4-H Forestry Field Day

UK Forestry and Natural Resources

Mammoth Cave National Park

4-H youth from nine counties attended the 4-H Forestry Field Day at Mammoth Cave National Park on September 12, 2024. More than 100 youth had the opportunity to learn about Kentucky’s trees and forests as well as some of the skills that real-life foresters utilize everyday while on the job. The youth aged 9 to 13 (Juniors) and 14 to 18 (Seniors) years of age were taught and tested on the basics of tree identification, tree measurement and the use of a compass and measuring distances by pacing. The instructors for the Forestry Event were foresters from the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, the Kentucky Division of Forestry and naturalists with Mammoth Cave National Park. U.K. Forestry and Natural Resources Extension and Kentucky 4-H hosted the event. The counties that participated were Allen, Barren, Edmonson, Hancock, Hart, Hardin, LaRue, Monroe, Nelson, and Simpson and Warren Counties Cooperative Extension Service hosted the event.

The Junior 4-H Overall Ribbon winners for the combined three events:

1^st place – Elijah Carrico – Hancock County

2^nd place – Liam Wentz – Simpson County

3^rd place – Jacob Reed – Edmonson County

The Senior 4-H Overall Ribbon winners for the combined three events:

1^st place – Colton Hunt – Nelson County

2^nd place – Eva Falk – LaRue County

3^rd place – Brooklyn Hunt – Nelson County

Two youth from Nelson County have found their passion through attending 4-H Forestry events. Not only do they engage in the statewide forestry events they are mentors for younger youth in their home county. They extend their knowledge of what they learn at the Forestry Field Days to those that attend the Natural Resources Club that meets monthly. Also, these youth have increased participation in the Forestry division of fair projects. Many of their fair projects have advanced to the Kentucky State Fair to compete against other youth from across the state. One-day events like the Mammoth Cave Forestry Field Day provides the youth with new knowledge that they can bring back to the Nelson County community so they can understand just one of the many aspects of their environment.