Trail Talk
New Trails: New Adventures! – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – July 2021
Summer is upon us, and it’s a time to get out and explore farther afield. Trails in our local wilderness areas have opened as the snowpack has melted, and though winter […]
Why Forests? – Why Now? – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – June 2021
Our Woodlands have seen an explosion of visitors since COVID. These warming days of spring and summer are indeed a popular time to be out and gathering out-of-doors and does carry […]
Spring Season – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – April 2021
The blooms came late this spring, a welcome respite from years past, when all of Nature’s tapestry of color seemed over-anxious to burst forth and then fade even more quickly. The […]
A Spring Challenge – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – March 2021
Quietly, they came to feed and potentially nest and raise their young. One day, the old city reservoir in Forest Park was bone dry. The next day, after a bit of […]
Know Where You Are – by Fire Chief Wayne Painter & Bob Budesa
“Help…I’ve fallen and broken my ankle. Can you send help?”
“Where are you?”
“Uh…”
We all know that this conversation doesn’t have to take place if you take a few precautions.
I would say the first precaution to take […]
Time for an Outdoor Timeout – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – February 2021
There is a time when the tumult and chaos of life in a 24/7 news cycle breaks the spirit of the bravest consumer. Overwhelmed by the cantankerous rantings of so many […]
Rain on the Brain – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – December 2020/January 2021
By the time you read this, I hope we’re seeing some moisture in our fall skies. I can’t complain about the balmy fall weather that kept my jacket, raincoat, and […]
New Jacksonville Woodlands Trail Maps Are Here – by Kandee McClain
It is hot off the press! The new and updated Jacksonville Woodlands Association’s (JWA) trail map is now available. At this time, the maps can be found at Woodlands trailheads and Jacksonville’s Visitor Center. In […]
Expanding Our Horizons – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – November 2020
Fall finally comes to our woodland areas. Crunchy leaves give way to damp blankets of color beneath the naked stems, branches, and trunks of our deciduous brethren. Fungi again bravely venture […]
Hope Prevails – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – October 2020
As we hope for the smoke to clear and the out-of-doors to become welcoming again after some fall rains, we are obligated to take stock of our climate crisis. “Mega-drought” feels […]