TennGreen Land Conservancy has acquired 15 acres of property adjacent to Cedars of Lebanon State Park and Natural Area in Wilson County. What does this mean? The Cedars of Lebanon State Park boundary is about to get bigger, which enhances the protection of the area’s unique habitat with rare and endangered species.
The property lies within one of TennGreen’s Strategic Land Conservation focal areas and adds to TennGreen and TDEC’s ongoing land protection efforts at Cedars of Lebanon.
“We’re thrilled to be part of another expansion of Cedars of Lebanon,” said Alice Hudson Pell, TennGreen Land Conservancy’s Executive Director. “This is our second project in the area, and we hope there will be more to come! This acquisition represents a small but important property at high risk of development. As a nimble conservancy, we’re happy to acquire these lands for public enjoyment. I encourage others in the community to reach out if you’d like to work together or protect your land!”
About Cedars of Lebanon State Park
Hosting thousands of guests each year, Cedars of Lebanon State Park and Natural Area represents a unique habitat of limestone cedar glades, a rare ecosystem found in Middle Tennessee. The area contains rare and endangered species, some of which exist in few or no other places in the world. Examples of endemic cedar glade species include:
- Tennessee coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis)
- Nashville breadroot (Pediomelum subacaule)
- limestone fameflower (Talinum calcaricum)
As more people and businesses move into the region, it’s critical to protect these natural habitats while they still remain. Acquisition of this fifteen-acre property will provide habitat protection for many plants and animals, including the leafy prairie clover (Dalea foliosa), an endangered species in Tennessee.
Moving forward, TennGreen Land Conservancy hopes to work with nearby landowners to place conservation easements along the park boundaries in this rapidly developing area. The purpose of these easements is to protect rare cedar glades and other wildlife habitats, minimize negative impacts on the land from future development, and allow for continued use of prescribed fire for land management at Cedars of Lebanon.
To learn more about TennGreen conservation easements, email land@tenngreen.org or call 615-329-4441 ext. 120. Additional information can be found at tenngreen.org.
