Kentucky Conservation Committee Annual Meeting
Saturday September 20, 2008 : 10 am to 3:30 pm
With a 3:30 to 6:30 pm post conference tour of Floyds Fork
Link to Meeting Agenda
Link to information about Annual Meeting Speakers
Link to Register for KCC Annual MeetingSpecial Scholarships for Campus Liaisons
The mission of the Kentucky Conservation Committee is to work for sustainable use of renewable natural resources, prudent use of non-renewable resources, conservation and preservation of critical and unique areas, and a healthful environment for all Kentuckians. We accomplish our mission by working with a coalition of environmental organizations and individuals to influence public environmental policy and legislation.
Blackacre State Nature Preserve will be the site of the KCC's annual meeting. The theme of the meeting will be “Conserve Kentucky The Conserve Kentucky initiative began two years ago with a LRC sponsored task force, charged with studying:
“The Commonwealth's strategy for the protection of natural areas, farmlands, habitats and forests and produce recommendations for a comprehensive land stewardship and conservation program." www.lrc.ky.gov/Committee/Special/Conserv%20TF/home.htm
The annual meeting will provide participants with an update of the Task Force's progress, and involve them in discussions of where to go from here, regarding proposed legislation for the 2009 session. Five panels, comprised of legislators, state agency, environmental organizations, educators and research scientists, will participate. The meeting will close with a discussion of KCC's environmental legislative priorities for the upcoming session.
Blackacre State Nature Preserve is an ideal location to hold such discussions, as it is our Commonwealth's first nature preserve in the Kentucky State Nature Preserve system. Since 1982, The Blackacre Conservancy, ( www.blackacreconservancy.org ), our host, has been actively protecting and interpreting the 180 acre Nature Preserve. Recently, the Conservancy has purchased 100 acres of land adjacent to the preserve which will be the site of a new nature and administrative center. Since the establishment of the preserve, Jefferson County Public Schools, ( www.jcpsky.net/ee ), has led ecological investigations at Blackacre; these investigations focus on understanding the value of conserving Kentucky .
The annual meeting will conclude with a tour of the Floyds Fork Corridor project, the largest new park project in the United States . The tour, led by Dr. Dan Jones , CEO and president of the 21 st Century Parks, http://www.21cparks.org/ , will be an up-close and personal view of the ecology, planning, challenges and opportunities of land conservation in an urban/suburban center. The tour will also provide the participant with an overview of the 105 Louisville Loop , http://www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks/cityofparks , clarifying Floyds Fork in its context as a cornerstone of the Loop project.
Dr. David Wicks , ( dwicks@bellsouth.net ), is Local Arrangements Chair, and Russ Barnett, r.barnett@louisville.edu , is Program Chair for the meeting. Contact them if you want to volunteer to help organize the annual meeting. Registration information, update meeting agendas/schedules and local housing options will be available soon at KCC new website, www.kyconservation.org .
We hope all the readers will join KCC and help shape future environmental policy in Kentucky and ensure that we Conserve Kentucky !
Copyright 2008
Kentucky Conservation Committee