"We have a wealth of plants and animals that most Kentuckians don’t know about and may not appreciate," said Venita Bright, education administrator for the A.W.A.K.E. website. "One of our tasks with the A.W.A.K.E. website is to help people be more aware of what we have in Kentucky and give them an opportunity to learn more about them."

Species accounts are the backbone of the website and describe the size and appearance of Kentucky’s plant and animals, how they fit into the ecosystem, the estimated population of the plant or animal, life history and reproductive cycle. Some species accounts have sound and video clips so website users can see and hear the animals they are studying.

The A.W.A.K.E. website has a total of 320 species accounts and 90 more are ready to be posted on the website. Graduate level students at Kentucky’s state universities are creating more species accounts.

"The goal is to cover all of Kentucky’s native plants and animals on the A.W.A.K.E. website," Bright explained, "and the important non-native and invasive plants and animals. That is a daunting task considering Kentucky is so biologically diverse."

Educators may benefit most from the A.W.A.K.E. website. Teachers may access lesson plans and Units of Study on the website to bolster environmental education in the classroom.

"Educators can use the A.W.A.K.E. website as a virtual outdoor encyclopedia," Bright said. "They can also access the Units of Study dealing with Kentucky’s natural resources. Additionally, we have opportunities for educators and students to review art and creative writings that have a nature theme. They can submit for posting their own original art work or writing."

The website generates positive comments from neighboring states and all over the United States. "We’ve received requests for information from states as far away as Nebraska," Bright explained. "All of the comments we get are positive ones."

The A.W.A.K.E. website is a collaborative partnership among several agencies. "We have some pretty impressive partners in the A.W.A.K.E. website such as the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), the Kentucky Department of Education, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, the Tracy Farmer Center for the Environment and the 4-H Youth Development," Bright explained. "It is a true partnership in that each of the partners has an equal say in how a section will be developed. As we are planning sections of the website, we go through the process of brain storming and reaching a consensus."