Explore the Hidden Gem of Northern Kentucky

Meet a Greenspace-2

Located along Gunpowder Creek, Boone County Conservation District’s private 92-acre Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation is a haven for wildlife and a time capsule housing remnants of past life. You’re invited to join the Conservation District as they open their property to the public for a Meet a Greenspace Hike on Friday, August 16th

By Claire Carlson,

Published August 6, 2024

Meet a Greenspace-2
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Located along Gunpowder Creek, Boone County Conservation District’s private 92-acre Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation is a haven for wildlife and a time capsule housing remnants of past life. 

You’re invited to join the Conservation District as they open their property to the public for a Meet a Greenspace Hike on Friday, August 16th from 3-4:30 p.m.

The Fine Line Between Past and Present

Tucked down a winding, tree-covered road, and past a horse farm with a very energetic golden retriever, lies a Northern Kentucky hidden gem. On my first visit to the Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation, I was greeted by Boone County Conservation District (BCCDKY) staff and invited to sit in the shade of the old barn. Completely black with spaces between the wooden planks, I couldn’t help but feel as if time had stood still. 

The feeling was compounded when our hike began and I was shown the remnants of the Crisler-Gulley Mill site. Located at the convergence of bygone roadways, the mill complex was once one of the largest, if not the largest, in Boone County and was a central hub for families in the region. Today, all that remains is the lower level of what once was a towering structure as nature has slowly overtaken the site. BCCDKY is currently working with archaeologists to continue to unearth the history of the Mill.

After our brief foray into the past, we stepped back into the modern world to learn about a few of BCCDKY’s current intern-led research projects. The first stop was at the acoustic bat monitoring station. The project, led by intern Jaron Cooper, uses ultrasonic microphones to record bat echolocation calls. So far, Jaron has identified the property as home to a threatened bat species. He will continue to monitor their calls for current and ongoing research and conservation efforts.

We continued to traverse over ridgelines and through woodlands and made our way down to Gunpowder Creek where intern, Ilys Anderson, was conducting a camera trapping project. Inspired by recent otter sightings, Ilys uses trail cams to monitor the activity of mammals along the riparian area of the creek. Since the inception of this project, BCCDKY staff have witnessed otters, mink, beaver, muskrat, fox, coyote, groundhog, and everything in between!

The remainder of the day was spent soaking in the fresh air and warm sun. As we made our final climb up the hillside, I couldn’t help but feel immense gratitude to the BCCDKY staff for the opportunity to explore this beautiful property. 

Explore the Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation

While the Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation is not open to the public, there is an opportunity to explore it with Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance at their upcoming creek walk.

The walk will take place on Friday, August 16th from 3-4:30 p.m. We will meet at the property’s entrance located at 2588 Camp Ernst Lane in Burlington, KY 41005. To get there, drive to the very end of the road. Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged.

This hike is a part of our Greenspace Alliance Meet a Greenspace Hiking series. We hope these hikes will provide those who join the time and space they need to reconnect with nature. If you have any questions, contact me at claire@greenumbrella.org

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