Marsh Creek | Conservation Mitigation Easement

Located in McCreary County of Kentucky

The Marsh Creek Stream and Wetland Restoration Project is designed not only to restore degraded aquatic resources, but to secure their protection and stewardship far beyond the regulatory life of the project. All restored streams, wetlands, and riparian areas are permanently protected through a recorded conservation easement, ensuring that the ecological gains achieved through restoration are preserved in perpetuity. 

The conservation easement is held by Unique Places to Save (UP2S), which also serves as the project’s long-term manager. This dual role provides enduring accountability for the site, with UP2S responsible for conservation easement compliance monitoring, enforcement of easement terms, and legal defense of the protected resources indefinitely. Permanent protection eliminates the risk of future development or incompatible land uses and guarantees that restored stream and wetland functions remain intact. 

Restoration efforts focus on creating self-sustaining stream and wetland systems that require minimal long-term intervention. Stream channels are designed for long-term stability, functional floodplain access, and improved habitat complexity, while restored wetlands are positioned to maintain natural hydrology and native vegetation communities under current and future conditions. The project avoids reliance on structural features that require routine maintenance, reinforcing long-term resilience. 

As long-term manager, UP2S conducts regular site inspections, oversees boundary fencing and signage, monitors and manages invasive species, and submits required compliance and management reports. A fully funded long-term management endowment supports these responsibilities, ensuring that stewardship obligations are met without interruption and without reliance on future funding sources. 

By pairing ecological restoration with perpetual conservation and professional third-party stewardship, the Marsh Creek Project delivers durable, landscape-scale benefits. The permanent conservation easement held and enforced by Unique Places to Save ensures that the project’s restored streams and wetlands will continue to function, adapt, and provide watershed and habitat value for generations to come.

Mitigation Partner