Arc of Appalachia

Arc of Appalachia Grassroots nonprofit for reuniting the Eastern forest. Stewarding over 10,000 acres of nature preserves
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🍃 Give Nature a Helping Hand at Fort Hill! 🍃Join Land Steward Tim Pohlar and fellow volunteers for a rewarding day of ha...
05/13/2026

🍃 Give Nature a Helping Hand at Fort Hill! 🍃

Join Land Steward Tim Pohlar and fellow volunteers for a rewarding day of hands-on conservation as we work together to remove invasive species threatening Fort Hill. We’ll be tackling multiflora rose, bush honeysuckle, and autumn olive using hand tools and targeted herbicide application.

Volunteers will receive training in invasive plant identification and proper herbicide application techniques, making this a great opportunity to learn while giving back to the land. Whether you are experienced in stewardship work or completely new to it, there is a place for everyone on the crew.

This preserve is a hiker’s paradise with its limestone boulders and cliffs bordering the Baker Fork, stone arches, towering ancient trees, a high diversity of botanicals, and outstanding spring wildflower displays. Every invasive plant removed helps native ecosystems breathe a little easier and allows this remarkable landscape to thrive for generations to come.

Come lend a hand, meet fellow nature lovers, and make a meaningful difference. No experience needed; all are welcome!

📅 Friday, May 22, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
📍Fort Hill

Additional information about this workday, including registration and map, can be found linked in the comments.

Barrier Ridge at the Appalachian Forest Museum offers a rewarding three-mile hike through rich forest habitat, leading t...
05/13/2026

Barrier Ridge at the Appalachian Forest Museum offers a rewarding three-mile hike through rich forest habitat, leading to a ridge-top summit with breathtaking seasonal views of the rolling till-plain country to the north.

Each May, the hilltop hosts a prolific display of Great Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum appendiculatum), a biennial wildflower found in rich woodlands across the upper Midwest. Though the Waterleaf reached peak bloom last week, there are still plenty of beautiful blossoms to enjoy along the trail.

Join us this Saturday at 10am for a guided hike with Arc Volunteer Naturalist, Amy Dalrymple, and experience this special seasonal display for yourself. Registration is $10 per person and can be completed online.

📸Faye Wooden

Master your winter tree identification this November with the Arc’s Director of Land Stewardship, Brent Charette. Thursd...
05/12/2026

Master your winter tree identification this November with the Arc’s Director of Land Stewardship, Brent Charette.

Thursday, November 12th – Sunday, November 15th at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary

This immersive, hands-on course offers in-depth instruction in recognizing trees through twigs, buds, bark, fruit, shape and form, and habitat. These concepts will be introduced and reinforced through both field exploration and indoor learning sessions, giving participants a well-rounded understanding of winter tree identification.

The course fee is $375 per person and includes one shared meal. Space is limited; sign up now to spend your fall with us learning about the trees!

📸Elijah Crabtree; 2025 Winter Tree ID Course

“A mother is unique, regardless of the species.” 💚Celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend by spending time in nature with th...
05/08/2026

“A mother is unique, regardless of the species.” 💚

Celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend by spending time in nature with the mother in your life. Wander one of the Arc of Appalachia’s trails, then stop by the Appalachian Forest Museum & Gift Shop for a thoughtful, nature-inspired find to make the day even more special.

The Appalachian Forest Museum is open daily from 9:30 AM to 4 PM.
📍 7660 Cave Road, Bainbridge, OH 45612
📸Jim McCormac

Introducing Passion for Persimmons, a one-day course at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary celebrating the American Persimmo...
05/07/2026

Introducing Passion for Persimmons, a one-day course at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary celebrating the American Persimmon. 🍂

Saturday, October 24, from 10am to 4pm at the Appalachian Forest Museum

Join Jennifer Kleinrichert and Steve Ross, excellent all-around naturalists with years of experience in persimmon cultivation, harvesting, and processing, for a lively day devoted to this fascinating native tree. Through photographs, funny stories, show-and-tell, and delicious persimmon tastings, they’ll share their spirited journey with the American persimmon and the many ways it has woven itself into their lives.

Following the presentation and discussion, participants will travel to Ridgeview Farm Preserve for a field trip with Arc Director Nancy Stranahan. Guests may also join an optional guided hike led by Arc Naturalist Elijah Crabtree to learn how to identify wild persimmons in the field.

Registration is $25/person and can be found on our website.
📸Elijah Crabtree

Join the Arc of Appalachia and naturalist John Howard for a guided hike at Sandy Springs Dunes Preserve on Saturday, Jun...
05/04/2026

Join the Arc of Appalachia and naturalist John Howard for a guided hike at Sandy Springs Dunes Preserve on Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Adams County, Ohio.

This truly fascinating habitat protects an ancient point bar deposit in the Ohio River Valley, where past climate shifts shaped wind-blown sand dunes and a rare, drought-tolerant ecosystem. Tucked just west of Sandy Springs Cemetery along US Route 52, this preserve continues to harbor a unique and specialized diversity found almost nowhere else in the region.

