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Floyds Fork Environmental Assoc.

c/o Sheron Lear

PO Box 91041

Louisville, KY 40291

(502) 499-5974

 

floydsforkenvironmental@gmail.com

 

Webmaster Ray Ehlers

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GASLIGHT FESTIVAL  

J-Town Gaslight Festival is this weekend, September 13-15, 2019.  Be sure to stop by our booth.                 

        

I would like to thank everyone that donated, conftibuted or volunteered at the 28th Annual Creek Sweep.

It would not be possible to have the Creek Sweep's if it was not for everyone that made it possible

Thank You!!!  

28th ANNUAL FLOYDS FORK CREEK SWEEP

        June 8, 2019 (Saturday)

8:00AM to 2:00PM

PNC Achievement Center

1411 Beckley Creek Parkway

Beckley Creek Park

**Breakfast light lunch and refreshments provided**

**A limited number of canoes are provided free to use with life jackets and paddles by calling 502-499-5974 or emailing to floydsforkenvironmental@gmail.com -  make a reservation now since on a first come, first served basis.  Additional volunteers who have canoes & kayaks are encouraged to bring them; please let us know you are coming and how many persons – usually 2-3 persons per canoe. Walkers on foot are assigned cleanup areas.

Sponsors

Floyds Fork Environmental Association

Councilman Stuart Benson

Councilman Anthony Piagentini

Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government

Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District

Co-Sponsors

Canoe KY

Public Works – Solid Waste Management Division

Jefferson Animal Hospital Fern Creek

Kentucky Heirs To Our Oceans

Long Run Sportsmen Club

Parklands of Floyds Fork

8:00am Registration and free light breakfast

                                       8:15am Official introductions and Event & Education Announcements

         8:30am Transport to canoe launch sites provided

                                               Noon – 1 pm Arrive at take out point.  Volunteers are transported back to

                            Beckley Creek Park Building for a free light lunch. 

See back for directions to PNC Education Center, Beckley Creek Park

-Event sponsors are not responsible for any injuries or damages incurred during the event-

www.floydsfork.net

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter

RSVP Sheron Lear 502-499-5974 or email us at floydsforkenvironmental@gmail.com

 

 

Floyds Fork Vision Plan Comment Period Open Until April 12th

Please take a few moments to review the draft plan of the South Floyds Fork Vision Plan Draft and give us your thoughts by April 12th, 2019. To learn more about the plan throughout the study period please click on the following link, https://www.floydsforkvision.com.

To access the survey please click here,https://louisvilleky.wufoo.com/forms/k1dsopm0chyjpd/

Visit http://www.louisvilleky.gov

Contact a Metro Department

 

South Floyds Fork Vision Meeting

6 pm Monday March 25. 2017

   Check out this link - paste in your browser (https://louisvilleky.gov/events/south-floyds-fork-vision-plan-open-house-councilmen-benson-piagentini-engel-host-meeting).
   This South Floyds Fork Vision Plan that was worked on by a committee of 15 - but BIA = building industries association (formerly Home Builders Assn.) came in the last 4 meetings and have been actively pushing their agenda.  Also changes were made so that the VP of BIA obtained the seat of another BIA committee appointee who was said to be retiring.
   This plan can be googled (South Floyds Fork Vision) to see the nearly 40,000 ACRES which it encompasses.
   This is your chance to vote (either by clickers or colored round stickers, etc.).  This is your chance to weigh in and meet the Louisville Metro Planning & Design Planners (Michael King, Gretchen Milliken, etc. This is your chance to provide comments. Next, the plan will go before the Planning Commission for a vote, then on to Metro Council.
   I am unsure if the Fregonese Associates consultants will be present? (I doubt it) but Fregonese was paid $250,000 by Councilman Stuart Benson for this study.  Unfortunately, the Fregonese owner passed away unexpectedly during the study which brought it to a halt for several months - meanwhile, developments went thru planning or are in the stages of going thru the planning process that amount to many hundreds of acres where no sewer infrastructure, etc. is present in the hinterlands of the Floyds Fork Watershed.
   However, MSD is apparently working now to appease developers wants for sewers in these remote locations which changes the entire planning because, Fregonese consultants met with MSD earlier and MSD showed the two areas MSD intended for sewer expansion.
   How does this affect you? When the sewers built by developer's chosen construction companies are turned over to MSD, all rate payers in Jefferson County will have additional fees toward this infrastructure upkeep, etc.
   I won't mention the roads and traffic as well as costs - you can!
   I will mention the need to preserve TREE CANOPY - you can! Floyds Fork Watershed is 70 - 100% (i.e., 100% if forest) and please ask for 50% TREE CANOPY to remain.  If not, there will be drastic changes related to wind changes, climate (generally 3 to 10 degrees cooler out here), temperature changes and a lot of the ecology can be lost.  But it looks like only 20% will remain without your voice and vote.  Unfortunately, large trees will come down and be replaced by maybe 1 1/2 inch caliper tiny trees that will not have the tree cover/tree canopy lost for 20 - 30 years. This will increase temperature in the area.
   A fee in lieu is planned. Please ask that any development that will not put back in the required number of trees have any trees planted off site or paying into a tree fund - that those trees be planted withing 1/2 mile of the original site.
   Please ask for a description of Parklands to include all entities involved. Currently, Lou Metro Planners have refused to do this.  I've given them all the info and shortened it to 27 words. 

