When Daniel Boone passed through the Cumberland Gap in the spring of 1769 and followed a native American trail into the Bluegrass, what did it look like? The area known as the Bluegrass was known in the 18th century as being a fertile hunting ground. Native populations were mainly hunter-gatherers. They didn’t clear-cut large areas for farming. As settlers arrived, they cut down trees to build cabins and fortress walls to keep animals and native populations out. They farmed small gardens to support their families. Still, their impact on the land was very small compared with today.

What did this area look like in the mid to late 1700’s? There were no houses, no church building, no roads, no fences, no street lights nor power lines. There were no neatly-mowed lawns, and probably no defined pathways. Imagine areas of tall grasses, stands of trees, and wetland areas, each supporting diverse wildlife populations. Native species like white-tailed deer, turkey, otter, American black bear, and bald eagles were thriving.

Our challenge today is balancing the needs and wants of our 21st century populations with the needs of our fragile ecosystem. As advanced as we are, we still rely on clean air and water every day. We may eat food which is scientifically farmed, but most farmers still rely on a supply of water to irrigate their crops and bees to pollinate them. Like it or not, we have to work with nature to create a sustainable future. This means caring for the health of our waterways and their protective buffer areas.