Tennessee
field notes
WINTER 2016
IN THIS ISSUE:
3 Our Successes by
the Numbers
6 Wins in Land
Protection
8 How’s Your Local
Stream?
10Winter Hiking Tips
11 Give Back to Nature
CONNECT WITH NATURE: NATURE.ORG/TENNESSEE
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Chair, Mary Johnson
Tara Armistead
Lisa Calfee
H. Peter Claussen
State Director’s Chat
Lena Coradini
Edgar Faust
It has been an eventful year for the Tennessee Chapter, and for me
personally. I became the Tennessee Chapter’s State Director in
May, and I couldn’t be more proud of the team we have here
and what they are accomplishing. You can get a quick snapshot
of the range of our work from our “Tennessee by the Numbers”
feature in this issue.
Caren Gabriel
Kate Gooch
Jay Gulledge
Hayne Hamilton
Whitfield Hamilton
Robert Johnston
Carolyn Long
Luther Mercer
Sharon M. Pryse
Holt Shoaf
Emma Williams
STAFF
Terry Cook, State Director
Cathy Boyd
Rob Bullard
Jeff Fore
Corey Giles
Jed Grubbs
Lindsey Henning
Cory Holliday
Matt Jagnow
Trish Johnson
Paul Kingsbury
Gabby Lynch
Charles McQueen
Helen McQueen
Kenneth McQueen
Katherine Medlock
Britt Moses
Sally Palmer
Katie Pareigis
Joey Wisby
I could tick off more items which have been reported in our
previous newsletters. For example: We are advising the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park and the Cherokee National Forest on better ways to
manage their forests—at the request of their staffs. We’re part of a multi-state effort to reduce
pollution in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. We are funding key research to fight
the devastating white-nose syndrome epidemic in bats. And we’re working with partners on a
long-range plan to remove obsolete dams from Tennessee rivers and streams.
Meanwhile, as you’ll see in our Land Protection story this issue, we continue to purchase and
protect special areas in Tennessee as we always have. We’ve surpassed 300,000 acres acquired
and protected in Tennessee, an area the size of 372 New York City Central Parks.
As a few of you may know, I have spent more than 20 years with The Nature Conservancy.
I started all the way back in 1992 as a Field Ecologist in Texas and most recently served the
Conservancy as State Director for Kentucky.
In every position, I experienced what The Nature Conservancy excels in. Developing good science
that helps find practical solutions to complex problems. Partnering to get more done, and delivering
tangible, lasting results. I’m proud to be a part of this organization, and I hope you are too.
Our work became doubly important to me 10 years ago when my twins Elizabeth and Cody were
born. They provide a clarity and urgency around our mission like nothing else. The way they
experience nature is something I wish I could bottle up and share with you all. Protecting nature
for future generations has become more than a slogan for me. It’s personal.
Thank you for supporting our work. As you get together with your loved ones over the holidays,
I hope you enjoy the season thoroughly. I hope you’ll also resolve to continue to help us protect
the world we depend on for those who come after us. We need you.
Alex Wyss
See you outside,
The Nature Conservancy is a private,
nonprofit 501(c)(3) international membership
organization. Its mission is to conserve the
lands and waters on which all life depends.
Terry Cook
The Nature Conservancy meets all the
Standards for Charity Accountability
established by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance is a national
charity watchdog affiliated with the Better
Business Bureau.
Our Director of Tennessee Forest Conservation, Trish Johnson, with a toad and box turtle she found on a visit to
the Shafer-Tuuk property, the subject of our cover story, p. 4 © TNC
cover
TENNESSEE BY THE NUMBERS
2016 HIGHLIGHTS
1
Regional Forester’s Honor
Award from the U.S. Forest Service
for our work with partners in the
Cherokee National Forest Landscape
Restoration Initiative
13,812
3,120
56
Parks (all of them) following the
new firewood policy developed
in partnership with The Nature
Conservancy in Tennessee and the
TN Division of Forestry
190
acres of streambank
vegetation buffers planted in
the Elk River watershed
10,105
acres acquired by the Tennessee
Chapter for conservation across the
state (see story p. 6)
Tennessee dams visually
inspected for potential removal
$100,000
awarded by the Tennessee
Chapter and Bat Conservation
International to three scientists
researching promising large-scale
treatments for white-nose
syndrome in bats
100+
7,165
acres of Nature Conservancy
preserves and conservation
easements monitored
300+
Conservancy
acres enrolled in our Working
Woodlands forest conservation
program (see cover story)
Tennessee State
Tennessee households that
are members of The Nature
8,000+
acres treated with prescribed
burning in partnership with the
Cherokee National Forest
experts engaged
in the TN State Wildlife Action
Plan, co-written by The Nature
Conservancy in Tennessee and the
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency,
and approved by the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2016
326,169
“greatest conservation
need” animal & plant species
observations included in Tennessee
State Wildlife Action Plan database
NATURE.ORG/TENNESSEE 3
COVER STORY
Saving a Forest, Saving the Earth
John Shafer is 106
years old and
part-owner of a
WORKING
WOODLANDS
gorgeous piece of
wooded property
in north central
Tennessee near Sparta.
