Category: Field Notes from Floyds Fork

  In deep shade along Floyds Fork, just downstream from Broad Run, is a 200-square-foot patch of river cane — a vestige of an earlier profusion. Cane has an interesting history. It is one of two species of bamboo, a … Continue reading

By Scott Martin, Parks Director, The Parklands of Floyds Fork “A River Runs Through It” inspires many people to wonder if they would enjoy the sport of fly fishing.  The good news is, you don’t have to travel to the … Continue reading

By Michael Gaige, Naturalist The great ice storm of 2009 was a nasty one. Everywhere devastation: downed trees, roads snarled, power lost. Because our infrastructure is so vulnerable to these storms, our lives are upended. Ice storms are seen, perhaps … Continue reading

By Michael Gaige 1937 was an important year. There was, of course, Louisville’s great Ohio River Flood, that swamped much of the city (this was also the second greatest flood on Floyds Fork). In that year our area had its … Continue reading

Written by Andrew Oost (October 2012) This summer, near William F. Miles Lakes at Beckley Creek Park, The Parklands’ natural areas team was approached by a visitor inquiring about the removal of “shrubs” and whether that aligned with Miles’ conservationist … Continue reading

One of the most curious features of Floyds Fork is the shape of its floodplain when viewed over the length of the stream. It starts narrow in the north, and then becomes wide in The Parklands section, before going narrow … Continue reading

“Can we hunt snakes?” a wide-eyed boy of 12 pleaded to me while we were still in the parking lot at Miles Lakes canoe launch. Casey (not his real name) was there with his “big” as part of a hike … Continue reading

We have evidence that Squire Boone once owned a piece of The Parklands property—his signature crosses one of our deeds. We have no evidence, however, that he, or his more famous brother, Daniel, ever set foot on the property. We … Continue reading

In a forest, trees grow skyward, reaching for gaps of light in the canopy. Most tree species have a single “leader” that dominates by chemically suppressing side branches from bending upward and reaching higher. Conifers, such as pine and spruce … Continue reading