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Nature in our Neighborhoods

Community Event

Greenspace for People and Wildlife: Designing Spaces for All to Thrive

Saturday, June 13, 2026

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

 

Registration is not required, but helps us plan.

MEETING LOCATION


Big Elm Tributary – Bob O Link Greenspace, Lexington KY (enter from Bob O Link Dr at Jacana)

This educational program invites neighbors to explore how our local greenway can serve both people and wildlife—not as competing interests, but as complementary goals. 

Together, we’ll look at the different types of spaces that can coexist within a greenway corridor, including:

  • Social and gathering areas where neighbors can pause, meet, walk, or enjoy time outdoors together

  • Everyday-use spaces that support walking, play, dog use, and informal recreation

  • Naturalized habitats that protect streams, improve water quality, and support native plants and wildlife

Participants will learn how design choices—like where paths are placed, where vegetation is restored, and where open areas are maintained—help balance community access with long term conservation goals.

Examples from our own greenway planning illustrate how elements such as layered riparian buffers, meadows and open spaces, native tree and shrub plantings, and wildlife habitat features can be intentionally integrated without excluding people from the landscape. 

Presented by
Russ Turpin

Human Nature Systems_Lexington KY

Join us for a community environmental education event!

Discover the hidden life of the Big Elm Tributary, one of Lexington’s vital urban streams, and meet neighbors like you who are protecting and restoring this natural treasure.

What We'll Explore Together

🌿 How greenways function as living corridors

Greenways connect natural areas while improving stream health, reducing erosion, supporting biodiversity, and creating resilience in urban landscapes. We’ll discuss how native vegetation—from tree canopy to understory shrubs to herbaceous ground cover—plays a key role in these systems. 

🚶‍♀️ How people fit into conservation spaces

Community greenways are designed to be used. We’ll talk about where gathering nodes, walking routes, and informal open spaces make sense—and why maintaining some open areas alongside restored habitat supports both social life and ecological goals.

🦋 Designing for wildlife without closing the space off

Learn how features like pollinator meadows, bird and bat habitat, and stream buffers can exist next to human activity when thoughtfully planned. We’ll highlight practical examples that support wildlife movement and diversity while keeping the space welcoming. 

🤝 Stewardship, education, and shared responsibility

A successful greenway depends on long‑term community stewardship. This program shows how education, volunteer involvement, and neighborhood partnerships help maintain ecological health while strengthening community pride and care for the land. 

Why It Matters

When designed intentionally, greenways don’t force a choice between people and nature. They demonstrate how healthy ecosystems and strong communities can grow together, creating spaces that are ecologically resilient, socially welcoming, and cared for over the long term.  

Perfect for:

  • Neighbors curious about the greenway and how it works

  • Residents who use the space and want to understand its design

  • Community members interested in conservation, nature, or neighborhood connection

  • Anyone wondering how a place can feel both natural and neighborly

  • No technical background is required—this is a conversation grounded in real examples, shared learning, and local context.

Cost:

Free!

What to Bring:

Weather‑appropriate clothing, sturdy shoes, a snack or something to drink (water available), and your curiosity.