It’s 3,120 acres of dense hardwood forest
that includes rugged bluffs, waterfalls and
caves. In springtime the ground is carpeted
with wildflowers as water trickles down
streambeds. In the fall one can hear acorns
raining down from the canopy as colorful
leaves flutter down.
The property was originally purchased
in the early 1940s by the family lumber
business after John Shafer scouted the
tract. Shafer knew this was a strong forest
because he knows trees as few people
do. He has a Ph.D. in botany and taught
at Virginia Tech as a young man. He is
also one of the pioneers of cross-breeding
chestnut trees to make them resistant
to the scourge of chestnut blight, which
virtually wiped the majestic tree off the
continent early in the 20th century.
Shafer and his wife assumed personal
ownership of the property in 1977. Shafer
took care over the years to harvest trees
sustainably on the property and maintain
the forest’s health and character. He
even planted several hybrid chestnuts
successfully on the land. He now wants
to preserve the land and its forest as do
his daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and
Roger Tuuk. None of them want to see
these woods carved up and developed in
the future.
“I have been a nature lover since I was a
boy,” said Shafer. “It is a beautiful piece of
property. We were looking to put some
kind of limitation on the property to keep
it undeveloped and intact.”
That’s where The Nature Conservancy
stepped in. We have a new program
called Working Woodlands that helps
landowners gain income from their
property while ensuring their forest
remains healthy and productive for future
generations.
Through the Conservancy, the ShaferTuuk family has put a working forest
conservation easement on their
property. The easement is a binding legal
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT John
4 TENNESSEE FIELD NOTES 2016 WINTER
Shafer in red with son-in-law Roger Tuuk on the property. Photo courtesy of Rebecca
Tuuk. Conservancy staff evaluating the property. © TNC. Our staff at the property with Roger (in blue, white hat),
Rebecca (2nd from right) and their forester (far right). © TNC.
agreement that stays with the property
in perpetuity, preventing development,
agricultural conversion or unsustainable
forestry practices. But this easement
still allows sustainable harvesting
of timber. The Conservancy is also
ensuring the forest will be managed
in an ecologically-sound way through
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
certification. Wood products harvested
from the property can command higher
prices in some markets, thanks to FSC
certification.
In addition, the Conservancy is helping
to provide the family with a new income
stream from the growing voluntary
carbon market. Here’s how it works.
Trees capture carbon from the carbon
dioxide in the air as they produce
oxygen. An acre of mature forest can
capture a ton of carbon every year.
Because scientists and economists can
quantify the carbon-capturing power of
forests, wooded properties enrolled in
carbon markets can sell carbon credits to
businesses seeking to offset their carbon
dioxide emissions.
In addition to carbon offset sales, the
Shafer-Tuuk family can continue to sell
timber from their property. Shafer’s
vision for the property is to keep this
forest healthy and productive long into
the future both as a family income
source and a healthy natural area.
“We don’t need every last dollar,” he
said. “We are interested in long-term
management of this forest.”
“This agreement protects our land
forever,” said Rebecca Tuuk. “I highly
recommend Working Woodlands. It will
help us protect the animals and plants
that are on the land. With the human
population expanding as it is and putting
pressure on the environment, we feel it’s
a good way to keep some places wild.”
ABOVE
“This agreement protects our land forever.”
The Nature Conservancy wants to
enroll more large, private forests in
its Tennessee Working Woodlands
program. Benefits of Working
Woodlands include:
• A full forest and carbon inventory
• A 10-year forest management plan
• Enrollment in Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) certification
• 100% of all FSC certified timber and
wood biomass revenues
• Access to high quality carbon
markets and the majority share of
forest carbon revenues
The Nature Conservancy covers the
costs of these services by generating
carbon offset revenue for the landowner
and sharing in this new revenue stream.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Trish Johnson, Director of Forest Conservation
for the Tennessee Chapter, at [email protected] or 931-432-5585.
Roger and Rebecca Tuuk visiting a waterfall on the property. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Tuuk.
