By Lynette Cox
Bernheim Announces Addition of 182 Acre Buffalo Creek Tract
Land will provide clean air, pristine water, carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection
Bernheim Forest and Arboretum is pleased to announce the acquisition of 182 acres of natural land known as the Buffalo Creek Tract. Located in Nelson County near Bardstown, the Buffalo Creek Tract is forested knobs with extensive ridgelines, rock outcroppings, and views reaching out across the Bluegrass. Connected to Bernheim with a half-mile of shared boundary, this addition extends protection of critical ecosystem services to the surrounding communities.
“Bernheim has granted a conservation easement on this property to ensure the forests, water, and biodiversity will be protected forever,” stated Andrew Berry, Director of Conservation at Bernheim Forest and Arboretum.
This project was made possible with funding from the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund and the Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund. The Buffalo Creek Tract links two major watersheds within Bernheim, creating a wildlife corridor that connects Harrison Fork of Wilson Creek to Buffalo Creek. A further benefit for the community is the permanent protection for the headwaters of Sympson Lake, a major water source for Bardstown formed by flow from Buffalo Creek.
“We pledge to treat the Buffalo Creek Tract with the same stewardship we apply to all Bernheim and are grateful for the support of so many that work to make this happen,” added Andrew Berry.
The Buffalo Creek Tract contains forests diverse in oak species including white oak (Quercus alba), chestnut oak (Quercus montana), black oak (Quercus velutina), red oak (Quercus rubra), post oak (Quercus stellata), and blackjack oak (Quercus marilandica). Old forests provide critical habitat for the federally endangered Indiana Bat and the Northern Long-eared Bat. These bats require standing dead trees called snags for establishing maternity roosts. Within the cavities and sloughing bark of dying old trees, bats stash and collectively rear their pups during the summer months while residing in Bernheim. There are 13 species of bat known to use Bernheim during the summer, and several of those remain in the forest and caves during winter.
Bernheim Forest and Arboretum has 95 years of experience in the conservation of forests, water, and wildlife. With a mission of connecting people with nature and a goal to demonstrate leadership in ecological stewardship, Bernheim is uniquely positioned to promote the appreciation and protection of our region’s biodiversity through land stewardship, as well as education, interpretation, and outreach programs that reach over 350,000 visitors annually. Bourbon maker Isaac Wolfe Bernheim established the forest and arboretum in 1929 as a gift to the people of Kentucky.
