User:Tsmink/sandbox/Horse Lick Creek

Horse Lick Creek
Horse Lick Creek is a 62-square mile watershed that covers parts of Jackson and Rockcastle counties in southeastern Kentucky. There are many species of mussels in this swiftly flowing stream. The watershed’s numerous caves and cliff-lines are home to a number of endangered species including bats and cave invertebrates. The healthy populations of these species make Horse Lick Creek one of the premier sites for the protection of biological diversity on the western slope of the Appalachians. Even so, sections of Horse Lick Creek have been significantly impacted over the years by mining and poor agricultural practices.

Conservation Efforts
In a bid to help save endangered bats, The Nature Conservancy has purchased six tracks of land in Jackson and Laurel counties that border on the Daniel Boone National Forest.The nonprofit land trust said the purchases will fill gaps between existing land it already owns and other conservation partners' property in the area. “The benefits these protected lands provide stretch far beyond bat habitat to include uninterrupted forest cover and protection of in-stream and riparian habitats in the Horse Lick Creek and Sinking Creek watersheds,” said Dian Osbourne, director of protection for The Nature Conservancy of Kentucky.

Water Quality
The water of Horse Lick Creek begins its 16-mile journey in western Jackson County, flowing below steeply rugged slopes before gradually descending into the Rockcastle River. Vegetative and structural evidence indicates heavy settlement and farming occurred along Horse Lick Creek until the early 1900s.

Land
This 40,000-acre bio-reserve remains abundant in native flora and fauna. Today, approximately 1,000 residents live within the ridgetop boundaries of the bio-reserve. It remains a place where people come to enjoy Mother Nature, to fish, hunt or hike in one of Kentucky's remotely hidden treasures. The Nature Conservancy, Forest Service and private landholders share ownership within the boundaries of the Horse Lick Creek Bio-reserve. More than 15,000 acres are owned and managed by the Daniel Boone National Forest, with a majority of the land privately owned. In addition to shared ownership, cooperators share a sense of responsibility in the protection and management of this rare and special place. Some of the following activities define our shared purpose.