Kentucky, Naturally ― The Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund at Work

There is no doubt that Kentucky is a beautiful state with a diversity of rural environments including mountains, streams, lakes, forests, fields and swamps. However, reports indicate that more than 105 acres of rural land every day are lost to land conversion, and the state ranks 5th highest in the projected amount of rural land that will be converted to other uses in the future. To protect the Commonwealth's natural resources and keep its wild ecosystems intact, in 1994 the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund (KHLCF) was established with great success. By 2010, this program helped to protect more than 120 properties in 67 counties totaling 85,000 acres. Kentucky, Naturally is a compilation and celebration of the properties that have been purchased with the assistance of KHLCF money during the first 20 years of the program. Award-winning Kentucky nature photographer Tom Barnes displays hundreds of beautiful photographs of the state's protected lands, and provides detailed descriptions of each site including the natural flora and fauna.Through the KHLCF and public support, Kentucky's abundant natural resources and beauty can be treasured and protected for all to enjoy.

Thomas G. Barnes, Ph.D., is a full professor in the Department of Forestry at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Barnes has written extensively on the natural history of Kentucky and has authored more than 50 scientific research articles, 60 cooperative extension publications and 100 magazine articles. His book, Kentucky's Last Great Places, was nominated for the Kentucky Literary Award in non-fiction. Other published books include Gardening for the Birds, The Wildflowers and Ferns of Kentucky, The Rare Wildflowers of Kentucky, The Gift of Creation––Images from Scripture and Earth, and How to Find and Photograph Kentucky Wildflowers. His photographs have appeared in books, websites, calendars, magazines, and other outlets all over the world, as well as being displayed by the Chicago Botanical Garden, The Audubon Aquarium, The Smithsonian and the Bronx Zoo. His research emphasis has been on the restoration of native grasslands and his extension programs focus on the conservation of biodiversity and wildlife management.