About Us

1995:
• KNLT was formed by a group of friends and launched a successful campaign to raise the funds necessary to purchase the old growth forest that is now part Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve.

1996-2004:
• KNLT worked with Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission to acquire additional lands at Blanton Forest and provided stewardship assistance.

2005:
• KNLT honored David Burns with the first One Square Mile Award for his commitment to protecting the wildlands of Kentucky.

2006:
• KNLT acquired the 741-acre Arrington property, now part of our Salt Trace Gap Preserve,
• KNLT purchased the 786-acre Parsons tract and later resold the property to the Kentucky Department of Parks for the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail. A portion of this tract later became the E. Lucy Braun State Park State Nature Preserve.

2007-2008:
• KNLT assisted Kentucky Department of Parks in purchasing the 1,027-acre Howard Property as an addition to the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail.

2009:
• KNLT purchased 386 acres in Harlan County to connect two noncontiguous tracts of Blanton Forest Nature Preserve Design.
• KNLT and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Kentucky Ecological Services Field office partnered to establish the Indiana Bat Conservation Fund to help protect bat, forest, and at-risk terrestrial species Kentucky.

2010:
• KNLT received its first donated conservation easement of the 83-acre Good Spring Farm in McCreary County.
• KNLT joined forces with Fort Knox to purchase conservation easements in the forest corridor around Fort Knox and launches the Bernheim-Fort Knox Wildlands Corridor project.

2011:
• KNLT acquired two conservation easements in Bullitt County, totaling nearly 308 acres within the Bernheim-Fort Knox Wildlands Corridor.
• KNLT’s “South America” project was featured on KET’s Kentucky Life.
• KNLT paid tribute to major donors to the Blanton Forest campaign with a permanent plaque at Blanton Forest. Those honored were David Burns, Tom Dupree, Sr., Augusta Wallace Lyons, Herb Emrich, and Sara Shallenberger Brown.
• KNLT purchased nearly 2,000 acres in the area known as “South America” on the southern end of Pine Mountain in Kentucky.
• The Indiana Bat Conservation Fund protected over 2,650 acres of bat habitat.

2012:
• KNLT received a gift of 140 acres that protect an important water source in Bell County. The donated land became the Colson-Fitzpatrick Preserve.
• KNLT’s Executive Director, Hugh Archer, attended the White House Conference on Conservation and the Outdoors, as a representative for Kentucky.
• KNLT purchased 155 acres creating the Crooked Creek Preserve in Bullitt County. The preserve is part of the Bernheim-Fort Knox Wildlands Corridor.
• KNLT sold 1,864 acres to Kentucky State Nature Preserves establishing the Archer Benge State Nature Preserve in Whitley County.
• KNLT was selected for the Land Trust Alliance Excellence Enhancement Program.
• The Indiana Bat Conservation Fund protected over 4,500 acres of bat habitat.

2013:
• KNLT acquired 224-acre addition to Salt Trace Gap Preserve.
• KNLT began its partnership with the Forecastle Foundation.
• KNLT honored the Augusta Wallace Lyons Family with the One Square Mile Award for their commitment to protecting wildlands in the Kentucky.
• The Indiana Bat Conservation Fund protected over 7,150 acres of bat habitat.

2014:
• KNLT purchase 46 acres adjacent to the Archer Benge State Nature Preserve creating the Hyslope Preserve.
• KNLT honored Thomas Dupree, Sr. with the One Square Mile Award for his commitment to protecting wildlands in the Kentucky.
• The Indiana Bat Conservation Fund protected over 500 acres of bat habitat.

2015:
• KNLT sold 386 acres to Kentucky State Nature Preserves as an addition to Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve in Harlan County.
• KNLT expanded the Pine Mountain Wildlands Project targeting 14 new tracts totaling over 9,000 acres.
• KNLT honored Christina Lee Brown with the One Square Mile Award for her commitment to protecting wildlands in the Kentucky.
• KNLT was included in the Royal Visit activities, and staff had an opportunity to briefly discuss KNLT’s work with Prince Charles.
• The Indiana Bat Conservation Fund was renamed to Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund and was expanded to cover the newly listed Northern long-ear bat.

2016:
• KNLT became a nationally accredited land trust and received the Energy & Environment Cabinet Secretary’s Award for our public-private partnerships.
• KNLT purchased 2,050 acres on Pine Mountain near Pineville in Bell County establishing the Narrows Preserve.
• KNLT acquired three tracts of forestland totaling 651 acres along Pine Mountain in Bell County establishing the Calloway Gap and Cumberland River Bottoms Preserves.
• The Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund protected nearly 6,000 acres.

2017:
• KNLT purchased and protected a 353-acre addition to the Narrows Preserve on Pine Mountain.
• KNLT purchased nearly 2,000 acres on Pine Mountain near Cumberland, Kentucky creating three new preserves: Line Fork Preserve, Hurricane Gap Preserve, and Kingdom Come Preserve.

2018:
• KNLT was honored with the opportunity to hold a retreat at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s Pocantico Center in New York. The gathering of KNLT leadership, partners and consultants offered a unique opportunity to review our strategic positioning.

2019:
• KNLT purchased and protected a 376-acres in Harlan County establishing the Laden Trail Preserve; the new preserve is adjacent to Kentenia State Forest and near Pine Mountain Settlement School.
• KNLT purchased and protected a 127-acres in Whitley County establishing the Granshire Preserve; the new preserve is adjacent to the Archer Benge State Nature Preserve.