None The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee Press Releases Search All Press Releases Gina Hancock 2021 21st Ave. South, Suite C-400 Nashville, TN 37212 (615) 383-9909 ghancock@tnc.org

Nature Conservancy Celebrates 25^th Anniversary in Tennessee

Chapter has helped protect 145,000 acres across the state

Nashville, TN—20 October 2003—The Tennessee Chapter of The Nature Conservancy is celebrating the organization’s 25^th anniversary and the protection of almost 200,000 acres across the state.

Since 1978, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has helped save some of the last great places of Tennessee. Places like:

• Radnor Lake
• Savage Gulf State Natural Area
• Roan Mountain
• Tennesee River Gorge
• Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge
• Hubbard’s Cave.

"The Nature Conservancy remains committed to protecting the natural heritage of Tennessee. There is so much work still to be done because tremendous opportunities exist to save the rich diversity of animals and landscapes that make their home here," said State Director Scott Davis.

Currently the chapter has four offices located throughout the state, including Brownsville, Nashville, Columbia, Knoxville and Shady Valley. The programmatic focus includes important places such as the Hatchie & Wolf Rivers in West Tennessee, the cedar glades and Duck River of Middle Tennessee, the Cumberland Plateau, mountain bogs and Southern Appalachian forests of East Tennessee. The Tennessee Caves Initiative targets cave systems located throughout the state. TNC also owns 20 preserves throughout the state.

The Tennessee chapter is led by a dedicated group of Board of Trustees who live throughout the state and our chaired by Memphis businessman B.Lee Mallory.

Highlights from the last 25 Years:

• Some of The Nature Conservancy’s work pre-dates the formation of the state chapter. The Conservancy helped the state of Tennessee form the first Natural Heritage program in the nation through the non-profit’s own NatureServe, the science and data division of TNC. The Division of Natural Heritage is now a part of the Tennessee Department of the Environment and Conservation.
• 4,138 acres at Savage Gulf State Natural Area from J.M. Huber in 1985. The gulf (15,590 acres) contains one of the finest virgin hardwood forests remaining in the Southeast.

• Purchased Hubbard’s Cave in 1984. Constructed cave gate – second largest in the U.S. to protect artifacts and the federally endangered Indiana bat.

• TNC received 1,100 acres from Bowater, Inc. for the Tennessee River Gorge in 1985

• In 1986, purchased 9,293 acres for the Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge

• Established the William B. Clark Preserve on the Wolf River near Memphis in 1993

• Purchased land at Flat Rock Cedar Glade State Natural Area in Murfreesboro in 1994. Today Flat Rock is the largest protected cedar glade in the Southeast.

• In 1997, TNC purchased Orchard Bog in Shady Valley in East Tennessee. Launched mountain bog restoration efforts.

• The chapter opened two community-based conservation efforts in 1999 on the Duck River in Columbia and on the Hatchie River in Brownsville.

• Purchased 11,806 acres of bottomland hardwood forests, establishing the John Tully Wildlife Management Area as well as the 15^th state forest for Tennessee.
• Helped purchase 75,000 acres in East Tennessee forming the Sundquist Wildlife Management Area
• Purchased TNC’s largest preserve, nearly 5,000 acres in the Southern Cumberlands near Winchester.

For more information on The Nature Conservancy’s work in Tennessee or around the world, visit the Web at nature.org/Tennessee.

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