MOUNT VERNON — The official opening of another trailhead on Yauger Road preserves 124 acres, adds roughly three miles of trail to Knox County, and completes the county’s “emerald necklace.”
Conservation and nature enthusiasts celebrated the opening of Wolf Run North on Saturday morning, an event that Kenyon College President Julie Kornfeld said was a milestone for the college, the Knox County Park District, and the whole community.
“This is really a testament to what is possible when people come together and plan, when they have shared values, and these deeply rooted partnerships come together to turn a beautiful vision into reality,” she said.
“The Yauger Road project speaks to Kenyon’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship and to protecting and celebrating the natural beauty and rural environment that is so central to life and to learning in Knox County.”
“Connecting Wolf Run to the Brown Family Environmental Center is more than trails. This is something that values conservation, that values wellness, and that values our quality of life here in Knox County,” Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr said.
“Knox County punches above its weight when it comes to publicly accessible green space.”
Dave Heithaus, Knox County Park District director
Carol Grubaugh, executive director of the Knox County Chamber of Commerce, read a proclamation from the Ohio Secretary of State’s office. The proclamation read, in part:
“The North Trail system contributes to environmental conservation in Knox County. It allows individuals to connect with nature and provides opportunities for physical exercise and mental well-being, making Ohio a better place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Saturday’s celebration also marked the 30th anniversary of the Brown Family Environmental Center, and the 25th anniversary of the Philander Chase Conservancy and the Owl Creek Conservancy.
The Emerald Necklace
Zali Win, Kenyon Class of 1984 and chair of the Philander Chase board, noted the conservancy has protected over 6,000 acres of land spanning 60 properties within a five-mile radius of Kenyon College.
Its greatest advocate is John Woollam, Kenyon Class of 1961.
An entrepreneur, philanthropist, and devoted steward of the natural world, Woollam’s conservation work accounts for about half of the 6,000 acres the conservancy protects.
Nationally and internationally, he has helped protect over 70,000 acres of land.
Locally, Woollam supported the acquisition of Wolf Run Regional Park, located north of the new trailhead, and Hall Farm, situated south of the trailhead. Hall Farm connects to the environmental center trails.
It also includes Wolf Run North, the property that connects Wolf Run and Hall Farm.
The Prescott family owned Wolf Run North before 2000. A Pennsylvania developer purchased the property, which included a deed restriction outlining a planned housing development.
However, Woollam, former Philander Chase Conservancy Director Lisa Schott, Knox County Park District Director Dave Heithaus, and former park district director Lori Totman shared a vision.
“A vision that Knox County should have its own emerald necklace, a green space to be enjoyed by our local community,” Win said.
Woollam worked to acquire the connector property. Eventually, the conservancy bought the property from Woollam using Ohio Public Works Commission funds.
“Now, under Philander Chase Conservancy’s ownership and the management efforts of the Brown Family Environmental Center, this property is the final piece of the puzzle that creates that emerald necklace for Knox County,” Win said.
“The end result is over 1,000 acres of contiguous publicly accessible green space and over 20 miles of contiguous hiking trails, all of which will be used for the benefit of this great community.”
Wolf Run North
A gravel parking lot across from Yauger Road’s Wolf Run Regional Park provides access to Wolf Run North.
Hikers can access two trails: Schott Circle or Prescott Springs.
Schott Circle honors Lisa Schott, former director of the Philander Chase Conservancy. It is a loop prairie trail, moderately difficult with a few hills and no shade.
The woodland trail, which leads past a natural spring named Prescott Springs, honors the Prescott family and is approximately 1.5 miles long before it leaves the woods.
After exiting the woods, hikers can connect to Schott Circle or continue to Woollam Way, the connector trail that leads to the Hall Farm and Brown Family Environmental Center trails.
Woollam Way recognizes Kenyon graduate John Woollam’s support of the Philander Chase Conservancy. It has three short but strenuous hills.
“When we put all this [public space] together, we’re looking at over 2,000 acres of managed publicly accessible forests and fields. We have not one but two state scenic rivers with ample access and 35 miles of multi-use trail, which is considered about the finest in the state along the Ohio to Erie Trail,” Knox County Park District Director Dave Heithaus told the group.
“This is really the product of the community, and I can see a lot of the faces in this crowd that have contributed over the 30 years to make all this a reality.
“John laid the foundation, and he wrapped it all up with this [property], but you know, along that ride, a lot of other people have dedicated time and thought and resources,” Heithaus added.
“I just feel really lucky to be a part of this community that values this stuff as much as they do.”
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