Aimee Rosenfield Memorial Preserve

Aimee Rosenfield Memorial Preserve
© B. Dalton

This preserve, also known as Bald Knobs Glade, consists of glades on cretaceous gravel, limestone hillsides and a surrounding dry upland forest. Plant species diversity is high with grasses dominating the openings. A walk through the preserve provides a glimpse of the vast prairies that once graced Kentucky.

Location
This site is located 4 miles northeast of Smithland in Livingston County, north of KY 70.

Size
69 acres

Conditions
Because the glades are open and exposed, they are subject to extreme temperatures: summer temperatures near the rock surface can approach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Due to the sensitivity of the site, the preserve is open to the public only through Conservancy guided hikes.

How to Prepare for Your Visit
For more information on visiting this and other Nature Conservancy sites in Kentucky, see our Preserve Visitation Guidelines page.

What to See: Plants
Grasses dominate the area, particularly

  • Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
  • Big bluestem (Andropogon gerargii)
  • Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
  • Dropseeds: Sporobolus clandestinus and Sporobolus vaginiflorus

A variety of colorful wildflowers sprinkle the outcroppings, including:

  • purple cornflower (Echinacea simulata)
  • blazing star (Liatris squarrosa)
  • mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)
  • yellow coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
  • baptista (Baptista leucophaea)
  • bird's foot violet (Viola pedata)

What to See: Animals
Forest and grassland wildlife species are plentiful at Aimee Rosenfield preserve. These include:

  • grassland and forest guilds of songbirds
  • deer
  • turkey
  • squirrels
 

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Reflecting little disturbance, these glades are very high quality and show a great diversity of species due to the unusual environmental conditions. The Aimee Rosenfield preserve protects a few significant parcels of glades and prairies that remain in Kentucky. This special area was donated by Joseph Rosenfield and named in memory of his late wife.
 
What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
One of the key stewardship objectives for the preserve is to prevent the succession of prairie openings through scheduled fire management. Other objectives include monitoring and searching for rare species.