Annual Gathering 2024

Thank you to everyone joined our 2024 Annual Gathering! There were requests for more information on various sessions throughout our time together this past weekend. That information is included below. As well, we are linking the best ways you can support some of our incredible speakers and the crucial work they are doing to build healthier, more resilient, and more inclusive communities across our state. While some of our speakers work for institutions that fund their work, most of our speakers work for nonprofits, or on community projects that need our financial support to continue driving that incredible work forward. 

Ashley Wilmes presented on Water and Watersheds in Kentucky. Ashley is the Executive Director of Kentucky Resource Council, a nonprofit that is an important partner to Sierra Club Kentucky. KRC combines smart policy and legal advocacy to protect the Commonwealth's natural resources and ensure environmental justice for Kentucky's most vulnerable people and communities. To continue to support Ashley and KRS’c work you can click here to; sign up for their email list, donate, or join KRC as a member. 

Julia Richerson is keeping the focus on climate change as a children’s health issue! Kentucky Pediatricians are really taking the lead on this issue as they work with kids who are impacted in front line communities. We are extremely impressed that this work is happening here in Kentucky through the Kentucky Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and are grateful for Julia’s leadership there. Julia also wanted us to share that the KY Master Naturalist program application is open and closes on December 8th.  Julia said, “It is AMAZING for people who want to learn about KY and our ‘relatives.’”

Cindi Sullivan inspired us all with her presentation and the work of TreesLouisville to preserve and expand the tree canopy in Louisville! TreesLouisville is a nonprofit that uses your donations and support to make Louisville more livable, healthy and equitable. Their website has a lot of great information if you want to keep learning. TreesLouisville understands the power of every dollar, “it’s estimated that for every $1 invested in trees, we gain $3-$5 in ecosystem benefits.” Check out TreesLouisville’s event calendar, sign up to volunteer or donate, and continue supporting Cindi and TreesLouisville.

Nachie Braga gave us something to celebrate with Geomancer Permaculture’s public policy efforts that have unlocked Lexington’s Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant program to now include additional incentives for the establishment of new native tree canopy. Geomancer continues their work transforming public lands with agroforestry, having already established the largest public food forest in Kentucky, Kilrush Food Forest. Check out Geomancer on Patreon where your patronage will empower the continuation of this critically important work and educational projects. Geomancer projects can be viewed at their Instagram account and longer form documentation of both their work and the management of funds received through this Patreon can be found on their YouTube channel.

Jim Scheff reminded us all that Kentucky’s forests remain an important site for old growth and his presentation showed us the data behind the State’s forest management plan, taking complicated science and making it accessible for us all to understand. He and Tina also offered folks the opportunity to come out and see the forests that are threatened by Kentucky’s logging industry. Jim and Kentucky Heartwood, as the only forest advocacy nonprofit in Kentucky focused on protecting public lands, remind us that Kentucky’s public wildlands are really OUR public wildlands. Join or donate to continue supporting Jim and the work of Kentucky Heartwood to protect our public wildlands. 

Willie Houston shared his inspirational personal philosophy behind regenerative organic agriculture that lead him to own and operate Pick 'N' Grin Farm. Willie walked us through the wisdom and knowledge of the past, harms of the present ways we live,  and the hope of a future that supports  local food systems that build nourished and more deeply connected communities. We all loved the power of Willie gifting a persimmon sapling and now we can in turn gift him with our support through Venmo or Paypal! Make sure to follow Willie on Instagram and Facebook. Willie also sent a note  about an upcoming project and an invitation to  set up future field walks - read it here. 

Hope Session Resources and Recommended Reading: We are very grateful for your support of our inaugural presentation of Sustainable Hope. 

In the new year we are planning to host virtual sessions as a continuation of our Sustainable Hope theme from this years gathering. We will repeat the first session in January and move into the continued modules after that. In the new year we also plan to bring back our open meeting space we call Connect, Protect, and Reflect, or CPR for short. We like “CPR” because we are all action-takers ready to intervene in the face of an emergency to save lives, and because every activist needs to be “revived” occasionally through human connection! Sign up below to receive reminders for those calls.