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Sally Brown Nature Preserve
The Sally Brown Preserve represents a rich history of what’s possible with generous supporters and a variety of land protection tools. First, the Conservancy acquired the original preserve – a narrow stretch of limestone cliffs and surrounding habitat winding along the banks of Bowmans Bend on the Kentucky River. This was made possible after a 2:1 challenge grant provided by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation was met by donations from Mrs. W.L. Lyons (Sally) Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Alan M. Bond and the W.L. Lyons Brown Foundation. Later, the Conservancy bought 300 acres of adjacent farmland and sold it in three parcels to conservation buyers willing to maintain these important buffering properties with conservation easement agreements ensuring they be maintained in ways that do not harm the view shed, water quality and habitats. The Conservancy has also acquired additional property, the Crutcher Nature Preserve, to expand the Conservancy’s presence further up the river, and has assisted adjacent local farmers with selling development rights to the state. Spanning a majestic stretch of the state’s Palisades area, the Sally Brown Nature Preserve’s steep limestone cliffs and river bottomland create a unique biological and geological environment which attracts a number of rare and endangered plants and animals. Each spring, the preserve produces a spectacular wildflower show from the first of March through May, with the array of beauties changing almost daily. Visitors also enjoy viewing migrating birds during spring, and scenic vistas year-round Size: 632 acres, with hundreds of additional acres as a buffer against development. Location: Garrard County What's at Stake: The steep cliffs surrounding the Kentucky River harbor the largest concentration of forest within the Inner Bluegrass, which is otherwise largely agricultural or suburban. Blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata), chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) and sugar maple (Acer sacharum) are abundant on the steep limestone slopes, along with less common trees like rock elm (Ulmus thomasi), yellow wood (Cladrastis lutea) and yellow buckeye (Aesculus octandra). Sites on old sandy river terraces and bluff-top ridges more acid or infertile soils harbor beech (Fagus), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and oak/hickory (Quercus/Carya) – forest types more common in Appalachian Kentucky. The preserve and broader Palisades area is also 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 large, unfragmented forested corridors as a source of insects. Threats: Unsustainable development and agriculture, which affects water quality of the Kentucky River, creeks, and wet weather streams within the Palisades area. Aggressive alien plants such as bush honeysuckles and garlic mustard. Milestones: The preserve was established as a result of a 2:1 challenge grant provided by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and met by donations from Mrs. W.L. Lyons (Sally) Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Alan M. Bond and the W.L. Lyons Brown Foundation. Adjacent property donated by Dr. and Mrs. Richard Crutcher in 1999 to create the Crutcher Nature Preserve. In 2000, the Conservancy bought and resold, with conservation easements in place, an additional 300 acres of adjacent agricultural land as a buffer to the preserve. Action: Provide public access without compromising the delicate nature of the preserve. Work with interested land owners, private groups, and state and federal agencies to achieve the larger vision of preserving thousands of acres along this 100-mile stretch of the Kentucky River Palisades area. Learn More:
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