Knobs State Forest
{{Short description|State forest in Kentucky, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Knobs State Forest and Wildlife Management Area
| iucn_category =
| photo = Knobs_State_Forest.jpg
| photo_caption = Terminus of the orange trail
| photo_width =
| map = USA#Kentucky
| relief = 1
| map_caption = Location in the United States##Location in Kentucky
| location = Bullitt County, Kentucky
| nearest_city = Shepherdsville, Kentucky
| coordinates = {{coord|37|52|53|N|85|40|35|W|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|2035|acre|km2}}
| elevation_min = {{convert|467|feet|m}}
| elevation_max = {{convert|975|feet|m}}
| established = 2006
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forests
| url = https://eec.ky.gov/Natural-Resources/Forestry/ky-state-forests/Pages/Knobs-State-Forest-and-Wildlife-Management-Area.aspx
}}
Knobs State Forest and Wildlife Management Area is a 2,035 acre state forest located in Bullitt County, Kentucky, United States. The forest is located about 28 miles south of Louisville, Kentucky. It is managed for sustainable timber production.
History
The tract of land that would eventually become Knobs State Forest and Wildlife Management Area is a former tree farm that has a long history of logging. In the 1840s the forest was rapidly cleared and was then selectively logged in 1980s and 1990s.{{cite web |url=https://eec.ky.gov/Nature-Preserves/Locations/Pages/Knobs-State-Forest.aspx |title=Knobs State Forest and Wildlife Management Area |website=eec.ky.gov |publisher=Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet |location=Frankfort, KY |access-date=May 4, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200505023959/https://eec.ky.gov/Nature-Preserves/Locations/Pages/Knobs-State-Forest.aspx |archive-date=May 5, 2020}} Dr. James G. Kuhns and his sister Mrs. Anne E. Kuhns-van der Steur inherited the land, and out of concern of rapid industrialization in the area, sold it to the State of Kentucky in order to preserve it in perpetuity{{cite web |url=https://knlt.org/legacy-of-leadership/ |title=Legacy of Leadership |last=Bartley |first=Kelly |date=2021-02-19 |department=Wildlands News |website=knlt.org/ |publisher=Kentucky Natural Lands Trust |location=Berea, KY |access-date=November 27, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127195753/https://knlt.org/legacy-of-leadership/ |archive-date=November 27, 2021}} using $3.3 million from the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. In July 2006 1,110 acres from that purchase were used to establish Knobs State Forest. Making it the Kentucky's sixth state owned forest{{cite web |url=https://www.tpl.org/media-room/tpl-helps-create-new-kentucky-state-forest |title=TPL Helps Create New Kentucky State Forest |date=August 24, 2006 |website=www.tpl.org |publisher=The Trust for Public Land |location=Clemont, KY |access-date=May 4, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505020343/https://www.tpl.org/media-room/tpl-helps-create-new-kentucky-state-forest |archive-date=May 5, 2020}} and its first Forest Legacy Project.{{cite magazine |date=January 2007 |title=Knobs State Forest: More to See |url=http://www.e-archives.ky.gov/pubs/Personnel/communique'/01-02_07%20unbridled%20voice.pdf |format=pdf |magazine=Unbridled Voice |location=Frankfort, KY |publication-date=January 2007 |page=7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200506025642/http://www.e-archives.ky.gov/pubs/Personnel/communique'/01-02_07%20unbridled%20voice.pdf |archive-date=May 6, 2020 |access-date=May 5, 2020}} It was expanded in November 2006 and again in October 2018 with the purchase of 429 and 496 acres respectively.
The 2018 purchase was part of a project to create a wildlife corridor linking Knobs State Forest with nearby Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest.{{cite web |url=https://bernheim.org/nearly-1000-acres-of-bullitt-land-now-part-of-preserved-property/ |title=Nearly 1,000 acres of Bullitt land now part of preserved property |last=Landon |first=Amy |date=October 29, 2018 |website=bernheim.org |publisher=The Pioneer News |location=Frankfort, KY |access-date=May 16, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200516144119/https://bernheim.org/nearly-1000-acres-of-bullitt-land-now-part-of-preserved-property/ |archive-date=May 16, 2020}} Incidentally, during the period 1959–1980, 4,000 acres of the Bernheim property was leased by the State of Kentucky and bore the name Knobs State Forest.{{cite web |url=https://bernheim.org/bernheim-at-90-mac-mcclure-a-future-of-preservation/ |title=Bernheim at 90: Mac McClure, A Future of Preservation |website=bernheim.org |publisher=Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest |location=Clermont, Kentucky |date=December 13, 2019 |access-date=May 13, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514033919/https://bernheim.org/bernheim-at-90-mac-mcclure-a-future-of-preservation/ |archive-date=May 14, 2020}}
Ecology
The area of the reserve is 93% forested with the remaining 7% being open land.{{cite web |url=https://fw.ky.gov/More/Documents/KnobsStateForestandWMA_All.pdf |title=Knobs State Forest and Wildlife Management Area |website=fw.ky.gov |publisher=Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife |date=August 1, 2019 |location=Frankfort, KY |format=pdf |access-date=May 5, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200506022504/https://fw.ky.gov/More/Documents/KnobsStateForestandWMA_All.pdf |archive-date=May 6, 2020}} It is dominated by upland hardwoods.{{cite magazine |last1=Gracey |first1=Eric |date=April 2007 |editor1-last=Stringer |editor1-first=Jeff |editor2-last=Olsowy |editor2-first=Diana |editor3-last=Thomas |editor3-first=Billy |title=Kentucky's State Forests |url=https://kywoodlandsmagazine.ca.uky.edu/sites/kywoodlandsmagazine.ca.uky.edu/files/page18-19parks.pdf |url-status=live |format=PDF |department=Department of Forestry |magazine=Kentucky Woodlands Magazine |location=Lexington, KY |publisher=University of Kentucky |publication-date=April 2007 |volume=2 |issue=1 |page=18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909021355/https://kywoodlandsmagazine.ca.uky.edu/sites/kywoodlandsmagazine.ca.uky.edu/files/page18-19parks.pdf |archive-date=2024-09-09 |access-date=2024-09-09}} It contains at least 198 different plant species including one infrequent species; the butterfly pea. White and chestnut oak account for 60% of the tree canopy. There are no lakes or ponds in the forest. The only water sources are Crooked Creek in the north of the forest and Cain Run which originates in the south of the forest.
Recreation
Knobs State forest is open to the public for day use. Common activities are hiking, hunting, and wildlife viewing.{{cite web |url=https://subscriber.thenewsenterprise.com/content/beaten-path-0 |title=Off the beaten path... |last=White |first=Bob |date=2010-06-05 |website=subscriber.thenewsenterprise.com |publisher=The News Enterprise |access-date=2023-01-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128213301/https://subscriber.thenewsenterprise.com/content/beaten-path-0 |archive-date=2023-01-28 |df=mdy-all}} The forest contains 5.8 miles across three maintained hiking trails, all of which are old logging roads. In addition, there is also one 1.2 mile trail that has been abandoned. Common game species are deer, turkey, and squirrel.
While fishing is allowed in the forest, all water sources are intermittent, limiting fishing opportunities.