Friends of Patoka River to host bottomland forest ecology hike

The Friends of the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge will host a guided Bottomland Forest Ecology Hike on Saturday, October 3, at 9 a.m. CDT (10 a.m. EDT), at a recently acquired refuge property east of Winslow in Pike County.

The hike will be led by Doug Brown, an experienced forester and conservationist, and will cover topics including forest succession, types of forests, bottomland forest ecology, and a discussion of bottomland oak species, many of which are found only in this corner of Indiana.

The roundtrip hike is approximately 1.5 miles with an elevation change of about 100 feet and is expected to last about an hour. Participants should dress for the weather and wear sturdy walking or hiking shoes and insect repellent. An optional tour will follow the hike, showcasing a bottomland hardwood forest planting near the Survant Station boat ramp.

Directions to the site: From the junction of SR 64 and SR 61, head toward Winslow and go 3.8 miles. Turn right onto E North Street, go 0.5 mile, then turn left onto N. Collins St. In 400 feet, turn right on Jasper Rd. In 0.2 mile, stay on Cato Winslow Rd/CR 475 E. Go one mile and turn right onto Bruster Branch Rd/E CR 200 S. The destination will be on the right in 0.8 mile; look for a Refuge event sign. GPS coordinates: 38.391798, -87.174402.