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Kirwan Preserve

Wild hyacinth
Wild hyacinth
© The Nature Conservancy

This site is a part of the extension bluff system associated with the meandering, entrenched Kentucky River. Because such rivers can serve as long-term plant and animal migration routes, and these steep bluffs have environmental extremes that provide intense natural selection pressure, the habitats are excellent refuges for rare and unusual organisms.

Location
Woodford County, 5 miles southwest of Versailles.

Size
24 acres

Conditions
The preserve is not open to the public.

What to See: Plants
A globally rare species of wild rye grows on the driest, open rocky slopes. In the late spring, spectacular displays of wild hyacinth grace this preserve.
 
What to See: Animals
 The Palisades are home to at least 25 mammal species and 35 reptile species. Two endangered bats -- the Gray bat (Myotis grisescens) and Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) -- utilize this habitat. Bats require forested corridors that serve as a source of insects. The bats feed on these insects over streams and along forest edges.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
This preserve was donated to the Conservancy in 1978 by Mrs. William E. Kirwan. It protects forested limestone bluffs along the Kentucky River Palisades, an area known for its diverse biota.
 
What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Conservancy is working with the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, and other organizations to protect large blocks of land within the Palisades.