Download the Kentucky Factsheet

Download the LWCF Factsheet for Kentucky, FY 12 Projects and Talking Points

Download the LWCF Support Letter to Senator McConnell, December 2010

LWCF Success in Kentucky

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped protect some of Kentucky’s most treasured places.  Kentucky has received approximately $103 million over the past four decades, protecting places such as the Daniel Boone National Forest and the Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Fern Lake provides the drinking water to the residents of Middlesboro, Kentucky.  Congress authorized the National Park Service to acquire lands surrounding the lake to preserve the mountainous watershed, ensure clean drinking water, and protect the scenic views and history of Cumberland Gap NHP.  Fern Lake is easily seen from Pinnacle Overlook, one of the most popular points in the park.  Cumberland Gap was a gateway to the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys for thousands of pioneers and settlers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  LWCF funds have successfully protected hundreds of acres at Fern Lake, greatly benefi ting residents and visitors alike.

Economic Benefits

Active outdoor recreation is an important part of the Kentucky economy. Each year, 820,000 sportspersons and 1.5 million wildlife watchers combine to spend $1.9 billion on wildlife-associated recreation in Kentucky.  This is an integral part of the American outdoor recreation economy, which contributes $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy, supports 6.4 million American jobs (1 out of every 20 jobs in the U.S.), and stimulates 8 percent of all consumer spending, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.