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Mount View Road Cedar Glade

multiple TN coneflowers
Tennessee coneflowers
© Byron Jorjorian

Situated within the Stones River basin of Davidson County, Mount View Road Cedar Glade is a significant cedar glade that was protected by The Nature Conservancy in 1990. Although the glade itself is small, its self-maintaining nature allows a great diversity of species to coexist together, thus making Mount View one of the best examples of a healthy cedar glade ecosystem. Along with its endless virtues as a quintessential cedar glade, Mount View preserve contains several species of special ecological interest.

Location
Middle Tennessee, Davidson County

Plants
Despite its relatively common glade appearance, Mount View has one feature unique to only a handful of other cedar glades in the world: the presence of the Tennessee coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis), a flowering plant that is much loved among the conservation community.

The federally endangered coneflower was believed to be extinct until it was accidentally rediscovered at the Mount View cedar glade in 1968 and now flourishes in five remaining populations. In addition, Mount View contains thriving populations of a large number of endemic plant species such as the Tennessee milk vetch (Astragalus tennesseensis) and the Nashville breadroot (Pediomelum subacaulis), as well as several species of amphibians.

The coneflowers begin to bloom in mid-June and persist through July or August, but other flowers (such as the Breadroot) begin to bloom in early April.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
In July 1989, while doing coneflower research on the site, local biologists noticed a "for sale" sign on the property. Concerned, they alerted the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, who brought The Nature Conservancy on board to try and save this rare site. The Conservancy negotiated with the property owners and purchased this 9-acre tract in February 1990.

For sale sign on property in 1989

It was a timely save. Mount View is one of the very few cedar glades in middle Tennessee to have survived the torments of time and development while remaining virtually unharmed. The site has endured the inundation caused by the damming of the Stones River and the creation of Percy Priest Lake in 1968, and it survived despite a long history of grazing in the area. For the most part, Mount View has maintained its original qualities. As a result of the rediscovery of the Tennessee coneflower at this location, the plant became the first Tennessee native to be included on the official list of endangered species in the United States and today the coneflower is much more widely known and appreciated.

The property with a "For Sale" sign on it in the summer of 1989. Photo © Carol & Steve Baskauf

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
This 9-acre preserve is fenced to keep out trespassers. In 2005, The Nature Conservancy transferred the preserve to the state of Tennessee to be a State Natural Area.