On August 28, 2026 the Kentucky Conservation Committee will be holding their 10th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour Event at the Farish Theater at the Lexington Public Library Central Branch. They will have refreshments, a silent auction, and sponsor partners on hand to talk about their sustainable businesses.
The Kentucky Conservation Committee is a state-based conservation and policy collaborative, established in 1975, whose mission is to provide a trusted voice of the public in Kentucky’s capitol and throughout Kentucky, effectively advocating for protection, restoration, and sustainable use of natural resources for the equitable benefit of all citizens in our Commonwealth.
KCC’s vision is for Kentucky to be a responsible steward of the Commonwealth’s land, air, water, and biota, and for Kentuckians to understand that the health of their families, communities, and economy depends on the conservation of these resources. They work in a nonpartisan manner to ensure that democracy works for all citizens, particularly those who are not able to advocate for themselves.
KCC has had over four decades of environmental success. They played a major role with state agencies to secure $1.2 million in demonstration projects to protect wildlife and reduce traffic collisions, provided legislative support to clean energy advocates to encourage proactive residential and commercial solar laws, have lobbied to restore critical funding that protects the state’s wild lands, and have provided legislative support to citizens and organizations advocating for clean transportation and electrification of the transportation sector. Their work set fair annual road user fees for electric vehicles that are lower than surrounding states.
KCC’s efforts set the stage for the passage of the state’s Purchase of Agricultural Easements (PACE) Program, providing significant progress for land conservation. They have worked with state agencies and allies on obtaining $62 million in grant funding for expanding solar energy opportunities for low-income households, and helped initiate Kentucky’s scenic easement legislation as part of Kentucky’s planning and zoning statutes.
Their efforts to address solid waste in Kentucky included the promotion of “Bottle Bill” legislation and related container deposit legislation. This led to significant improvements in statewide waste regulations. Their efforts strengthened the Kentucky Wild River act, making it more resilient to legal challenges for including more lands into the system. And they were one of the first to raise the issue of the significant environmental and climate impacts of “proof of work” digital currency operations in Kentucky and push back on pro-crypto policies.
KCC’s work focuses in four primary project areas: Clean Energy, Climate Action, Biodiversity and Land Conservation
The focus of their Clean and Sustainable Energy project is to educate the public at large, key decision-makers and allies, and advocate for policies to build more support for clean energy including large and small scale solar, wind, and hydro, as well as energy storage for renewables. They also advocate for energy efficiency initiatives that reduce energy impact and improve energy resiliency throughout the Commonwealth.
Their Biodiversity Education project consists of providing information to the public and building support for Kentucky’s rare and threatened plants and animals, as well as celebrating Kentucky’s unique biodiversity. Their work consists of public education events, research, and whitepapers designed to promote Kentucky’s unique range of plants, animals, and biota and support efforts to conserve what is native and threatened.
And, finally, their Land and Water Conservation project consists of providing support for land conservation initiatives such as conservation easements, increase awareness of the importance of Kentucky’s lands and waters, and to help coordinate important legislative and conservation efforts among outdoor recreation, tourism, agriculture, and environmental interests.
Lane Boldman, KCC’s Executive Director, says, “What we love about the Wild & Scenic Film Festival is that it gives us the opportunity to use fun and informative films that align with issues we currently work on, and do it in a way that is entertaining, fun, and really connects to an audience.”
Boldman continues, “What we love about the event is that it allows us to engage with our constituents in a way that is fun and inspiring, on work that is otherwise very serious and heavy. It gives our supporters an opportunity to engage with us that allows everyone to have a much-needed, relaxing, evening out and still support the work we are all involved in.”
