simple along the Ohio River at Garvin Brown Preserve ( adjacent to Hays Kennedy Park which also has wetlands ) and land that is permanently preserved by conservation easement in the vicinity of Rose Island Road . The Louisville / Jefferson County Environmental Trust holds permanent conservation easements on three tracts of wetlands in the Pond Creek watershed comprising about 140 acres .
Wetlands are afforded a degree of protection by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act , which authorizes the U . S . Army Corps of Engineers to regulate discharge of dredged and fill materials into waters of the United States ( defined as including wetlands meeting certain criteria ). Unlike some other parts of the country , Kentucky and Louisville have no state or local regulatory programs addressing wetland protection .
C3
. Biological Resources
Like much of the eastern United States , Louisville ’ s native vegetation is forest . Although the predominant woodland was oak-hickory , forest types varied according to slope , aspect , and moisture availability . Typical woodland communities ranged from oak-pine in dry upland regions to wet tolerant species such as sycamore , maple , cottonwood , and sweet gum in stream corridors and floodplains . During the two centuries since European settlement , the original
Jefferson Memorial Forest forest has been cleared for timber , agriculture , and / or urban and suburban development . Today the most extensive areas of second growth woodland occur on hillsides in the Knob Hills region including the Jefferson Memorial Forest . Iroquois Park contains an outstanding assortment of mature second growth forest types which can probably be classified as “ old growth ” due to their age and intactness⁷ . Significant forested areas also occur along stream corridors and in the Floyds Fork Drainage Area , where woodlands are interspersed with active and abandoned farmland .
Wildlife
Despite extensive urban and suburban
development , Louisville still harbors diverse wildlife resources . Important habitat areas include the Ohio River corridor with islands and floodplain areas which serve as refuges for a variety of waterfowl ; many of Louisville ’ s stream corridors and parks and open spaces retain relatively large forested blocks including the Jefferson Memorial Forest , Iroquois Park and McNeely Lake Park ; and relatively undeveloped
Red-tailed Hawk , Joe Creason Park
Parks and Recreation System Master Plan | III . CONTEXT AND COMMUNITY INVENTORY 47