Parklands of Floyds Fork area is composed of 21st Century Parks, Future Fund, Metro Parks, KY Heritage Land Conservation Trust, Louisville Water Company, MSD and private property owners.

NOTE: There is a compact agreement between the first 3 above with 21st owning 1,100 acres, Future Fund owning over 2,000 acres and Metro Parks about 400 acres.

   I have REPEATEDLY asked Lou Metro government planners and Fregonese planner to be truthful, transparent and correct to let the public know (and not deceive the public) that 21st Century Parklands does not own and does not control all the properties shown; however, the stage was set at the beginning when they were given the impression that all the Parklands is under the control of all the properties which is false. It seems local government can't or won't decipher the land holdings to provide accurate information which can be referred to for decades! 

   One of the planners at the last meeting (after planners/government reneged on agreement in the prior meeting to list all parties at the beginning of the plan and thus, within the green area designating Parklands on the mapping) said reasoning was the other entities might go out of business! I had to laugh and say, "This is LOCAL and STATE GOVERNMENT we are talking about and the entities were set up via legislation - they will NOT go out of business. Future Fund was established in mid - 1990's and 21st later on in 2004 or 5". I believe all the entities preceded 21st Century in being established - so how do you know 21st Century will not go out of business?" 

   It is also improper for the plan to send any person with land or trees (they are worth MONEY, so government must be fair and list all entities who can accept or purchase) for donation or sale to Parklands when all parties should be listed, including JCET = Jefferson county Environmental Trust which is local government and PACE = Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements which is a state program plus all the other entities. 

   So do as you want and if you get a chance to comment on these points above or ask questions about them, please do.
  
   See you Monday - tomorrow at 6pm in Beckley Creek Park (formerly named William F. Miles Park and still owned by Metro Parks/local government - but a Memorandum of Understanding for 21st Century for Operation and Management for 5 years which is renewable or can be canceled by either party with one year's notice; note: same deal for the other Metro Park.). 

   Please take time to attend or at least email in comments to Michael.King3@louisvilleky.gov.

Sincerely,
Teena Halbig
6 years Metro Parks Advisory Commissioner
3 years PACE Board Commissioner and Honorary Agricultural Commissioner bestowed by James Comer
South FF Vision Plan Advisory Commission

South Floyds Fork Plan Meetings

Advisory Group: Wednesday, February 27, 2019 from 6-8:30 Jeffersontown Firehouse

Advisory Group: Tuesday, March 12, 2019 from 6-8:30 (Jeffersontown Firehouse)

SFFV Open House: Monday, March 25, 2019 from 6-9 (Gheens Foundation Building, The Parklands; 1421 Beckley Creek Parkway)

 

Children of One of Our Members Have Been Working to Improve Floyds Fork Creek, Meeting With Govenment         

Officals and Working With Kentukey Heirs To Our Oceans

See photos and follow link below for more information

https://www.kentuckyheirstoouroceans.com/

                                                                                          

 

Invasive Fish With Teeth Threatens Endangered Kentucky Mussels

(Click Above Link to Read About Invasive Fish with Teeth 89.3 WFPL)

 

Look what happened.

