This renovated house is the Western Wildlife Corridor Nature Center, located at the entrance to the Kirby Nature Preserve. The Western Wildlife Corridor (WWC) is a nonprofit land trust that owns/manages/protects 14 properties along the Ohio River from Cincinnati (the Mill Creek) to the Indiana state line (the Oxbow). These properties include at least five nature preserves that are hikeable and open and free to the public.
In 2014, Grant Kirby and his family donated the 30 acres of land and house that now are the Kirby Nature Preserve and Center. He is a long time member of the WWC. The Preserve is 30 acres but there are many more acres of woods surrounding this spot!
The Nature Center provides nature study, interactive displays for kids, nature walks, a home office for the WWC, a picnic grove, events, and other similar activities. The Kirby Nature Preserve has a trail system (see sign on side of barn), native woods, and native prairie.
The Western Wildlife Corridor was founded in 1992. It is the most active of all regional land trusts in removing non-native, invasive plant species from its properties, and its goal of restoring native plants and habitat vital to local wildlife. There are over 500 dues paying members of the WWC, mostly “West Siders” (people who live or grew up on the West side of Cincinnati).
The best known or ‘crown jewel’ of the WWC is Bender Mountain Nature Preserve that is located close to Mount St. Joe’s. Bender has hiking trails, and has been restored to its native condition. Bender Mountain “is the best place in Hamilton County to observe native wildflowers” according to Denis Conover, Biology Professor at University of Cincinnati.
More about the WWC can be found at www.westernwildlifecorridor.org