap, as as we explore the native plant ecosystems in the wetlands and river bottoms of the Ballard WMA in Ballard Co.
Ballard Wildlife Management Area is 8,000 acres located in the Ohio River bottomlands ecoregion in far western Kentucky. The WMA is mostly wetland with 39% of the acreage in wetland, 28% forest, 27% open land, and 6% open water. Much of the wetland is comprised of rare, cypress-tupelo swamps and sloughs which many Kentuckians have not had the opportunity to experience. The Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves lists cypress-tupelo swamp as a state endangered ecosystem.
We will caravan (carpooling as much as possible) around the WMA, stopping to examine the botany of Ballard’s diverse ecosystems. We should see several uncommon, wetland plant species, some in flower. Although we will not be hiking any distance, we will be taking walks of less than 1/2 mile at a couple of stops, all on the road or trails. We will walk into areas off the road to get a better view many of the plants. There is likely to be some muddy spots where we will be walking, so be prepared. At the end of July, it will be hot and humid and there will mosquitos and ticks, so bring plenty of water and insect repellent.
Directions: We will meet at the WMA Office at 864 Wildlife Lodge Rd, La Center, KY 42056.
Map Coordinates for the Office are:
37.18393861563692, -89.02681588465485
Registration for this trip is closed.