Beginning at 1:00 PM, this afternoon hike will take you through a population of Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa) right at the peak of its seasonal bloom. Each flower lasts just a single day, making this a fleeting and special sight. Pollinators waste no time visiting, so you’ll also have the chance to observe a flurry of activity around these vibrant blooms.

Registration is $10 per person and can be found on our website.

📸John Howard

Step into stewardship this Saturday at Ridgeview Farm.Join Arc Director Nancy Stranahan, Land Stewardship Director Brent...
04/27/2026

Step into stewardship this Saturday at Ridgeview Farm.

Join Arc Director Nancy Stranahan, Land Stewardship Director Brent Charette, and Board Member Marilyn Welker for a hands-on day of restoring the land, pulling, cutting, and clearing invasive plants that threaten the health of this special place.

Species like bush honeysuckle, autumn olive, and multiflora rose can quickly take over, crowding out the native plants and wildlife that belong here. But season after season, volunteers show up and make a real difference. Together, we’re turning the tide and giving the landscape back to the species that call it home.

No experience is needed, just a willingness to get your hands dirty and be part of something meaningful. We’ll wrap up the day with a hearty lunch to celebrate the work accomplished.

🕙 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Ridgeview Farm at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary

Register on our website and join us.

🌿 Celebrating National Volunteer Week (April 19–25)! 🌿The Arc of Appalachia is incredibly fortunate to be supported by a...
04/24/2026

🌿 Celebrating National Volunteer Week (April 19–25)! 🌿

The Arc of Appalachia is incredibly fortunate to be supported by an extraordinary community of volunteers. Each year, hundreds of individuals generously give their time, energy, and talents to help us care for and protect the lands we love. These incredible individuals show up not because they’re required to, but because they want to. They help make the impossible possible, and they are the heart of our events.

From baking, cooking, and serving at educational events, to building and maintaining hiking trails, to tackling invasive species like multiflora rose, autumn olive, and bush honeysuckle, our volunteers do it all. They help create meaningful educational programs that inspire our youngest nature lovers, serve as Museum Hosts welcoming guests, lead hikes, care for our lodges, and quietly steward our preserves by monitoring trails and reporting what needs attention.

Some volunteers show up for organized workdays, while others dedicate countless independent hours restoring habitats and tending to the land. Every contribution, big or small, makes a lasting impact.

Each of you, no matter your role, contributes to something far bigger than any one project. You are the roots, the trunk, and the canopy of this living organization.
Together, you create a place where people can connect with nature, with each other, and with a sense of purpose. Your time, your energy, your kindness, it all matters more than words can say. So from the bottom of our hearts and from the ground to the treetops, thank you.

💚 This week, and every week, we say thank you. We simply couldn’t do this work without you. 💚

Photos 9 & 10 by Tim Pohlar

Two immersive programs. One unforgettable week in the forests of southern Ohio. 🌿🐦We still have a few spots open in two ...
04/23/2026

Two immersive programs. One unforgettable week in the forests of southern Ohio. 🌿🐦

We still have a few spots open in two incredible experiences happening simultaneously this May: Birds by Song and Wildflowers & Songbirds of Ohio’s Deep South.

Birds by Song
📅 May 6–10, 2026
📍 Highlands Nature Sanctuary
$425/person
Led by Artemis Eyster, assisted by Teri Gilligan

Wildflowers & Songbirds of Ohio’s “Deep South”
Questing for Azaleas, Lady Slippers, Mountain Laurels & Songbirds
📅 May 7–9, 2026
📍 Scioto & Adams County Preserves
$325/person
Led by Elijah Crabtree & Daniel & Bailey Smith

If you’ve ever wanted to experience the forest more deeply, to recognize its voices and rhythms, this is your moment.

Spots are limited and filling quickly.

Join us for Old Growth Legacies of the Ohio Valley - Inextricable Human Legacies of the Region’s Oldest Forests📅 July 9...
04/22/2026

Join us for Old Growth Legacies of the Ohio Valley - Inextricable Human Legacies of the Region’s Oldest Forests

📅 July 9–12, 2026
📍 Southern Ohio & NE Kentucky
💲 $350/person

Step into the stories written in the oldest forests of our region.

This immersive weekend program explores the lives and lasting legacies of three remarkable figures, Emma Lucy Braun, John Roger Simon, and Jesse Hilton Stuart, through the forests they helped shape and protect.

Participants will experience:
🌿 Guided hikes through protected old-growth forests
📖 Daily presentations and storytelling
🌎 Field trips to Fort Hill, Simon Woods, and Jesse Stuart State Nature Preserve (W-Hollow)

You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of old-growth forest ecology across southern Ohio and northeastern Kentucky.

Includes 2 breakfasts + 2 lunches
Optional lodging available at Highlands Nature Sanctuary and Tremper Mound Manor House

👥 Limited to a small group (max 12) for a more personal experience

👉 Register now on our website.

Photo: Lucy Braun

Address

7660 Cave Road
Bainbridge, OH
45612

Telephone

+19373651935

Website

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