Back to Goal 20From Measures and Milestones 2002
p. 60-61, published 2002
Preservation of the natural resources and extraordinary beauty that Kentuckians cherish depends upon myriad private and public efforts. In 2002, citizens ranked this goal second on the progress scale but near the median in importance.
Table 1: Where Citizens Think We Stand
Kentucky lumber production reached near record levels in 1999, raising concerns about replacement of our hardwood forests. Nearly the same amount of board feet was harvested in the late 1990s as in the early 20th century when clearcutting was commonplace. Increased production, however, is also attributable to more efficient utilization of timber both in processing at sawmills and in harvesting. Also, the trees cut in the early 1900s were often used for purposes other than lumber production.
Figure 1: Lumber Production in Kentucky
Today only scattered remnants of undisturbed natural
landscapes remain as testimony to our natural
heritage. For the past 25 years, the Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission has
been inventorying the state for natural areas. The information collected is
essential to understanding the state’s biodiversity and identifying
opportunities to balance conservation with human needs. Inventories have been
completed in 27 counties and are underway in 38 others.
Figure 2: State Nature Preserves in Kentucky
Erosion of topsoil not only affects farmland productivity, it also degrades the quality of Kentucky’s waterways. Siltation is the second leading source of water pollution in the state. The amount of soil loss in Kentucky has been dramatically reduced in recent years in part because of the use of soil-conserving crop management practices such as conservation tillage, a farming technique that disturbs less soil. It is estimated that 64 percent of Kentucky’s farmland utilizes conservation tillage practices.
Figure 3: Average Farmland Soil Erosion Rates, Kentucky, 1977-1997
Nationwide, more than 1,000 species of wildlife and plants have been listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as threatened or endangered, and in Kentucky 45 native species no longer exist. The Natural Heritage Database currently lists 560 bird, mussel, plant, mammal, and amphibian/reptile species that are considered rare or of special concern (18 percent of all those known species in the state.)
Figure 4: Species at Risk, Kentucky and the U.S.
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