Outdoor Recreation in Kentucky
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KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan OUTDOOR RECREATION IN KENTUCKY Assessment, Policies and Actions 2014-2019 KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Outdoor Recreation in Kentucky Assessment, Policies and Actions 2014-2019 Steve Beshear, Governor Commonwealth of Kentucky Tony Wilder, Commissioner Office of the Governor Department for Local Government The Office of the Governor, Department for Local Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin or disability in its programs and activities. Anyone who believes he or she has been discriminated against for any of these reasons may file a complaint alleging discrimination with either the Department for Local Government or the Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240 The preparation of this plan was financed in part by a planning grant under the provisions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (Public Law 88-578) from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Acknowledgements The Department for Local Government is grateful for the cooperative effort from the leadership and staff of the various federal, state, regional, and local agencies who assisted in the development of this report. A special thanks for the assistance provided by the 15 Area Development Districts, members of the Land and Water Conservation Fund State Advisory Committee and the Recreational Trails Program Advisory Committee. Office of the Governor Department for Local Government Office of Federal Grants Lynn Travis Littrell, Executive Director Jodie Williams, SCORP Project Coordinator Lee Nalley, SCORP Project Staff KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1-2 Statewide Outdoor Recreation Goals .......................................................................... 3-8 KY Public Survey .................................................................................................................. 9-13 Methodology Opinions and Attitudes Key Findings General Characteristics of the State ............................................................................. 14-24 History Features of the Land Land use Land Cover Climate Vegetation Fauna Natural Areas Water Resources Demography Economy Homegrown by Heroes Federal Agencies .................................................................................................................. 25-34 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Mammoth Cave National Park Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (BSF) Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site National Registry of Natural Landmarks U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service U.S. Forest Service U.S. Department of Defense Tennessee Valley Authority State Agencies ....................................................................................................................... 35-49 Governor’s Office for Policy and Management Department for Local Government Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet Department of Travel Department of Parks Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Kentucky Heritage Council Kentucky Historical Society Kentucky Sports Authority Kentucky Horse Park Kentucky Artisan Center Energy and Environment Cabinet Department for Natural Resources Division of Forestry Division of Conservation Division of Abandoned Mine Lands Transportation Cabinet Scenic Highways and Byways Program Bicycle and Bikeways Program Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund Nature Preserves Commission Local Governments Nonprofit Organizations Private Sector Recreational Trails .............................................................................................................. 49-51 Kentucky Rails to Trails National Recreation Trails National Historic Trails Kentucky State Park Trails Recreational Trails Program Kentucky Trail Towns Wetlands .................................................................................................................................. 51-61 Status of Wetlands Resources Threats to Kentucky’s Wetlands Wild Rivers Program Department for Environmental Protection Division of Water Area Development Districts ............................................................................................ 62-82 Land and Water Conservation Fund ............................................................................ 83-86 Selection Procedure Priority Rating System-Mandatory Requirements Scoring Criteria Attachments A: LWCF Apportionment Funding B: Kentucky Department of Parks Address List C: Land and Water Conservation Funded Projects in Kentucky D: Outdoor Recreation Survey Form E: Outdoor Recreation Survey Reminder Card Kentucky Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan can be downloaded at KY SCORP. KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan INTRODUCTION Background and Planning Process Context While the formal planning requirements of the federal Since 1965, the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor program have tended to become less restrictive over Recreation Plan (SCORP) has served as a time, they still define the baseline for state recreation comprehensive guide to outdoor recreation throughout planning. State planners have joined together in the bluegrass state. The general goals of the SCORP are: regional and national associations to share information and discover common themes. Both the efforts and the • To direct the state’s use of its Land and Water products have tended to become more diverse as states Conservation Fund apportionment; have taken different approaches to plan for their particular needs and circumstances. • To increase the diversity, quality and quantity of outdoor recreational opportunities for Kentuckians as The methodology of the present plan was carried out well as for visitors to the state; by the identification of issues, goals, and strategies; an implementation program to guide LWCF expenditures; • To identify, maintain, and protect Kentucky’s a wetlands component; a recreational trails component; important natural, scenic, historical, and cultural and integration and drafting of the plan document. resources; • To provide a mechanism for coordinating various 1. Issues, goals, and strategies were based on governmental and private roles and responsibilities; and information obtained from local, state and federal agencies involved with recreation. The 15 Area • To provide Congress, the Governor, executive Development Districts were instrumental in helping to agencies, the state legislature, local governments, and identify issues and gathering data at the community citizens a central source of information on legislative, level. Citizen participation is essential to a valid and budgetary, and planning processes related to outdoor meaningful planning process. Accordingly, a variety of recreation. channels, both direct and indirect, were utilized during plan development to ensure that appropriate input was available at each stage of the process. 1 KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2. The LWCF implementation program was developed with the input of the Land and Water Conservation Fund State Advisory Committee, which assisted in the selection of issues, goals, and strategies; guided the development of the Open Project Selection Process and Priority Rating System by which project proposals are evaluated; and advises in the selection of projects. 3. Development of the Wetlands component was primarily overseen by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, pursuant to the federal mandate of that agency’s significant involvement in SCORP wetlands planning. 4. The Trails Development component was developed with the input of the Recreation Trails State Advisory Committee, and the 15 Area Development Districts. 5. Integration and drafting of the present Assessment and Policy Plan was conducted by the Department for Local Government. This report is the final documentation of the process outlined above, as well as a “snapshot” of the status of outdoor recreation in the state at a point in time, and what is needed in the future. The major elements of the picture are developed in detail in subsequent sections of this plan. 2 KENTUCKY: Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Statewide Outdoor Recreation Goals Strategic Goals Strategic Goal 1: Expand and improve the quantity and variety of outdoor recreation opportunities, with emphasis on areas and population segments where these are most lacking. 1. Seek funding for additional acreage, facility devel- 4. Staying consistent with other management objectives, opment, and programs within the state parks system to provide for the widest possible variety of compatible serve regional needs. To continue maintain and recreation activities in forests, preserves, and other enhancing the Kentucky State Park System. Meeting the natural areas under state management. While always growing recreational demands of the commonwealth of looking ahead at new recreational endeavors and Kentucky. consider recreational