Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, a 16,000+ acre protected forest in Kentucky, about 25 miles south of Louisville, is seeking a transformative brand marketing and communications professional to expand Bernheim’s regional presence, elevate the brand, as well as assist in driving the growth of the organization.   Bernheim is home to a 600-acre arboretum, designated as Kentucky’s official arboretum. The natural landscape features 40+ miles of hiking trails and extensive natural areas managed for conservation and research purposes. Its woodlands, prairies, and wetlands make up the larg ..read more

Anne Peabody‘s ACRE is an installation that has taken several years of research and development, planning and site preparation, before actual implementation could occur. This artistic interpretation of our founders legacy is a perfect example of a project/experience that necessitates cross-departmental collaboration throughout the entire organization. ACRE is a living art installation that will continue to grow and evolve, and best experienced in person. Below are behind-the-scenes images of a massive-sized installation that will become an outdoor classroom for interpretation related to biodiv ..read more

I was walking along a ridgetop during my lunch break; the remaining leaves on the brink of falling from their trees. As I hopped over a fallen log, I heard a shrill hiss. I was immediately worried I had just trampled something, so I stepped back. A fuzzy mass rested in the middle of path, among the chestnut oak leaves. When I stepped forward once more, the critter flung itself on its back and revealed its identity with the spread of its leathery wings and another hiss. My present company was a hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus). He had brown fur frosted with silver, hence the name. His face was scr ..read more

Ed Briand & Corny with an excited visitor at ColorFest There is a special kind of magic that occurs when Bernheim guests are first introduced to Corny the corn snake. Eyes begin to glimmer with enchantment and delighted grins emerge on the wonder-filled faces of people of all ages. Individuals who have always been petrified of herpetofauna1 often cease to be flooded with fright at the appearance of snakes. Realizations burst upon nervous children and adults as they inch closer to Corny: “Perhaps snakes are not as terrifying as I thought” and “this creature is a valuable aspect of our ecosy ..read more

  The concept of reduce, reuse, recycle goes back to the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Earth Day was created by Gaylord Nelson in a direct response to the Santa Barbara oil spill in 1969. After the first Earth Day, Nelson and colleagues started a contest to encourage designers to create a universal, recognizable symbol to put on recyclable products. Out of 500 entries, architect Gary Anderson won the contest and gave us the symbol and logo we use today. Gary Anderson’s submitted design, courtesy of Smithsonian Museum of American History Reduce, reuse, recycle is practiced daily at Is ..read more

2023 Artist in Residence Nicole Banowetz Artist in residence Nicole Banowetz is back at Bernheim!  Nicole will be spending November and early December creating her residency piece in her signature inflatable style. This yet-to-be-named artwork was developed during Nicole’s first stay at Bernheim this spring. She was present for the March 2023 windstorm that brought down over 100+ trees in the forest and arboretum. She was inspired by this natural phenomenon accelerated by our extreme climate and began designing a piece about the helpful fungus that decomposes fallen logs and makes them id ..read more

Bernheim is pleased to announce that Athena the eastern golden eagle has checked in while migrating south after 2023 nesting season in Canada. Athena has been tracked since 2019 and continues to expand our understanding of eastern golden eagle behavior and migration. We expect her to continue migrating for the next few weeks, and will likely return for another winter in Bernheim Forest in the knobs of central Kentucky. GPS tracking shows that Athena departed Wapusk National Park on October 19, heading south through Manitoba and into northern Ontario. By October 30, she was passing over Wabakim ..read more

The view from the Canopy Tree Walk, October 31, 2023 Bernheim’s fall color is still going strong, as we reach peak colors in some interior forest sections of the Natural Areas. Beech trees are golden bronze with some showing brilliant yellow in the sunlight. The upland white oak forests are among the last to change, and in the area around the Canopy Tree Walk they are transitioning into reds, browns, and oranges. The Arboretum still has many colors around the edges, with ginkgo having peaked and the leaf drop has begun. The Big Prairie is dappled in a hundred shades ranging from white, brown ..read more

Earth Measure by Matt Weir is celebrating 10 years at Bernheim! Constructed entirely out of more than a ton of solid stacked Indiana limestone blocks, Earth Measure explores notions of science, geometry, sound, and architecture while deepening our connection with nature. Matt Weir arriving at the installation site This iconic installation has been the site of events, numerous field trips, countless photos, yoga sessions, and group hikes over its ten-year tenure. Matt Weir, a Kentucky based sculptor and co-owner of Louisville’s Falls Art Foundry, was commissioned to create the artwork to honor ..read more

The forest is truly putting on a spectacular color show from the maples to the ginkgoes, and all the grasses in between. And fall has definitely arrived at the Bernheim Visitor Center.  New and exciting merchandise is coming in like leaves falling in the forest.  We have lots of items to dress up your home autumn display. ‘Tis the season to dress up your table and we now carry Mudpie for all your entertaining needs. Local Artist Susan Crum-Cox has brought us new ornament colors and designs featuring tulip poplar and ginkgo leaves, cardinals, and horses, as well as other pieces to hel ..read more