Kentucky

Ecological Services Field Office

KentuckyES@fws.gov

8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

330 West Broadway, Suite 265
Frankfort, KY 40601-8670

Wildlife Partners Biologist Brent Harrel (left) and Maddy Heredia during a prescribed fire operation in Kentucky.

Wildlife Partners Biologist Brent Harrel (left) and Maddy Heredia (right) during a prescribed fire operation in Kentucky.

Interactive Map Get Directions

Hours

Opens: 8 a.m.

Closes: 4:30 p.m.

Detailed hours

Detailed Directions

From either direction on I-75, take I-64 West toward Frankfort, then take Exit 53A to US-127 South. Follow US-127 into downtown Frankfort, turn onto West Broadway, and continue to 330 West Broadway.

Get Involved

A fundamental tenet in our approach to conservation is community engagement – from working with private landowners wanting to improve endangered species habitat on their land, to helping non-profits doing on-the-groundwork.

Partnerships are the foundation of our work – from working with private landowners to restore an eroding streambank to teaming with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to plan imperiled fish, plant and mussel conservation across the state., Many of our partnerships are small, even informal, however there are a handful of formal partnerships we’re involved with, focused on habitats or species of great importance.

Ways to Get Involved

Biologists Catch Alligator Snapping Turtle

Career Opportunities

Work with Us

Our dedicated employees perform a wide range of jobs at national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries and with public, tribal and private partners.

We hope you’ll join us in advancing our mission of working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

Jobs Internships

Services

We offer a handful of services to support plant, fish, and wildlife conservation - especially federal threatened or endangered species. Different services are tailored to different groups and situations, so if you want to proactively support imperiled species conservation on your property or if you wonder how federally-protected plants and animals may factor into your situation, explore the services we offer.

ESA Section 7 Consultation

Project Review Guidance

A fanshell mussel resting among smooth, wet river stones of various sizes and shades of brown, reddish-brown, gray, and cream. Sunlight reflects off the shell and water-covered rocks, highlighting the shell's textured growth rings and the glossy surfaces of the surrounding pebbles. The shell lies partially submerged in shallow water, with no people or text visible.

Conservation Measures

A close-up view of a hellbender salamander underwater, resting beside dark rocks. The amphibian has a broad, flattened head, small pale blue-gray eyes, and olive-brown, wrinkled skin covered with small bumps. Part of one front limb is visible on the right side of the image, showing several pale-tipped toes. The surrounding habitat consists of submerged rocks and a dark, slightly blurred aquatic background, with soft lighting highlighting the texture of the animal's skin and the rocky stream environment.

Protected Bats in Kentucky

Wildlife Biologist Mike Floyd (Left) and Wildlife Partner Biologist Brent Harell (right) posing for a picture during tree-planting process and the preparation of saplings for restoration or reforestation work

Endangered Species and Development

Two people work together on an orange tree-planting machine in an open field. One person sits on the equipment handling a bundle of bare-root saplings, while the other stands nearby organizing the young trees for planting. The orange metal planter occupies much of the foreground, with saplings stacked across it and planting tools visible. The background shows a large agricultural field with rows of vegetation and patches of grass under overcast daylight. No readable text is visible, and the focus is on the

Laws & Regulations

Conservation Benefit Agreements

Several Kentucky lady’s slipper orchids grow among bright green ferns and broad-leaved woodland plants on a forest floor. The distinctive flowers have pale yellow, pouch-shaped blooms topped by drooping brownish petals, resembling small slippers. The orchids are scattered throughout the scene at different heights, surrounded by dense green foliage. Soft natural light illuminates the leaves and flowers, creating a lush woodland setting with no people or text visible.

Candidate Conservation Agreements

Administrative Officer Jomara Concet-Shaver(Left) and Administrative Support MeMe Hunter (right) assisting in Monarch Butterfly tagging

About

Established in 2001, the Kentucky Field Office is a leader in conserving the state's imperiled species and their habitats to ensure sustainable populations for future generations. The team focuses on the recovery of over 49 threatened and endangered species, with biologists possessing specialized expertise in Kentucky’s streams, caves, and grasslands. Staff members work with federal, state, and private partners to analyze data for Endangered Species Act protection and minimize impacts from authorized projects.

Our Mission

The Kentucky Field Office works with partners to recover endangered and threatened species, support science-based conservation decisions, and reduce impacts to rare plants and animals while administering key provisions of the Endangered Species Act.

Kentucky Ecological Services Field Office

330 West Broadway, Suite 265
Frankfort, KY 40601-8670

Get directions

(502) 234-2832

KentuckyES@fws.gov