In his 1893 essay “The Significance of the Frontier in American History”, historian Frederick Jackson Turner famously wrote:  “Stand at Cumberland Gap and watch the procession of civilization, marching single file—the buffalo following the trail to the salt springs, the Indian, the fur-trader and hunter, the cattle-raiser, the pioneer farmer—and the frontier has passed by.”  Wildlife, especially furbearers, have played a crucial role in the opening of the western frontier into Kentucky and on westward across the Mississippi River.  In today’s high tech world of smart phones, wireless internet, electronic games, and satellite TV many have lost touch with the natural world that surrounds them.  Most of the general population, especially youth, know little about Kentucky’s native animals.  In an attempt to mitigate this lack of knowledge, the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent developed an educational program several years ago focused on Kentucky’s native furbearing animals.  The program focuses on identification of various species and their biology.  This program has been presented in the many venues including the following:  Laurel County 4H Environmental Camp, McCreary County 4H Environmental Camp,  Clay County 4H Environmental Camp, Harlan County 4H Environmental Camp, Laurel County Public Library, Whitley County Home School Co Op, Bell County High School, North Laurel High School, Knox Central High School, Locust Trace Agriscience Farm in Fayette County, McCreary Central High School, Whitley County High School, the Kentucky Wood Expo, the UK Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Academy, and Feltner 4H Camp.  The UK Forestry Department has realized the importance of this program and has joined in presenting programs focused on furbearers.  At the 2019 Kentucky Wood Expo a UK Forestry graduate student used a display of pelts and skulls to educate hundreds of people on the importance of furbearing animals to Kentucky’s environment.