The Tennessee House of Representatives on March 3 approved legislation creating four new state natural areas and expanding six existing ones. Guided by State Representative Greg Vital, R-Harrison, House Bill 126 passed unanimously.
The bill designates as natural areas:
Versailles Knob in Rutherford County, a 40-acre forest with large limestone outcrops that provides habitat for the federally endangered Braun’s Rockcress (a rare species of flowering plant in the mustard family).
Rocky Hill Road Glades in Rutherford County, home to limestone cedar glade habitat and the state-endangered running glade clover.
Clifty Creek Gorge in Morgan County, an 89-acre forested area that features a scenic gorge and protects the federally threatened Virginia spiraea.
Union Grove in Hamblen County, a 59-acre area with oak and mixed forests, headwater streams and the state-endangered Tennessee trillium, a species discovered in 2013.
The bill also expands six existing natural areas: Flat Rock Cedar Glades and Barrens, Barnett’s Woods and Prairie, Cedars of Lebanon, Couchville Cedar Glade, Ozone Falls and Radnor Lake. Additionally, it clarifies acreage measurements for Hawkins Cove, Pogue Creek and William B. Clark to reflect more accurate data.
Find Flat Rock Cedar Glades and Barrens State Natural Area (pictured at top)—a protected pocket of public land just outside of Murfreesboro containing a 3.4-mile trail and lots of wildflowers—at 2423 Factory Rd., Murfreesboro.
“House Bill 126 provides critical protections for Tennessee’s most treasured landscapes by restricting development in these areas and giving the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation the authority to enforce penalties for damage or vandalism,” Vital said. “This legislation helps mitigate the risk of native species being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act by ensuring the long-term protection of their habitats.”
Since the passage of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Tennessee has designated 84 state natural areas to safeguard the state’s most valuable ecosystems. However, state-owned lands managed by TDEC’s Division of Natural Areas that are not designated under the statute currently lack these protections. The legislation closes this gap by updating the law to reflect the lands comprising the State Natural Areas System, ensuring proper protection for future generations.
The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee has donated the land for the Clifty Creek Gorge area. All other acquisitions were from willing sellers with no eminent domain involved.
The companion bill, Senate Bill 1277, will be heard in the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in the coming weeks.
For more information on Tennessee State Natural Areas visit tn.gov/environment/program-areas/na-natural-areas.
