By Brian Roewe for Earthbeat.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service Collaboration. The region in central Kentucky where the Sisters of Loretto have resided for 200 years is often described as "holy land." Now, more than 650 acres of that land surrounding their motherhouse will be protected and preserved permanently under the terms of a new conservation easement. The arrangement, signed Jan. .
Under a conservation easement with the Bluegrass Land Conservancy, the land surrounding the Loretto Sisters' motherhouse farmland, forest, native grasses, lakes and creeks will be protected and preserved permanently.
Amid the intertwining crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, a 2-century-old Catholic convent outside Loretto, Ky. has signed a conservation easement to protect more than 650 acres of natural lands.