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    Gaining Ground

    Kentucky

    249,537

    Acres Protected

    That’s about 189,043 football fields!

    Land trusts have already conserved 61 million acres of private land across the nation — more than all of the national parks combined. Help us conserve another 60 million acres by the end of the decade.

    Together, let’s keep Gaining Ground.

    Demographics

    Every land trust is as unique as the community it serves.

    Kentucky land trusts are community-led and supported and protect lands and waters that help the entire state.

    Active Land Trusts

    13

    A land trust is a nonprofit that conserves land by acquiring and stewarding land or conservation easements.

    Learn more about land trusts
    Alliance Member Land Trusts

    8

    Land Trust Alliance members commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.

    Learn about the land trust alliance
    Accredited Land Trusts

    5

    Accredited land trusts undergo a thorough review of their practices in governance, finance, transactions and stewardship.

    Learn about land trust accreditation

    People

    • 2,675

    • 227

    • 21

    • 11

    • 99

    Land Trust Longevity

    • 65 years old (1959)

    • 15 years old (2009)

    • 27 years old

    State Association
    Equine Land Conservation Resource
    View website
    Percent of Land Trusts Who Increased Focus on Climate Change in the Last Five Years

    50%

    Percent of Land Trusts Receiving Funding to Address Climate Change

    50%

    Land Protected

    There has been a 137% increase in Kentucky land protected by land trusts since 2010.

    Acre by acre, land trusts are helping to conserve Kentucky lands, waters and ways of life.

    2010
    2015
    2020
    Total acres protected
    105,368
    156,528
    249,537
    +137%
    Under easement
    22,061
    39,791
    50,113
    +127%
    Owned
    46,258
    55,985
    117,558
    +154%
    Acquired and reconveyed
    29,565
    37,093
    38,363
    +30%
    Protected by other means
    7,484
    22,369
    43,503
    +481%

    Disclaimer: Land trusts conserve land in many different ways and every project is unique. Category totals may change depending on how acres are reported by survey respondents to reflect the most current data and minimize double-counting. In some instances, the total may be greater than the sum of the separate categories due to organizations that provided total acres not broken down by category.

    Percent of Land Owned and Under Easement Held by an Accredited Land Trust

    95%

    Source: 2020 National Land Trust Census

    Total Public Funding for Conservation From 1998-2017

    $230 million

    Source: Trust for Public Land's Conservation Almanac

    Acres of Land Lost to Development From 2012-2017

    46,700

    Source: NRCS - Natural Resources Inventory

    This information reflects data collected in the National Land Trust Census, the longest-running comprehensive survey of private land conservation in America. Learn more about the Census and see which land trusts participated in the 2020 National Land Trust Census.

    Making a Difference

    Kentucky land trusts are gaining ground.

    Land trusts across the state are helping find solutions to some of Kentucky's most pressing issues.

    • Tackling climate change: Kentucky Natural Lands Trust is working to protect, connect and restore wildlands, large forest tracts and migratory corridors with the goal to protect biodiversity within climate resilient landscapes in ways that benefit communities.

      Read more

    • Addressing community needs: In partnership with Boon County Conservation District, the Boone Conservancy is working to improve access to the Ohio River and highlight the county’s natural and cultural assets while preserving them for future generations. The project goal is to develop a conservation and recreation plan that recognizes the importance of land conservation while also identifying best strategies for river access sites and potential land and water outdoor recreation opportunities.

      Read more

    Land Trusts Working in Kentucky

    Land Trust Alliance member land trusts, listed below, commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.

    Access Fund
    Access Fund
    Boulder, CO
    1,309 acres protected in KY
    American Farmland Trust
    American Farmland Trust
    Northampton, MA
    2,400 acres protected in KY
    Bluegrass Land Conservancy
    Bluegrass Land Conservancy
    Lexington, KY
    29,796 acres protected in KY
    Broad Water Innovations
    Broad Water Innovations
    Richmond, VA
    Campbell Conservancy, Inc.
    Campbell Conservancy, Inc.
    Alexandria, KY
    Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
    Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
    Memphis, TN
    1,345 acres protected in KY
    Fort Thomas Forest Conservancy
    Fort Thomas Forest Conservancy
    Fort Thomas, KY
    45 acres protected in KY
    Kentucky Natural Lands Trust
    Kentucky Natural Lands Trust
    Berea, KY
    52,891 acres protected in KY
    Louisville/Jefferson County Environmental Trust
    Louisville/Jefferson County Environmental Trust
    Louisville, KY
    1,652 acres protected in KY
    National Park Trust
    National Park Trust
    Rockville, MD
    228 acres protected in KY
    River Fields, Inc.
    River Fields, Inc.
    Louisville, KY
    2,299 acres protected in KY
    Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
    Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
    Missoula, MT
    Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc.
    Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc.
    Signal Mountain, TN
    40 acres protected in KY
    The Boone Conservancy
    The Boone Conservancy
    Burlington, KY
    839 acres protected in KY
    The Conservation Fund
    The Conservation Fund
    Arlington, VA
    43,097 acres protected in KY
    The Kenton Conservancy
    The Kenton Conservancy
    Covington, KY
    105 acres protected in KY
    The Land Trust for Tennessee
    The Land Trust for Tennessee
    Nashville, TN
    2,234 acres protected in KY
    The Nature Conservancy
    The Nature Conservancy
    Arlington, VA
    105,284 acres protected in KY
    The Trust for Public Land, National Office
    The Trust for Public Land, National Office
    San Francisco, CA
    4,191 acres protected in KY
    Unique Places To Save
    Unique Places To Save
    Chapel Hill, NC
    Woods and Waters Land Trust
    Woods and Waters Land Trust
    Frankfort, KY
    620 acres protected in KY