The Buttermilk Falls Walking Trail is the most used trail in Meade County.  This beautiful trail is surrounded by an abundance of flora and fauna as well as springs and waterways flowing into the nearby Ohio River.  Walking and running conditions are ideal and many individuals spend hours on the trail individually or with their family.  A local committee, which includes the local FCS agent,  oversees the trail and works with the county parks department to maintain and expand the trail.  The committee identified a potential way to enhance the trail was through education focusing on the natural surroundings.

A local chemical company provides a $10,000 grant each year to support STEM projects with a youth component.  The general manager of the plant heavily utilizes the trail and also recognized the need to enhance the trail.  The FCS agent was approached about working with the extension homemakers group to submit a proposal for the funds.  In the past, the extension homemakers group has been heavily involved with the trail by providing recycling receptables and started the recycled materials benches found along the trail.  With the EH support a grant proposal was submitted and accepted.   The grant focused on providing a covered pavilion for educational programs, tables and full color information signs focusing on trees, leaf identification, common birds and snakes found in the area around the trail.  

 The FCS agent worked with the ANR agent as well as specialist at the UK Forestry department to identify relevant information for the focus content with a link to the county extension website.  The pavilion was built last fall and panels were secured and installed on the trail in late July with additional signage for accessing information was place on the trail a month ago and people are beginning to access the information.  Tracking and evaluation instruments are in the process of being finalized but the community feedback has been outstanding.  More impact information will be added later this year.