the natural beauty of. . . |
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Valley of the Ancients Falls |
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Scenic View |
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Misty Lovers Leap |
Learn more about Highlands Nature Sanctuary
THE NEWS
Governor’s Mansion Reception Honors Organization’s Pioneers
Early pioneers in the formation of Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area Pat Hennahan and Martha Burton were recipients of OHCHA Heritage Awards at a reception hosted by Ohio’s First Lady Frances Strickland at the Governor’s Mansion in Bexley in May. Seventy-five OHCHA members, friends and family of the recipients and friends of the organization were in attendance for the reception. Local foods from Crumbs Bakery, Athens and Integration Acres, Albany were featured, as well as wine from the Buckeye Winery, Newark.
First Lady Strickland was also at the table when the organization was conceptualized in 1996. A gracious host, Strickland opened up her home and kitchen to OHCHA volunteers who catered the event. In her remarks, she lauded the accomplishments of Henahan and Burton while sharing stories about the Appalachian garden at the Governors manison and paw paws.
Pictured above....
front Melanie Warman (fmr. board member), Tom Johnson, (board member), Award Recipient Martha Burton, Award Recipient Pat Henahan, Nancy Recchie (board advisor), Tim Traxler (board member)
middle row: Amy Grove (board member), Zana Smith (fmr. board member), First Lady Frances Strickland
back: John Winnenberg (board member), Tom O'Grady (board member), Moon Mullen (fmr director), Mary Ann Reeves, Cathy Nelson, Ann Cramer (fmr. board member)
Arc of Appalachia receives
Ohio Hill Country Heritage Area
Recognition Award
A dramatic work of art is being created in the woods of Southern Ohio on the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System’s 3,000+ acres. The hills are the canvases, nature is the artist and life itself is the medium. Slowly hiking along the Trail of the Ancients through the Rocky Fork Gorge at their Highlands Nature Sanctuary and being surrounded by such natural wonders causes one to marvel at creation and feel insignificant in comparison. The gorge and trail are in a forest with over 40 species of hardwood trees that undisturbed by man, have been allowed to grow to impressive size.
Overlooking the gorge is the Appalachian Forestry Museum which tells the story of this unique and fragile ecosystem. That is where Nancy Stranahan, one of the founding members of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System, recently received the Ohio Hill Country Heritage Area (OHCHA) award for their group’s impressive achievements in preserving the unique natural heritage of Appalachian Ohio.
Nancy is passionate about their dual missions of creating nature preserves and educating people about their importance. Like an artist, Nancy paints a dramatic picture of the need to save Ohio’s Appalachian forests and tells the inspiring story of how this small non-profit group, formed in 1995 has been able to raise over ten million dollars to turn their dream of creating a sanctuary for nature into reality.
As we see the devastating impact the Deepwater Horizon well leak is causing in the Gulf of Mexico its nice to also get some of the good news about the earth too! The good news that Nancy tells us about is that here in Ohio, in the heart of the eastern deciduous forest that once blanketed nearly a third of the country, a unique and globally significant biological ecosystem is being preserved. The over 3,000 acres that have been placed in the preserve system are lands where the incredible biodiversity found Appalachian forests is given a chance to survive and thrive with the absence of timber harvesting, road building and