Appalachian Wildlands - Reese (KY)
The 180-acre tract is in Harlan County on the north face of Pine Mountain within the Appalachian Highlands Wildlands Corridor (AHWC), forested ridgelines spanning 125 miles from Tennessee through Kentucky to Virginia. The tract protects a large contiguous forest that is essential habitat for thousands of plant, animal and fungi species; nearly more than 200 of these species are considered rare, some found nowhere else on the planet. Notable is that the tract is within the Daniel Boone Priority Conservation Area identified in the US Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Strategy for Forest-Dwelling Bats in the Commonwealth of Kentucky (2025).
The tract protects the headwaters of tributaries of the Cumberland River, part of notable aquatic systems with extraordinary biodiversity. Freshwater communities of this region are the most biodiverse temperate freshwater ecosystems in the world, with a globally notable number of mussels, fishes, crayfish, and invertebrates. The headwaters originating on Little Black Mountain are part of the Mississippi River Watershed, the fourth largest watershed in the world.
The Reese tract is a key acquisition for advancing the emerging outdoor economy of the region. The tract is situated between Pine Mountain State Resort Park, Kentucky’s first state park, and the city of Pineville, making them prospective areas for hiking trail access linking the town directly to the state park. Additionally, the acquisition will include annual voluntary payments to the local school districts as part of KNLT’s ongoing community partnership given the tax-exempt status on the lands KNLT owns.