Rural communities across the Appalachian region face new challenges and possibilities as a result of changing economic and political landscapes. The UK Appalachian Center & Appalachian Studies Program will host a public panel as part of a larger series to bring together John Gaventa and Loka Ashwood, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellows, for a conversation with Gabe Schwartzman (UT), Shaunna Scott (UK Sociology emeritus) and Kathryn Engle, UK Appalachian Center director.
Registration is open for the 2026 John P. Wyatt, M.D. Environment and Health Symposium held on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22 in the UK Gatton Student Center Ballrooms! The symposium brings together experts from across Kentucky and the nation, along with government officials, universities, local experts, community members, and students – all united in their commitment to advancing research and collaboration at the intersection of environmental exposures and public health.
Come on out to Barker Plaza outside of the Student Center to join WRFL in our Earth Day celebration with live music, succulent giveaways, and a free WRFL Earth Day T-shirt, among many other festivities. The event will begin at 4:30 with the band coming on at 4:45, but feel free to drop in at any time during the event to celebrate with us!
This annual spring sustainability symposium recognizes the work of the students in the Sustainability Internship Program. Programming will be as follows:
Join us Thursday, April 23, at the Fayette County Extension Office for Canopy Con 26, Kentucky's premier conference on urban and community forestry.
This year's theme, "Healthy Trees – Healthy People," invites us to explore the ecological and economic benefits trees provide, focusing on the connections between urban tree canopy, equity, and human mental and physical health. You'll hear from nationally recognized experts, engage in hands-on field demonstrations, and discover practical strategies for translating research into action.
Urban Forest Initiative, along with the Department of Economics in the Gatton College of Business and Economics, presents a lecture by Dr. Geoffrey Donovan (U.S. Forest Service, ret.) on the surprising health benefits of trees.
Dr. Donovan's talk is titled "Using Natural Experiments to Investigate the Relationship Between Urban Trees and Health."
