River Fields Inc

TO PROTECT, PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING AGRICULTURAL AND SCENIC RESOURCES, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE OHIO RIVER BETWEEN WESTPORT AND WEST POINT, KENTUCKY, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION THROUGH A THREE PRONGED PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH OF LAND CONSERVATION, ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION. RIVER FIELDS STARTED AS AN ADVOCACY GROUP. IN 1986, IT BEGAN LAND AQUISITION WITH THE INTENT TO PROTECT AND MANAGE THE LAND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. IN 1996, IT BEGAN ANOTHER CONSERVATION INITIATIVE THROUGH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROTECTION OF HISTORIC RESOURCES TAKES PLACE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KY HERITAGE COUNCIL. ADVOCACY IS A PROGRAM THAT USES MANY TOOLS IN PROTECTING THE PLACES PEOPLE LOVE AND CAN ACCESS. THE EDUCATION PROGRAM EDUCATES INTERESTED CITIZENS ABOUT RESOURCES, THREATS AND THE MANY TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PROTECT IMPORTANT RESOURCES AND THE PLACES PEOPLE LOVE.

LAND CONSERVATION THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM AREA FOCUSES ON THE PROTECTION, MOSTLY PERMANENT, OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES INCLUDING SCENIC AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OR PURCHASE OF LAND IN FEE SIMPLE. WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH INTERESTED LANDOWNERS AND CITIZENS AS THEY DECIDE WHETHER TO EXECUTE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OR DONATE THEIR LAND. WITH ALMOST 2,200 ACRES OF FARMLAND OF CULTURAL LANDSCAPES, WETLANDS, OPEN SPACE, RIVER CORRIDOR AND WATERSHED PROPERTIES NOW PROTECTED FOREVER FROM UNWISE DEVELOPMENT, RIVER FIELDS PROVIDES A STRONG, CLEAR VOICE FOR LAND CONSERVATION THAT IS LISTENED TO THROUGHOUT THIS REGION AND BEYOND. WE HOLD EASEMENT IN THREE COUNTIES- JEFFERSON, OLDHAM, AND SHELBY COUNTY ALL OF WHICH ARE IN THE OHIO RIVER WATERSHED. WE HOLD AND MONITOR ANNUALLY 19 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, SEVEN OF WHICH ARE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD JOINTLY WITH THE KY HERITAGE COUNCIL, KENTUCKY'S AGENCY FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION. ONE MAJOR EASEMENT, THE 400-ACRE SHELBY TRAILS PARK, IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YEAR-ROUND. IMPORTANTLY, RIVER FIELDS ALSO HAS 10 PROPERTIES HELD IN FEE SIMPLE, MOST OF WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RIVER FIELDS LARGEST PROPERTY OWNED IN FEE SIMPLE, GARVIN BROWN PRESERVE, IS A 45-ACRE NATURE PRESERVE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND ENJOYED BY COUNTLESS THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR. A SECOND NEWER PROPERTY, RECENTLY ENHANCED, THE FAIRVIEW SCENIC PULL-OFF ENCOURAGES THE PUBLIC TO PARK AND ENJOY A DRAMATIC, GLORIOUS VIEW OF LOUISVILLE, INDIANA, AND THE OHIO RIVER.

EDUCATION - ENCOURAGE AND EMPOWER ALL CITIZENS TO PROTECT THE RIVER AND ITS SURROUNDING LANDS. OUR LARGEST EMAIL LIST ALLOWS US TO COMMUNICATE WITH ANY PERSON WHO SIGNS UP. WE SEND OUT EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION, ALERTS ABOUT PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CRITICAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR. WE ACCEPT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS TO LANDOWNERS. WE OFFER ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL EVENTS ON PROTECTED LANDS, ALWAYS LED BY A PROFESSIONAL. RIVER FIELDS WORKS CLOSELY WITH ITS MEMBERS, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND NEWS MEDIA TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND OTHER IMPORTANT TOPICS. WE TRAIN REGIONAL CITIZENS AND LEADERS ON THE LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS OF LAND CONSERVATION. WE ARE PARTICULARLY ADEPT AT EDUCATING CITIZENS ABOUT THE FEDERAL LAW, SECTION 106 WHICH HELPS STAKEHOLDERS REDUCE, AND MITIGATE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON HISTORIC PROPERTIES FROM A FEDERAL UNDERTAKING.

ADVOCACY RIVER FIELDS TAKES POSITIONS BASED ONLY ON THE FACTS AND THE LAW. WE SEEK CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT PROMOTE PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF NATURAL, SCENIC HISTORIC AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES AND OPEN SPACES. WE PROMOTE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT, GREATER PUBLIC ACCESS, RATIONAL TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS AND GOOD URBAN DESIGN. WE ARE PROUD OF OUR REPUTATION AS A WILLING NEGOTIATOR IN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE NATURAL AND HISTORIC, LAND CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND AND WISE WATER USE. WE ALWAYS WORK TOWARD THE PROTECTION OF CLEAN AIR, SOIL, WATER, AND HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS. WE ARE A LEAD NON-PROFIT IN THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCES WHICH ARE SO OFTEN IGNORED. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FOR AN IMPORTANT HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD ,WHICH HAS STATE-WIDE SIGNIFICANCE, HAS BEEN AN ADVOCACY PRIORITY. RIVER FIELDS FUNDED THE WORK OF THE CENTER FOR NEIGHBORHOODS, ANOTHER PARTNER, TO LEAD THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. IN 2020, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN WAS APPROVED BY THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL. THE ADVOCACY PROGRAM COVERS DECISIONS FROM COUNTLESS LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. IN METRO LOUISVILLE, MONITORING AND ADVOCACY TAKES PLACE FOR PROPOSALS IN THE OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR THAT COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT, TO NAME A FEW. IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, MONITORING AND ADVOCACY CONCERNING OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR PROJECTS RELATE TO THE KY TRANSPORTATION CABINET, THE KY DIVISION OF WATER, AND OTHER RELATED AGENCIES. INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS SUCH AS ROADS, BRIDGES AND DAMS IN THE OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR ARE CAREFULLY ASSESSED. A VARIETY OF TOOLS ARE USED IN ALL THESE AREAS.