 These lots, the gate and an access road were maintained by a member/share-holder organization which agreed to the lake's dedication as a nature reserve on February 20, 1991.An additional was dedicated on December 11, 2001.The Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves has identified Axe Lake as the centerpiece of an expanded long-term project to protect 3,000 acres (12 km²) of bald cypress-tupelo swamp lands which is to be called the Axe Lake Swamp wetlands complex.