Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve
Encyclopedia
Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve is a 458 acres (1.9 km²) nature reserve
located near Barlow, Kentucky
in Ballard County
in an area known locally as "the Barlow bottoms", a wetland
created by periodic flooding along the mouth of the Ohio River
. Originally, Axe Lake consisted of 146 acre (0.59084156 km²) of the main lake and about 120 lots on the dryer portions of the property. These lots, the gate and an access road were maintained by a member/share-holder organization which agreed to the lake's dedication as a nature reserve on February 20, 1991. An additional 312 acres (1.3 km²) was dedicated on December 11, 2001.
The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission
with assistance from The Nature Conservancy
have identified Axe Lake as the centerpiece of an expanded long-term project to protect 3,000 acres (12 km²) of Bald cypress/tupelo swamp lands which is to be called the Axe Lake Swamp wetlands complex. This protected area
is known to support at least eight rare plant and animal species. The site has been recognized as a priority wetland in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
located near Barlow, Kentucky
Barlow, Kentucky
Barlow is a city in Ballard County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 715 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Paducah, KY-IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Barlow is located at ....
in Ballard County
Ballard County, Kentucky
Ballard County is a county located in west of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was created by the Kentucky State Legislature in 1842, and is named for Captain Bland Ballard, a soldier, statesman, and member of the Kentucky General Assembly. He was one of the few Kentucky volunteers to survive the...
in an area known locally as "the Barlow bottoms", a wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
created by periodic flooding along the mouth of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. Originally, Axe Lake consisted of 146 acre (0.59084156 km²) of the main lake and about 120 lots on the dryer portions of the property. These lots, the gate and an access road were maintained by a member/share-holder organization which agreed to the lake's dedication as a nature reserve on February 20, 1991. An additional 312 acres (1.3 km²) was dedicated on December 11, 2001.
The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission
Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission
The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission is an agency of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the United States dedicated to the protection of Kentucky's natural heritage...
with assistance from The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
have identified Axe Lake as the centerpiece of an expanded long-term project to protect 3,000 acres (12 km²) of Bald cypress/tupelo swamp lands which is to be called the Axe Lake Swamp wetlands complex. This protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
is known to support at least eight rare plant and animal species. The site has been recognized as a priority wetland in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
North American Waterfowl Management Plan
The North American Waterfowl Management Plan is an international plan to conserve waterfowl and migratory birds in North America. It was established in 1986 by Canada and the United States, and expanded to include Mexico in 1994....
.
Wildlife
Wetlands species of interest:- Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichumTaxodium distichumTaxodium distichum is a species of conifer native to the southeastern United States.-Characteristics:...
) - Great blue heronGreat Blue HeronThe Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
(Ardea herodias) - Great egretGreat EgretThe Great Egret , also known as the Great White Egret or Common Egret, White Heron, or Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in southern Europe it is rather localized...
(Casmerodius albus) - Wood duckWood DuckThe Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a species of duck found in North America. It is one of the most colourful of North American waterfowl.-Description:...
(Aix sponsa)