Kentucky Heartwood

Kentucky Heartwood seeks to protect and restore the integrity, stability and beauty of Kentucky's native forests and biotic communities through research, education, advocacy and community engagement. 

We are Kentucky's only group solely dedicated to forest watch!

Kentucky Heartwood uses the best available science, policy and law to defend the Daniel Boone National Forest. We analyze federal proposals to ensure the persistence of threatened and endangered species such the Indiana bat and Kentucky arrow darter and the protection of interior and old-growth forests among many other issues.

With your support we will:

• Continue ground truthing efforts and community engagement in the Jellico Mountains along the Kentucky-Tennessee border where a large-scale logging project is currently proposed. Learn more HERE. 


• Engage our communities through educational hikes and special events that foster a deep love and appreciation for our forests


• Conduct field work and data collection on the forests we work to protect. Donations support our three staff members, our partner scientists and ecologists during consultation projects, and many brain-hours spent compiling and analyzing the data. 


• Engage citizens in the public involvement process afforded to all of us under the National Environmental Policy Act.

To learn more about our work, visit www.kyheartwood.org.

Who We Are

Kentucky Heartwood seeks to protect and restore the integrity, stability, and beauty of Kentucky’s native forests and biotic communities through research, education, advocacy, and community engagement.