Oklawaha Walk & Talk, August 20: The Glory of Fall Wildflowers

Over the next several months, the Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway will host “Oklawaha Greenway Walks and Talks,” a series of educational outings.  The second in the series — on Saturday, August 20, at 10 a.m. — focuses on the glory of fall wildflowers growing along the Greenway.  The program is open to the public at no charge.  Meet at Patton Park in the circular pavilion near the basketball courts.  The walk will be about 90 minutes, returning to Patton Park.  The hike will be held rain or shine.

Michele Skeele and Penny Longhurst will lead the hike. Skeele has taught wildflower identification at BRCC, and has led numerous wildflower walks in Jackson Park and Patton Park over the years.  She earned a degree in Biology at UNC-Wilmington and has lived in North Carolina more than 50 years. Longhurst lives in Brevard and is president of the Western Carolina Botanical Club.

“A new section of Hendersonville’s Oklawaha Greenway was recently opened, creating a three-mile-long paved walkway meandering through meadows, wetlands, and forests and linking Jackson Park, Patton Park, and Berkeley Park,” said Suzanne Hale, a member of Friends of Oklawaha Greenway. “We are a group of people who see beauty and multiple values in our wonderful greenway and who want to use it as a tool to learn more about our natural environment.”

Greenway parking is available at Berkeley Park, Patton Park, and Jackson Park, with smaller parking areas on Seventh Avenue East at Mud Creek and on North Main Street at Mud Creek.

The next “Walks and Talks Along the Greenway,” on Saturday, September 7, will focus on “Clean Water, Healthy Water,” led by Philip Ellis.  OnOctober 8, the walk will focus on Migratory Birds, led by Cherie Pittillo.

The Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway is a group of local organizations and area residents who recognize the many community values offered by greenway trails, such as improved health, recreation, off-road transportation, connectivity, preserved open space, and economic opportunity. The Oklawaha Greenway currently connects Berkeley Park, Patton Park, and Jackson Park. The Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway plan to promote the use of the existing greenway, and are working to connect it to Blue Ridge Community College. Their members include the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Friends of the Ecusta Trail, MountainTrue, the League of Women Voters of Henderson County, and representatives from the community at large.

Hendersonville Tree Board – sponsor of the Fall Wildflowers walk — is commissioned by the City of Hendersonville to provide advice on the selection and care of trees and shrubs in public places.  The Tree Board also educates the public concerning the economic and aesthetic benefits of trees, shrubs, and pollinator plants for the community.  The city became a Bee City USA in 2015.

For more information about “Walks and Talks Along the Greenway” contact Jack Robinson, Friends of Oklawaha Greenway, at 828-335-2479 orjackrobinsonmerida@gmail.com.