Groups say largest conservation easement in Kentucky history will protect 54,000 acres
An easement on more than 54,000 acres of forest land in southeastern Kentucky will preserve public access for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping and hunting and permanently protect the area from large-scale development, according to groups involved in the deal.
The Nature Conservancy, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation announced the agreement Tuesday.
The deal establishes what is called a conservation easement on 54,560 acres of land in Bell, Knox and Leslie counties, known as the Cumberland Forest Wildlife Management Area.
It is the largest conservation easement in state history, said David Phemister, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Kentucky.
“This easement really does provide a much higher level of permanent conservation protection,” Phemister said.
The easement conserves an important piece of the Appalachian Mountains, protects fish and wildlife habitats and allows public access to the site, Phemister said.
The land is part of the Cumberland Forest Project, which takes in a total of 253,000 acres in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.
The land is owned by an investment fund called Cumberland Forest LP, with The Nature Conservancy as the managing entity. The fund bought the surface rights to conserve the area and carry out projects such as planting trees, restoring habitat and mitigating climate change.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will hold the easement on the property. That puts in place a permanent bar to large-scale development, ensures public access and keeps the property intact.
That’s important because the Appalachian Mountains have some of the most intact temperate hardwood forests left in the world and are a key migratory area for wildlife.
“Acquisition of the Cumberland Forest WMA is a tremendous victory for both wildlife conservation and public access,” said Rich Storm, commissioner of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Outdoor recreation in the wildlife management area will have economic benefits in the region, according to the groups involved in the agreement.
The Kentucky legislature appropriated $3.8 million dollars as a match for more than $12 million in federal funding that the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources received to buy the easement, according to a news release from the participating groups.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation also got a $650,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the deal.
The easement area is in the state’s 16-county elk restoration zone and is “highly utilized” by elk, according to the news release.
The release said research projects on elk and other species, along with reforestation efforts and other habitat-improvement work, will continue under the easement.
State Sens. Robin Webb, D-Grayson, and Brandon Smith, a Republican from Hazard lauded the completion of the agreement. They both worked on funding and legislation for the easement.
Smith called it a “significant victory” and said it will allow for expanded public access to the land.
“Together, we have secured a legacy of environmental stewardship and outdoor enjoyment for generations to come,” Webb said in the release.
