January 3, 2013. Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve

Since it was too cool for golf but we did want to spend some time outside and get some exercise, we decided to visit a local park, the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve.

In 1993, Dr. Louise Kreher Turner and her husband donated 120 acres of forest land to Auburn University.  The Preserve serves as an outreach program of the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences and as the outdoor classroom for the university.

The Preserve is open to the public and includes over 30 trails through various habitats, with ponds and streams, an old homestead barn and a former still as well as a nature playground. The trails are well marked and the map easy to follow. There are numerous panels describing the various habitats and points of interest.  The only wildlife we saw and heard were birds. As far as we could tell, we were the only humans in the park.

We spent part of the afternoon exploring the park, after which we enjoyed a snack at a local coffee shop/bookstore.