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Kentucky Heartwood

We need forests we can get lost in; trees that make us gape; streams we can drink from. 
​Wild places sustain and define us; ​we, in turn, must protect them.

Speak up for the Red River Gorge!

Picture
TAKE ACTION!
New management plans for the Red River Gorge

Virtual Public Meeting 
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
5-6:30 pm 
Read on for details and instructions on how to join the meeting
If you’ve visited the Red River Gorge within the past decade, it’s hard to overlook the impacts of increased recreation. Social trails, vanishing plant life, trash, ATV abuse, and incursions into the Clifty Wilderness plague the area. The Forest Service announced a dual planning process to update the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) for the Gorge in conjunction with creating a Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) for the Wild and Scenic Red River. These plans should set standards and a monitoring plan to protect the character of the Red River Gorge and the Red River. However, this kind of process tends to foster development by adding amenities to accommodate more people. Now is the time to protect the ecological, geological, cultural and historical characteristics of the Red River Gorge. 

What is a “Limits of Acceptable Change” plan?
Limits of Acceptable Change is a process which requires land managers to define desired resource conditions and take action to maintain or achieve those conditions. It is designed to measure impacts rather than limit the number of visitors. The Forest Service has explicitly stated that their main objective is to improve visitor safety, enhance the visitor experience, increase public access, and build more facilities.  However, this approach may lead to more degradation in the Red River Gorge. 

What is a Comprehensive River Management Plan?
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act preserves rivers with outstanding remarkable values (ORV) such as scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural and other values. Segments of the Red River were protected under the Act in 1993. This includes 9.1 river miles designated as “wild” surrounded by the Clifty Wilderness and 10.3 river miles flowing through the Gorge designated as “recreational.” A CRMP will address the current status of the Red River, outline goals and desired conditions, determine user capacities, and create a monitoring strategy. A good plan requires quality input for citizens.

The development of a new LAC plan should include an analysis of: 
  • How the 2008 LAC plan worked and/or failed to protect the Red River Gorge
  • ​The need for more law enforcement officers and rangers
  • Dealing with deferred maintenance of current amenities
  • Maintaining expanded amenities in the future
  • Social trail obliteration and trail closures
  • Impacts to threatened and endangered species
  • A robust plan for monitoring
  • Compliance with all environmental and public land laws

Now is your chance to be a voice for the Red River Gorge! 

The Forest Service is hosting a virtual public meeting about the Red River Gorge on Tuesday, November 10,  2020, from  5:00-6:30 pm EST via Microsoft Teams. Join the meeting here.

Click here for a PDF with instructions for how to connect to the meeting using a mobile device or computer.

Follow the Forest Service's public Facebook group called “Future of the Red: Management in the Red River Gorge.” It contains information about the LAC and CRMP processes and more details about Tuesday's meeting. Join the group here.

Follow Kentucky Heartwood’s “Protect the Red River Gorge” Facebook event where we will also be posting updates and relevant information as we get closer to the meeting date. Click here to follow our event page.

Kentucky Heartwood remains committed to providing a thorough analysis of proposed agency actions using the best available science and the law. Protecting and restoring biological integrity to the Daniel Boone National Forest guides our efforts. As the LAC and CRMP process develops, we will be providing analysis, information, and volunteer opportunities to help protect this well-loved area in our region. Click here to sign up for Kentucky Heartwood’s email alerts.​

If you value this work, please consider donating to Kentucky Heartwood. We're a small group, and every bit helps. 

​Thanks! We couldn't do it without you!


Report Damages in the Red River Gorge

Picture: ORV damage observed in the Red River Gorge in 2008
ORV damage observed in the Red River Gorge in 2008
Click on the image above, or click here to report damages that you have observed in the Red River Gorge
Examples of damages to report include vandalism, dumping, erosion, non-system/user created trails, and off road vehicle damage.
  • Home
  • News and Events
    • Forest Blog
    • Newsletters
    • Calendar
    • Music Festival >
      • Music Festival Sponsor Page
      • Music Festival Pics
    • Virtual Membership Meeting 2021
    • White fringeless orchid mural
  • Projects
    • Forest Watch >
      • Jellico
      • Red River Gorge >
        • Report Damages RRG
      • Pine Creek Forest Restoration Project
      • South Redbird Project
      • Blackwater IRMS
      • Forest Plan Amendment
      • Greenwood
      • Land Between the Lakes >
        • Birmingham Ferry Salvage Project
        • LBL Scenery Management Plan
        • LBL Video Project
        • Pisgah Bay Project >
          • Pisgah Bay Comment Letter
      • Beaver Creek Commercial Harvest
      • Climax & Little Egypt >
        • Crooked Creek Photos 2011
        • Crooked Creek Photos 2010
      • Upper Rock Creek Logging >
        • Rock Creek Hike, November 2009
      • Robinson Forest >
        • Robinson Forest aerial images
        • Robinson Forest Images - Coles Fork
        • Robinson Strip Mines
    • Rise and Root Rewilding
    • Hope for Hemlocks of KY
    • Wood Lily Partnership
    • Old Growth Recovery
  • Join
  • Contact
  • Email Alerts
  • Links
  • About
    • Council & Staff