        FFEA works in Bullitt County with Neighbors fighting Rogers Rock Quarry to keep this business further away from their homes in a karst area along Floyds Fork Creek and for more transparency from the company for a few years. Teena said, "Only with the great help of Tom FitzGerald, Director of Kentucky Resources Council's legal expertise was this outcome possible (see his Newsletter article of 9-1-17). 

    Chris Sansbury, neighborhood leader of Bullitt Citizens NeighborhoodS Coalition said, "KRC and a community effort by neighbors, Teena Halbig and the FLOYDS FORK ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION made all those things possible!"

KRC Newsletter article of 9-1-17:

Rogers Group dba Bullitt County Stone

A settlement agreement in non-coal permit challenge brought by Chris Sansbury and Grover Vorbrink against Bullitt County Stone will result in additional protections for Petitioners and their neighborhood outside of Shepherdsville.

Under the Settlement, the Petitioners gain the ability to enforce compliance by Rogers with zoning restrictions that had previously been enforceable only by the City of Hillview.  Additionally, a 1,000-foot setback on any surface operations or facilities, excepting ventilation shafts required by MSHA can be within 750 feet provided that they are bermed to limit noise.  A state permit amendment is required for any proposed surface operations or facilities.  All residents on Castlerock Drive will be offered a pre-blast survey, and Rogers will share a blasting schedule and provide email notice for any unscheduled blasts.  Finally, certain roads are agreed upon as off-limits for truck traffic, and the parties have agreed to monthly local meetings to share information and concerns – an effort to build a more positive relationship apart from regulatory matters.

In a recent email, Chris Sansbury reported that the pre-blast surveys had been completed and that they had begun the neighborhood meetings with Rogers.  He said “I am optimistic that things will continue to improve because of the meetings you made possible!”

 

South Floyds Fork Area Study

The South Floyds Fork Area Study is an ongoing process resulting in a visionary plan that will provide guidance for authentic, healthy, equitable, sustainable, and well-connected growth in the South Floyds Fork area. The recently completed 4,000 acre Parklands of Floyds Fork is a transcendent asset for Louisville that includes four major parks linked by a park drive, an urban trail system, and watershed. The Parklands will spur development and increase population in the area. The South Floyds Fork Area Plan will serve as a guide for future development and infrastructure investments in and around the study area.  

Louisville Metro has contracted Fregonese Associates as the lead consultant to facilitate this process. An Advisory Group has been recommended by Metro Councilman Stuart Benson, and appointed by Mayor Fischer, to assist in the guidance of this update.

Click here to find organizational chart of the South Floyds ForkThe approximate study area is bordered by Bardstown Road and Shelbyville Road to the north and south and the Gene Snyder Expressway and the county line to the west and east.The first neighborhood advisory group meeting of the South Floyds Fork Area Plan will be held Wednesday, August 2nd from 6:00 to 7:30 PM in the 2nd floor community room of the Jeffersontown Fire Department (10540 Watterson Trail). This meeting is open to the public.ADVISORY GROUP AGENDA

 

Bluebird Box Outing finds Bugs, Bees, Critters and BIRDS!

Photos courtesy of Barbara Woerner

1. Praying mantis that is brown (different species than the green ones)

2. Bee on vegetation - photo so good you can see the pollen on the bee!

3. Frog defending any bird coming to nest in this Bluebird box! Actually, these frogs continue to be in the opening of two bird boxes on numerous outings!

4. Carolina Wren offspring? - these nestlings might be 2 days old and are very hungry!! Mother heard nearby

5.  American Snout  Butterfly

.

 

 

 

JOIN THE WAR ON TICKS

    Do your part to help stop the spread of tick-borne disease by catching and sending ticks to the Bay Area Lyme Foundation.

    Put the tick (dead or alive) in a ziplock bag, along with a wet cotton ball or paper towel. 

Fill out an information card, provided online at www.bayarealyme.org, then send it all in. 

Reference:  Courier-Journal Parade Picks, 5-7-17 

 

“Pet Care”

By Dr. Pat Kennedy

Fern Creek Medical Center, 6902 Bardstown Road, Lou. 40291, 499-6535

Jefferson Animal Center, 4504 Outer Loop, Lou. 40219, 966-4104, Open 24 hrs.

www.jeffersonanimanhospitals.com, www.LouisvilleVets.com//

#LouisvilleVets, @LouisvilleVets//

Q:  I just found a tick on my puppy?  Help! How do I get it off safely and can I catch anything?

