Kentucky Natural Lands Trust (KNLT) is pleased to announce a new tract of protected wildlands on Pine Mountain in Harlan County.
The 174-acre W.F. Howard Addition expands Salt Trace Gap Preserve to 2,820 acres, protecting forested habitat at the headwaters of the Cumberland River.
The tract is located within the Appalachian Highlands Wildlands Corridor along Pine Mountain, one of the most biologically diverse areas of Kentucky and Central Appalachia.
KNLT partnered with the W.F. Howard heirs over the last year to safeguard their family land.
“The Howard family heirs are very happy to see our Pine Mountain property become part of the Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, Salt Trace Gap Preserve. Knowing it will be preserved and enjoyed by future generations while supporting a diverse ecosystem is a fitting conclusion to over a hundred years of ownership.” ~ John Howard
Pine Mountain provides habitat for thousands of species of plants and animals. Nearly 200 of these species are considered rare, some found nowhere else on the planet.
The newly conserved tract protects contiguous forest that is known summer habitat for the endangered northern long-eared bat. Safeguarding summer habitat is particularly important as bats face ongoing threat from white-nose syndrome, a disease that impacts them during hibernation.
The tract protects the tributaries of the Poor Fork of the Cumberland River, part of notable aquatic systems with extraordinary biodiversity. The tract specifically protects a portion of the headwaters of and beginning of Elisha Howard Branch.
The W.F. Howard addition is along Kentucky’s portion of the unfolding 1,800-mile Great Eastern Trail, an important asset to the economic transition underway in the region.
Salt Trace Gap Preserve is within the original preserve plan for Blanton Forest, the old growth forest project that launched KNLT nearly 30 years ago. The preserve is part of a matrix of conservation lands along Pine Mountain within Central Appalachia that protects a biodiverse and climate resilient landscape.
KNLT continues to work with landowners, local communities and conservation partners to safeguard biodiversity, stabilize the climate and support communities. We’re grateful for the support of individual donors, foundations, and partners. We thank the Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kentucky Field Office) for making this project possible.
About Kentucky Natural Lands Trust
KNLT is a nationally accredited nonprofit working to protect biodiverse and climate resilient landscapes in ways that benefit communities. Through partnerships with individuals, nonprofits government agencies and businesses, KNLT has protected more than 57,000 acres of wildlands throughout the Commonwealth.
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Cover photo: Salt Trace Gap Preserve ~ Brittany Murphy, KNLT
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