About Us
The Kentucky Field Office was established in 2001 and is a leader in conserving Kentucky imperiled species and their habitats, ensuring that sustainable populations of fish, wildlife, and plants continue to thrive for future generations. Our team is involved in conservation throughout the state, focusing on recovery of over 49 threatened and endangered species, with the majority occurring in central and east Kentucky. Working with others, we have demonstrated success in fulfilling the purposes of the Endangered Species Act, conserving ecosystems and recovering multiple species to the point that the protection of the Endangered Species Act is no longer necessary.
Field office biologists have developed expertise in imperiled species and key habitats of Kentucky including:
- Streams, rivers and wetlands
- Caves, mines, and other bat habitat
- Grassland and other habitats important for pollinators and rare plants
Our Mission
Field office staff work with federal, tribal, state, local, and private partners to:
- Recover federally endangered, threatened, and other imperiled species
- Compile and analyze data for decisions regarding which plants and animals receive Endangered Species Act protection
- Minimize or avoid rare species impacts from federally authorized or funded projects.
Much of the field office’s work is carried out under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, although the office has responsibilities to administer portions of numerous other laws