Today's Louisville Courier-Journal features an op-ed from David A. Jones, a longtime Kentucky conservationist. David writes a great deal about my commitment to conservation in Kentucky, but truth be told, it is David who deserves the recognition.
David Jones has spent decades working for conservation in Kentucky. For this reason, he is our latest Kentucky hero. You can watch our video recognizing him here or read the entire op-ed (excerpted in its entirety below). And be sure to check out our other videos featuring extraordinary Kentuckians who make our Commonwealth a better place by visiting KentuckyHeroes.com.
- McConnell hailed for parks work
By David A. Jones
Special to The Courier-Journal
Frederick Law Olmsted, the great American landscape architect, is most famous for designing New York City's Central Park and the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. But his seventh and last complete park system, in Louisville, may be his greatest creation.
The Olmsted Parks Conservancy exists to preserve and enhance Olmsted's gift to Louisville. Tomorrow, at its Ninth Annual Halloween Ball, we will honor a man who has done so much to preserve Olmsted's vision and enhance it for the 21st Century: U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, recipient of the Frederick Law Olmsted Award for Distinguished Leadership.
In 2005, as our vision for 21st Century Parks' Floyds Fork Greenway Project and its necessary funding grew, I arranged a meeting with McConnell.
I knew of his early and continuous support of the environment (this newspaper once dubbed him a "Godfather of Green"), so I asked him to consider seeking a $10 million appropriation for our Greenway efforts.
In late September 2005, McConnell called me one evening to report that he had indeed obtained an appropriation, but that it wasn't $10 million. It was $38 million.
This remarkable assistance, added to the $26 million, which I have raised privately, has transformed our Greenway dream to an underway reality, with 2,500 acres of land committed and a master plan due to be unveiled in early 2008.
As our county judge/executive from 1978 to 1985, McConnell doubled the size of our Jefferson Memorial Forest from 2,000 to 4,000 acres.
As our senator, his environmental accomplishments for Kentucky are monumental.
He wrote legislation creating Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, a 7,000-acre national treasure.
He secured $81 million funding for riverfront development in Ashland, Bowling Green, Henderson, Owensboro and Paducah, and was instrumental in creating the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program along the Green River.
He has secured funds to support the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky Soil Conservation programs, Land Between the Lakes and, of special importance, the disposal of deadly nerve agents from the Blue Grass Army Depot and nearly $1 billion for cleanup of depleted uranium in Paducah.
As a Kentuckian and a conservationist, I am in awe of McConnell's accomplishments on our behalf. As this year's deserving recipient of the Olmsted Award, McConnell's commitment to protecting Kentucky's natural resources means that, like Frederick Law Olmsted, Kentuckians will be enjoying the benefits of his leadership for generations to come.
David A. Jones is the co-founder of Humana, Inc.