A:  Springtime is definitely the peak time for Ticks and yes, there are several serious diseases that both you and your pet can suffer from.   There are 15 species of ticks in North America but only a few that can affect you or your dog: the American Dog Tick, Lone Star Tick, Deer or Blacklegged tick and Brown Dog Tick.   Ticks can transmit Lyme disease,Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Anaplasmosis,  all serious diseases of people and pets

There are several excellent preventatives for your pets such as Seresto Flea/tick collar, Frontline Plus, Brevecto and Nexguard.  Walking through the woods or tall grass is a quick way to have ticks attach to your body or your pet.  We recommend vaccinating your dog for Lyme disease if you do any camping, hunting or walking in the woods. 

Removing a tick with blunt tweezers or disposable gloves is recommended. If you must use your fingers, shield them with a tissue or paper towel.   Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible, reducing the possibility of the head detaching which may increase the chances of infection. Do not twist or jerk the tick but pull straight out.  Applying some medicinal alcohol can cause the tick to loosen its grip.  Wash your hands after removing the tick and be sure to check all over your pet’s body for additional parasites. Check our website www.jeffersonanimalhospital.com/library for more information about ticks and tick borne diseases

Q: Both of my dogs and my cat go out in my back yard.  What are some of the potential problems this Spring that I should be aware of?

A:  This is a GREAT question. Garden toxins such as fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides can be a big problem. Although pesticides are much safer than 30 years ago, they often can cause vomiting and diarrhea.  And fertilizers often contain iron which can be a problem. Check the ingredients list and look for antidote instructions.

Moldy foods that your pet finds outdoors can create huge problems if your pet gets into your compost bin that has decomposed dairy or meat products. Symptoms can start within 30 minutes including panting, drooling, nausea and tremors.

Mole and gopher baits are very toxic to your pet.   It only takes a very small amount to cause significant and often fatal effects. They contain zinc phosphide or bromethalin and there is no antidote.  The bromethalin baits are often found as a gummy worm shaped strip.

Snail and slug baits contain metaldehyde and can be pellets, powder, granules or liquid. They cause extreme tremor, seizures and fever.  Treatment requires intensive care hospitalization.

Mulch can be toxic as well as cause an obstruction in the bowels.  Cocoa bean mulch is the worst due to the methylzanthine (theobromine and caffeine) content.

If you change your car’s antifreeze or coolant solutions this Spring, be aware that these products are highly fatal to dogs and cats if they drain into in your driveway.  Even a drop can be fatal if ingested by your pet.  It’s sweet tasting and odorless and contains Ethylene Glycol.  Signs can occur within 30 minutes including incoordination, seizures, coma and death.  Time is critical to start any treatments so please call us as soon as you are aware of your pet’s possible ingestion.    And ask your local auto and grocery story to stock non-toxic antifreeze products.

Some vegetable plants are not safe for pets.   Tomato plants (not the ripe fruit) can cause gastrointestinal irritation ataxia and weakness.   Rhubarb leaves can cause kidney failure in large doses.   Onions and garlic can result in red blood cell destruction and anemia.  Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure.  Wild mushrooms can cause vomiting/diarrhea and neurological symptoms in people and animals.

To be safe always call one of the Pet Poison Control Numbers:  ASPCA 888-426-4435, Pet Poison Helpline 800-213-6680. If you suspect your pet may have ingested a chemical or toxin, there is a fee for contacting these services but the advice and treatment recommendations can be lifesaving for your pet.

 

FFEA's Bluebird Trails Project

Bluebird eggs

Wikipedia 2-23-2017

Male Eastern Bluebird

By William H. Majoros - Own work

Will you help feed the Bluebirds?  

Can you make a donation toward the plantings for food?

FFEA will be providing plantings for winter food due to the lack of insects to forage on in colder weather.

Winter food sources are dogwood, hawthorn, wild grapes, sumac and hackberry seeds. Feel free to donate a tree! or provide funds for them

Also Fosteri #2 (female) holly provides lots of berries for late winter and early spring

American Bittersweet

FFEA Bluebird Project Volunteers would like to have several dogwood trees to plant. Would you want to volunteer to help plant the trees?        We welcome your help!

If you want to become an FFEA member, that is also appreciated

Facts about Eastern Bluebirds:

             broods are typically 2 per season