About

Floracliff’s Mission, Vision, & Values

Floracliff’s mission is to promote conservation and appreciation of nature through education, shared experiences, and stewardship of the sanctuary.

Our vision is a community where nature is cared for, studied, and shared.

Floracliff’s values:
•  Conservation: We prioritize the protection of land, ecosystems, and biodiversity for their intrinsic value and for the benefits they provide to our community and planet.
•  Stewardship: We care for and manage the sanctuary’s diverse habitats and cultural resources to support native wildlife, enhance visitor experience, and promote a shared ethic for land stewardship in Kentucky.
•  Learning & Curiosity: We provide programs for people of all ages and cultivate curiosity about the natural world through experience, observation, and creativity.
•  Science: Our programs and stewardship are informed and guided by evidence-based knowledge and research, and we provide the sanctuary as a research field station to further understanding of the natural world.
•  Connection: We create opportunities for people from all walks of life to connect to nature and each other and believe these connections can mutually support both nature and people.

Floracliff’s History

In the late 1950s, Dr. Mary Wharton began purchasing property along the Kentucky River that she would later name Floracliff (“for the flora on the cliffs”). Between 1958 and 1989, she acquired a series of parcels, totaling 287 acres. Her dream for the property was to preserve the natural communities and special geological features unique to the area. Dr. Wharton believed that education and appreciation lead to preservation and recognized the potential for Floracliff to become a center for environmental education and research in the Inner Bluegrass and Kentucky River watershed.

In 1987, Dr. Wharton incorporated Floracliff as a non-profit organization and established specific wishes for the sanctuary that have guided the board of directors and staff since her death in 1991. In 1996, Floracliff was dedicated as a Kentucky State Nature Preserve, giving it perpetual protection from development. In 2017, an additional 59 acres was purchased and protected with an easement provided by the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. This addition, known as Trail’s End, was part of a girls’ camp in the early 1900s and was the first addition to the sanctuary since Mary Wharton’s leadership. Floracliff currently owns and stewards 346 acres.