NATURE.ORG/TENNESSEE 5
NEW ACQUISITIONS
Land Protection:
SOUTHERN CUMBERLANDS PURCHASES
2016 has been a big year for land
protection. The Tennessee Chapter
acquired 10,105 acres in several
property transactions completed this
calendar year.
The three largest properties we
purchased were in the Southern
Cumberlands near Winchester and
Sewanee — the two RLF Winchester
tracts (totaling 4,372 acres) and
The Narrows (1,350 acres). Over the
years, The Nature Conservancy’s
Tennessee Chapter has purchased and
protected more than 20,000 acres in
this rugged, forested landscape laced
with streams and caves. The Southern
Cumberlands contain vast swaths of
unbroken forest, and they are a key
6 TENNESSEE FIELD NOTES 2016 WINTER
habitat for many migratory birds. The
region is also significant because of its
richness in rare animal species. This
is the landscape where the Tennessee
and Alabama chapters joined forces to
acquire the Walls of Jericho in 2004.
“The land conservation occurring right
now in the Southern Cumberlands is
due to many dedicated organizations
and agencies working together for
several decades. The ecological
significance of this area cannot be
overstated,” said Gabby Lynch, our
Tennessee Director of Protection.
The RLF Winchester properties had
been on our wish list for more than a
decade. Finally, we were able to make
a joint purchase in partnership with
The Conservation Fund, another
nonprofit conservation organization.
Funding support was provided by
the estate of Carolyn King, the Open
Space Institute and state funds. The
Narrows tract is adjacent to the 1,012acre Pumplog Hollow tract, which
the chapter purchased in 2008 and
The Tennessee Chapter acquired 10,105 acres
in several property transactions completed
this calendar year.
NEW ACQUISITIONS
recently transferred to the state as an
addition to the popular Bear Hollow
Mountain Wildlife Management Area.
The Narrows purchase was funded
with support from the Tennessee
Heritage Conservation Trust Fund,
the Open Space Institute and other
state funding. We intend to transfer
both properties to the state to become
public recreation lands.
RARE PLANT
FOUND
IN SHADY
VALLEY
Other acquisitions this year include:
• 488 acres on Buffalo Mountain in
East Tennessee adjacent to the
Cherokee National Forest. The
wooded former Methodist youth
camp was purchased jointly with
our partners at The Conservation
Fund. We plan to transfer this land
to the Cherokee National Forest.
• Seven acres within the Catoosa
Wildlife Management Area. This
was private property surrounded
by public land. This purchase will
keep public access to the Obed
River open within the remote
southwestern portion of Catoosa.
We plan to transfer the property
to the state’s Catoosa Wildlife
Management Area in the next
few months.
• 80 acres of forested ridgetop
donated to the chapter by Teresa
Myrick in memory of her late
husband, Tim Myrick, a former
board member of the chapter. The
acreage is adjacent to our John R.
Dickey Birch Branch Sanctuary
in Shady Valley and expands that
preserve. We are grateful to Teresa
for her generous donation and for
the legacy she and Tim have
given us.
Appalachian Hedge-Nettle, a plant that had previously been observed
only in Virginia and North Carolina, was found recently in our Orchard
Bog Preserve in Shady Valley. The population is thriving along a stream we
restored a few years ago. Photo by D.B. Poindexter.
Nature in Our Backyards
Terry Cook, our State Director, recently took these photos of a Red-Tailed
Hawk in Williamson County. The Red-Tailed Hawk is one of the most
common hawks in Tennessee. They feed mostly on rodents and will also
eat snakes, birds and insects. They like to hunt in open fields and can be
found across most of North America.
NATURE.ORG/TENNESSEE 7
WATER QUALITY
Water: iCreek Demystifies the Cumberland River Basin
How’s your neighborhood stream
doing? You’re excused if you don’t know.
Most people have no idea whether their
neighborhood stream is fit or unfit
for recreation and supporting aquatic
animal life.
The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee
partnered with the Cumberland
River Compact to create a web
tool that tells you in seconds about
the health of any stream in the
18,000-square-mile Cumberland
River basin and what you can do to
help improve it. It’s called iCreek.
Jed Grubbs, Program Manager of
Watershed Planning and Restoration,
serves in a shared position for both
the Compact and the Conservancy. He
played a key role in developing iCreek
and the larger CumberlandRiverBasin.
org website where iCreek can be found.
“This project grew out of a need for
people to get access to the wealth of
good information that government
agencies and not-for-profits produce on
local water quality,” said Grubbs. “Often,
at the Compact, we’ve been asked by
people, ‘How is my local stream doing?
What is its water quality? Can I help
improve it?’ That information does
exist. The challenge for us has been
making it more accessible.
