One of the Education Department’s 2020 highlights was collaborating with YouthBuild Louisville in a work-study partnership. Participants from YouthBuild’s Summerworks and Urban Conservation Corps programs helped us maintain trails, harvest from the Edible Garden, and preserve herbs and vegetables for future use at Isaac’s Café. In exchange for their hard work, we took them on guided hikes to some of our favorite places — Rock Run Loop, the Edible Garden, and the Bent Twig Loop, to name a few. They were also able to observe construction progress at Playcosystem, Bernheim’s upcoming nature playground.
It was impressive to see them jump in and take on new and challenging tasks in the sweltering August weather as well as the chilly and sometimes dank fall.
It was a joy to see the forest through their eyes and to witness the spark of excitement and profound sense of peace that comes from experiencing Bernheim for the first time. It gave us pause to reflect on and be grateful for the wonders that we are so fortunate to have and experience every day as Bernheim staff.
We are grateful for this ongoing partnership, which gives YouthBuild participants a chance to learn valuable horticultural skills and offers us an outstanding opportunity to build on Bernheim’s diversity and relationships with the next generation of environmental stewards.
