Get Wild: View an Abundance of Native Animals Even Within the Murfreesboro City Limits

Get Wild: View an Abundance of Native Animals Even Within the Murfreesboro City Limits

The people of Middle Tennessee are so lucky to have such an abundant array of wildlife.

Tennessee is one of the most biodiverse states in the country. From the most interesting of insects, such as the praying mantis or the lightning bug, to the regal great horned owl or the elusive bobcat, there is always something to see and something to learn about, even right here within the city.

Many who live inside the city limits work a nine-to-five job, or are busy chauffeuring kids to their ball games or working hard at a summer job, and the last thing they want to do on a weekend is pry themselves out of bed at the crack of dawn to go owl spotting (though I highly recommend this). Thankfully, the people of Murfreesboro don’t have to go to such extremes to view local wildlife.

The town has a haven for wildlife and many convenient areas for viewing native flora and fauna species.

Murfree Spring Wetlands is a highly diverse wildlife habitat. The 25-acre city owned park is a hotspot for nature enthusiasts and wildlife photographers. It is a very easy walk across the paved paths and boardwalk with effortless viewing of the ecosystem all around. At any time of day, visitors are sure to see some sort of wildlife, whether that be a group of turtles basking in the sun, a heron expertly catching his lunch or, my personal favorite, a boisterous family of otters. Yes—otters—right near the busy corner of Maney Avenue and Broad Street.

Although the wetland—a vital resource for educating our community about local wildlife and a cornerstone for connecting us back to nature—is extremely convenient to visit, being in the middle of the city has its drawbacks. Thankfully the Outdoor Murfreesboro Natural Resources team, with the help of volunteers, is constantly striving to find ways to keep the ecosystem the healthiest it can possibly be. This is no easy feat, with large amounts of trash pollution coming from multiple inlets from around the city.

The team recently installed a new trash-catch system, created by Bruce Ross from Murfreesboro Water Resources Department, to help stem the flow of debris. The Natural Resources team is also working on an ongoing restoration project to remove invasive and exotic plant species from the banks of the wetlands and replace them with an abundance of native plant species. This is important in the conservation of the native insects and wildlife here in Middle Tennessee. It is a long process, and the team asks the public to be patient as it will be well worth it in the long run.

Barfield Crescent Park is another place for reconnecting with nature and a popular location for all sorts of activities. The hiking trails are simply beautiful—there is a paved path for a gentle hike down to the river, a rocky path for a little more difficult hiking and some advanced hiking trails for the serious ramblers.

On a recent walk down the paved path one cool morning, I saw deer, a box turtle, crawdads, a woodpecker and a heron (not to mention all the beautiful woodland flora) all within 45 minutes. Very well worth it.

The park’s Wilderness Station has plenty of wildlife to visit even for those short on time, including the locally famous red-tailed hawk Sadie, the adorable opossum Wilbur, Atticus the eastern screech owl, Rada the kestrel and multiple turtles, snakes and other creatures.

The staff members at the Wilderness Station are extremely knowledgeable and love to talk about their animal friends, so don’t be afraid to ask them any questions you may have.

Murfreesboro has many more places to visit wildlife including, but not limited to, Oaklands Park, Siegel Wilderness Trail and areas all along the Greenway. Get out and visit some of these wonderful places.

TN Wildlife Appreciation and Conservation Facebook group is a community platform where people in Tennessee can share photos and information on the wildlife they have spotted, ask for help identifying insects or birds and, just in general, to connect with each other and with wildlife in our hometown. Those in the group would love to see what others find around town.