Christina Lee Brown of Louisville was recently presented with the One Square Mile Award by Kentucky Natural Lands Trust for her contributions to expand the protected areas on Pine Mountain in southeast Kentucky. The One Square Mile Award honors those who have made donations that meet the financial level needed to purchase a minimum of 640 acres.
In addition, Kentucky Natural Lands Trust’s Stewardship Fund was named in honor of Mrs. Brown. As it grows, The Christina Lee Brown Wildlands Stewardship Fund will provide the funds needed each year to supervise, preserve and protect the lands under Kentucky Natural Lands Trust’s care.
Mrs. Brown, founder and board chair of The Institute for Healthy Air, Water and Soil, has long been committed to sustainable environmental efforts throughout Kentucky. In accepting the One Square Mile Award, Mrs. Brown recognized the dedication of her late mother-in-law, Sara Shallenberger Brown, to KNLT’s work on Pine Mountain.
“Christy Brown has established a multi-faceted approach to improving our quality of life in Kentucky ranging from fixing environmental mistakes to making sure some of the best remaining natural areas in Kentucky are protected for future generations. KNLT is very proud to be the focus of her incentives to protect critical land. Her support forms the basis for KNLT’s first capital campaign to fund the next fourteen planned land acquisitions along Pine Mountain. She has joined the ranks of land conservation leaders in Kentucky,” said Hugh Archer, KNLT’s executive director.
Mrs. Brown continues to work with Kentucky Natural Lands Trust on four targeted areas with large forest blocks along Pine Mountain that will make up a wildlife corridor in Kentucky. Plans call for these large forested tracks to become part of an expansive north-south wildlands area in the eastern United States.