WASHINGTON —The National Park Service (NPS) delivered the Kentucky Wildlands National Heritage Area Feasibility Study to Congress on Tuesday, identifying an area in eastern Kentucky steeped in natural and cultural heritage as eligible for inclusion in the National Heritage Area System.
The NPS study — authorized by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 — concludes that 35 of the 44 counties evaluated in Kentucky’s Cumberland, Mississippi and Outer Bluegrass Plateau regions embody the concepts of self-reliance, sustainability and community recognized as the foundation of central Appalachian identity. Through the area’s rich natural resources that fueled the rise of late 19th and 20th century industry, local musicians’ enduring influence on popular American music, the accomplishments of community-driven civic leaders, and the resilience of groups calling Eastern Kentucky home, the reach of the people and products of Kentucky Wildlands extends far beyond the mountainous terrain where they originate.

The NPS determined the 35 counties directly supporting the themes for a potential NHA boundary include: Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe. Within these counties, natural, cultural, historic and recreational resources support the overall landscape, cultural tradition  of the area, and the nationally important heritage of the Kentucky Wildlands.

The NPS study evaluated the area according to congressionally-established criteria and the National Heritage Area Feasibility Study Guidelines, including:
• Themes of national significance represented by natural, cultural and historic resources;
• Ongoing customs and traditions related to the area’s distinctive landscape and its peoples;
• The potential for future conservation, educational and recreational opportunities;
• Resources related to the identified themes retaining a level of integrity supporting interpretation;
• Local support for a potential NHA designation and its boundary; and
• The identification of a potential local coordinating entity.
The team consulted subject-matter experts, state and local governments, sovereign  Native Nations, non-governmental organizations, businesses and the public during the study process.

Through federal legislation, Congress designates NHAs as places where natural, cultural and historical resources combine to form cohesive, nationally important landscapes. While not a decision document, a feasibility study provides background information for those interested in a potential area’s inclusion in the National Heritage Area System.

Through public-private partnerships, NHAs tell nationally important stories celebrating America’s diverse heritage. Unlike national parks, NHAs are not federally-owned, but are lived-in communities, which may include private property, along with parks or other publicly-owned property. The federal government does not acquire land, manage land or change land use controls as a result of an NHA designation. A local organization manages the NHA in partnership with individual citizens; local, state, federal and sovereign Native Nations’ governments; and nonprofit and business sector groups. Together, these partners preserve the integrity of an area’s distinctive landscape and stories of national significance so that current and future generations can understand this relationship to the land.  The local NHA authority makes decisions, while the NPS may provide technical and financial assistance to NHAs.

The study’s materials are available online at ParkPlanning – Kentucky Wildlands National Heritage Area Feasibility Study (nps.gov).  For more information on National Heritage Areas, visit: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/heritageareas/.