Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission

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The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission is an agency of the Commonwealth of Kentucky dedicated to the protection of Kentucky's natural heritage. ^[1]

KSNPC's Mission: To protect Kentucky's natural heritage by (1) identifying, acquiring and managing natural areas that represent the best known occurrences of rare native species, natural communities and significant natural features in a statewide nature preserve system; (2) working with others to protect biological diversity; and (3) educating Kentuckians as to the value and purpose of nature preserves and biodiversity conservation.

The Nature Preserves and Natural Areas Branch staff protect and manage the diverse system of nature preserves that are scattered across the Commonwealth from the wetlands of far western Kentucky to Pine Mountain on the state’s southeastern border. Program activities center around several key focus areas: natural community restoration and management; rare species protection and enhancement; research and education; and passive recreational use by the public. Program staff contribute to other aspects of the Commission’s work by assisting in the preserve design and land acquisition processes, agency outreach efforts, and the Registered Natural Areas Program. Staff members also provide rare species data to the Natural Heritage Program database.

The Nature Preserves Program was formally initiated in 1986 with the hiring of a stewardship coordinator, the Commission’s first preserve management staff person. Prior to 1986, preserve management tasks were carried out by the Commission’s Natural Heritage Program biologists. Staff positions dedicated solely to preserve management needs have slowly grown since 1986. In 1996, two regional preserve managers were hired to assist with the growing preserve system and the responsibilities of protecting properties located across Kentucky. An additional regional manager was added in 1998. Together with two stewardship assistants, the Branch carries out all the functions necessary to maintain the state’s best remaining examples of our natural heritage.

KSNPC's staff botanists, zoologists, ecologists, land managers, and data managers work with others to protect our natural heritage and educate Kentuckians about its importance. Information on rare and sensitive plants, animals, ecological communities and other natural features of Kentucky is maintained as part of a computer data management system known as the Kentucky Natural Heritage Program (KYNHP). The KYNHP works in partnership with NatureServe an international natural heritage network. This network includes Natural Heritage Programs and Conservation Data Centers across Canada, the United States, and Latin America, all building on the same data collection methodology. These programs and data centers collectively represent the largest ongoing effort to collect standardized data on endangered plants, animals and ecosystems. Kentucky's database is updated continuously and is used to set state, national, and global priorities for the preservation of natural diversity. Commission biologists continually gather this information during their field work and from contacts with other Kentucky biologists and other sources. As a result, the Kentucky Natural Heritage Program is the most complete and current biological database of its kind available.

Statewide Nature Preserve / Natural Area List: