This presentation explores Payne Hollow on the Ohio through the lived experience and writings of Harlan Hubbard, using the three volumes of OYO: An Ohio River Anthology as a lens to understand the Ohio River as both a physical and philosophical landscape, grounded in the history and ecology of Payne Hollow. Payne Hollow is a forested limestone hollow along the river in Trimble County, Kentucky, The session weaves together art, literature, environmental science, and regional history to illustrate how Hubbard’s life and work embody an interdisciplinary model of environmental education, where close observation, self-sufficiency, and creative expression deepen our understanding of place, and where the Ohio River becomes not just a waterway, but a teacher, a narrative thread, and a living system connecting culture, ecology, and community; this talk highlights how these insights inform current efforts in conservation, education, and public engagement along the river corridor.
