Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve

Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve
Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve
	IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Location	Ballard County, Kentucky, United States
Nearest city	Barlow, Kentucky
Coordinates	37.081°N 89.086°W
Area	458 acres (185 ha)
Created	February 20, 1991
	Official website

Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve is a 458-acre (1.9 km²) nature reserve located near Barlow, Kentucky in Ballard County in an area known locally as "the Barlow bottoms", a wetland created by periodic flooding along the mouth of the Ohio River. Originally, Axe Lake consisted of 146 acres (0.6 km²) of the main lake and about 120 lots on the dryer portions of the property. These lots, the gate and an access road were maintained by a member/share-holder organization which agreed to the lake's dedication as a nature reserve on February 20, 1991. An additional 312 acres (1.3 km²) was dedicated on December 11, 2001.[1]

The Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves has identified Axe Lake as the centerpiece of an expanded long-term project to protect 3,000 acres (12 km²) of bald cypress-tupelo swamp lands which is to be called the Axe Lake Swamp wetlands complex. This cypress-tupelo swamp is the best example of a large intact cypress-tupelo swamp in Kentucky. This protected area is known to support at least eight rare plant and animal species. The site has been recognized as a priority wetland in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Written permission is required for access to the preserve.[1][2]

Wildlife

Wetlands species of interest:

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
Great egret (Casmerodius albus)
Wood duck (Aix sponsa)

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References

"Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve". Office on Kentucky Nature Preserves. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
"State Nature Preserves & State Natural Areas Directory" (PDF). Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves. March 2011: 6. Retrieved January 20, 2015. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

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[axelake-1] "Axe Lake Swamp State Nature Preserve". Office on Kentucky Nature Preserves. Retrieved January 20, 2015.

[2] "State Nature Preserves & State Natural Areas Directory" (PDF). Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves. March 2011: 6. Retrieved January 20, 2015. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)