Georgetown

About the Program
The Toyota Motor North America Georgetown property is located directly north of Georgetown, Kentucky and is made up of open fields and forested areas. In addition to being one of the largest vehicle manufacturing plants in the world, the facility maintains native forest and bird habitat that benefits the local community through environmental education opportunities. The site encompasses the recreation trail, which is made up of approximately 18.2 acres of forest and 24.68 acres of open fields and wetlands.

Practices and Impacts

• Great Blue Heron Indicator Species:  modifications were made to the wetland area adjacent to the site’s nature trail to encourage the use and potential nesting of Great Blue Herons. A dying tree was felled into the pond to provide roosting habitat, additional wetland plants were added to the site and trees conducive to the use of Great Blue Herons were planted around the site.
• Annual bird surveys: are used to determine the use of the site by Great Blue Herons.
• Bat Houses:  an acoustic monitoring done was used to determine presence of various species of bats on site. Houses were constructed for future installation which will serve as roosting habitat.  Once installed the houses will be monitored to determine species and use.
• Japanese Honeysuckle:  Honeysuckle invasions along the educational trail are being controlled via mechanical removal and herbicide treatments.  The site is continually monitored and the honeysuckle removed and/or treated.
• Annual Field Day: an outdoor educational field day along the site's nature trail is held annually to provide 2nd graders with an outdoor learning experience.  Activities are planned along the trail to engage students in nature based inquiry.  In 2021 - due to Covid - the field day was held virtually.