Agreement Narrative: Increasing the Pace and Scale of Forest Restoration and Wildlife Habitat Improvement in Eastern Kentucky.
Primary Funder: USDA Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration Program
Location: Eastern Kentucky (Pineville, Kentucky)
Innovation: In Eastern Kentucky, forest wildlife populations have declined since the 1980’s resulting in historically low population levels. Achieving biologically significant levels of young forests, open forests, and late-successional closed forests is critical to support viable wildlife populations and healthy forests on a landscape scale. Our project will facilitate active forest management in priority landscapes from Kentucky’s Forest Action Plan and the Kentucky Ruffed Grouse and Young Forest Strategic Plan to restore healthy and resilient forests and to benefit Species of Greatest Conservation Need from Kentucky’s State Wildlife Action Plan. We will increase capacity for prescribed fire on private lands, improve wildlife habitat through active forest management, create demonstration areas to showcase best practices, and engage private landowners through education and outreach.
Impact: Our project will achieve objective to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfires; improve fish and wildlife habitats, including for threatened and endangered species; maintain or improve water quality and watershed function; mitigate invasive species, insect infestation, and disease, and improve important forest ecosystems. This include: 1) contact 150 private landowners through 6 outreach events, 2) technical assistance to 60 private landowners, including forest management plan preparation, 3) enhance 1500 acres on private forests and 150 acres on state forests with active forest management, 4) enhance 900 acres on state or private lands through prescribed fire implementation, and 5) maintain or improve water quality across 700 acres and improve 2 miles of streams via controlling pests and pathogens.
Partners and Chapter Contributions: We will collaborate closely with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Kentucky Division of Forestry, Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture, and Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves field staff on implementation. Contracts will be awarded to local and regional logging contractors and service work contractors.
A specific logo is not needed to recognize funders or partners.
Deliverables:
- Completed 1,088 acres of prescribed fire implementation on private and state lands in southeast Kentucky in partnership with Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Kentucky Division of Forestry.
- Targeted 607 private forest landowners in Kentucky via a direct mailer as outreach for technical assistance.
- Led or participated in 2 education and outreach events to promote active forest management and connect with private landowners for technical assistance, reaching a total of roughly 40 landowners.
- Provided direct technical assistance to 8 private forest landowners in Kentucky, including initial site visits.
- Completed 2 forest management plans across 162 acres for private landowners in the priority buffer surrounding our dynamic forest restoration block focal area at Kentucky Ridge State Forest WMA, with 4 additional plans totaling 850 acres currently being prepared. These plans offer detailed suggestions for forest management actions to improve long-term forest health and habitat diversity, and they pave the way for cost-share opportunities with USDA NRCS and other conservation agencies.
- Completed 73 acres of hemlock woolly adelgid control treatments to ensure healthy riparian forest areas.
- At Kentucky Ridge State Forest, advertised a contract for 68 acres of noncommercial forest management, including midstory removal and invasive plant control. These treatments will take place in late 2023 and are the first step in woodland habitat creation.
- At Kentucky Ridge State Forest, began inventory and layout of a 46-acre timber harvest, which will create high-quality woodland habitat for game species and songbirds.
