This month, my thoughts are with friends and family as we celebrate the holiday season - wishing for the usual things - peace, health and happiness - things that matter the most.
My ongoing thoughts are about "big picture goals" - what do YOU want for our neighborhood and our greenspace? I have started a list on the website > The Big Picture. Check it out and let me know your thoughts and ideas.
A recent article about a sustainable community in Australia got me thinking about how we threaten nature. This small community took a bold step in banning cats and dogs to protect koalas, platypuses and more! I think most of our neighbors feel pets and nature can co-exist, with some conscious decisions and actions on the pet's humans. Read more in this month's Neighborhood Chronicle.
Stay green, stay kind, stay connected - Jennifer Erena
Many urban homeowners are not sure what to do about the stream in their backyard. Who owns it? How can I take care of it? What plants are good for my streambanks? These common questions can lead to some confusing answers.
Check out the Backyard Streams Program!
UK Soil and Water Quality + Cooperative Extension have an online course is designed to help homeowners with backyard streams appreciate this resource, protect personal property, and improve water quality and habitat. The program is comprised of 12 online modules that are designed to help homeowners understand how to protect and manage their backyard streams. After successfully completing each module, you will become a Certified Backyard Stream Steward!
We have officially received our "notice to proceed" under our FY 2026 Water Quality Incentive Grant Program!! So as of now, our time and contributions count as match, and we can expend funds that will be eligible for reimbursement under the terms of the grant. If you do any independent work in the greenspace to clear invasives or plant natives, please document your activity and hours here.
Natural Resource Conservation Service EQIP & CSP Funding
The government shut down and changes in the Farm Services office in Lexington slowed down our application, but progress is being made. This past week, we provided more information to be assigned a farm # and confirm eligibility, which gets us one step closer to building a more comprehensive conservation plan.
FIELD NOTES
Protect Wildlife Through Responsible Pet Ownership
Caring for our pets and caring for our local wildlife go hand in hand. Cats kill billions of songbirds each year in America. The majority are killed by unowned cats, so spaying and neutering is vital to responsible pet ownership. Cats who are cared for in a home live longer and healthier lives. In our neighborhood, most pet owners already help protect nature by keeping dogs leashed on walks, picking up their waste, and ensuring cats stay indoors or in contained outdoor spaces. These small choices make a big difference: they prevent injury to songbirds, small mammals, and pollinators, and they preserve the natural balance that makes our community such a beautiful place to live.
As we think about what it means to build an intentional, collaborative, and nature-protecting community, we invite everyone to reflect on how our pets interact with the outdoors. Even gentle, well-fed cats and dogs may follow their instincts to chase or hunt. For wildlifeâespecially young birds in springâthese encounters can be devastating.
How we can work together
Keep cats indoors, supervise their outdoor time, or build a contained "catio" for outdoor enjoyment. As I mentioned, indoor cats live longer, healthier livesâand our birds and small native animals stay safer too.
Use leashes or fenced areas for dogs. This ensures pets donât wander into protected areas or disturb wildlife habitats. This also protect other dog neighbors as we never know what might excite or agitate our pet.
Share knowledge, not blame. Our goal isnât to point fingers but to create shared awareness about how much our collective choices matter.
By supporting responsible pet habits, we reinforce a core value of our neighborhood: living with nature, not against it. Thank you to the many pet owners already leading by exampleâand to everyone willing to join in protecting the plants, animals, and waterways that make our community special.
Check out our calendar - it's now connected to Google calendars for Bob o Link Greenspace, Picadome Neighborhood Association, and LFUCG Environmental Commission. You can add them to your own Google calendars to stay updated on related happenings. Bob O Link Greenspace Calendar
SEASONAL SNAPSHOT
Making the Conservation Lease a Reality (Ken Cooke and Mary Sigafus)
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