“iCreek is a simple, easy-to-use web tool
that addresses this challenge,” he added.
“Just enter your street address, and
iCreek will tell you what’s going on with
the health of your local creek, what you
can do to help it, and who can help you.”
The larger site the two organizations
created—CumberlandRiverBasin.
org — “is like a library,” said Grubbs.
Anyone interested can find a huge
amount of information from more
than 70 agencies and organizations
about the Cumberland River and its
tributaries. This is a great resource for
environmentally concerned citizens,
families eager to find recreational
opportunities on the river, or public
officials who want more data on how
their part of the Cumberland River
watershed functions.
Ultimately, The Nature Conservancy
and the Cumberland River
Compact expect that iCreek and
CumberlandRiverBasin.org will
empower people to connect with the
Cumberland River and its streams in
new and significant ways, and harness
the power of collective action to
improve the basin’s water quality.
TO ACCESS ICREEK, VISIT
CUMBERLANDRIVERBASIN.ORG
OUR MAKEOVER
Field Notes has a new look as of this issue. As a member, you will continue to receive this newsletter
twice a year – Winter and Summer. In the Spring and Fall, look for Field Notes bound into the pages of your
Nature Conservancy magazine. This new system saves production costs for the chapter while still keeping
you current with the most recent news about The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee. Let us know what
you think by emailing [email protected].
Paddling Mill Creek (left), a Nashville tributary of the Cumberland River, and a serene view of this urban stream.
Photos courtesy of Cumberland River Compact.
TOP
8 TENNESSEE FIELD NOTES 2016 WINTER
FACES OF CONSERVATION
Get to Know Britt Moses, Director of Philanthropy
Britt Moses joined us in October as our
new Director of Philanthropy
for Tennessee. She brings
a wealth of fundraising
experience to our
chapter. Here’s a
quick Q&A with her.
Reach her at britt.
[email protected] or
615-383-9909.
How did you first become
interested in nature?
As a native Tennessean, I had the good
fortune of growing up surrounded
by the state’s bounty of beautiful
landscapes. Whether driving through
Tennessee’s scenic highways or
fishing on Old Hickory Lake with my
grandfather at an early age, I observed
how important nature is to the health
and well-being of us all.
What attracted you about The
Nature Conservancy?
The Nature Conservancy, being
a global entity, has been a model
organization throughout
my 22+ year, nonprofit
career. Observing how
local conservation
efforts impact global
conservation challenges
and vice versa, I have
long admired and
respected The Nature
Conservancy’s science-based
approach to its work.
How has your past experience
prepared you for this role?
Having worked both as a frontline
fundraiser and a consultant has
allowed me to experience numerous
best practices. At the end of the
day, philanthropy is about building
relationships and providing donors
with opportunities to reach their
philanthropic priorities. I have
had the good fortune to meet some
incredibly generous individuals who
understand and appreciate the value
of investing in the vision of a variety of
nonprofit organizations.
What are you focused on now in
your new position?
I look forward to being part of the
Tennessee team, developing and
strengthening relationships with
volunteers, partners, staff members
and other stakeholders to advance The
Nature Conservancy’s efforts across
the state. Fundraising is a team sport,
so partnerships are key to successful
outcomes.
What aspects of the Conservancy’s
work are you most excited about
right now?
The Nature Conservancy has vast
global conservation priorities, and
I am inspired about how the work
in Tennessee connects to all of that.
From water conservation to land
protection for wildlife habitat, the
issues are common threads that bind
us all, and I am excited to play a small
role in these themes.
ROLLIN’ ON
THE RIVER
OUR TENNESSEE CHAPTER STAFF recently visited the Duck River, where we have been working for many years to keep
this biologically rich river healthy. Pictured from left to right: Gabby Lynch, Paul Kingsbury, Rob Bullard, Jarrett-Jamal Davis,
Katie Pareigis, Alex Wyss, Cory Holliday, Corey Giles, Terry Cook, Trish Johnson, Sally Palmer, Jed Grubbs, Katherine
Medlock, Joey Wisby, Matt Jagnow.
NATURE.ORG/TENNESSEE 9
GET OUTSIDE
IT’S GETTING CHILLY.
LET’S TAKE A HIKE!
WARM, INVITING WEATHER
TENDS TO DRAW ALL OF US
OUTSIDE. BUT DON’T BE A
SHUT-IN WHEN TEMPERATURES
DROP. WINTER CAN BE A GREAT
TIME TO ENJOY A HIKE.
Advantages
Tips
Check the forecast and be prepared in
case of rain or snow.
Start out early and make sure you will be
back before dark.
Dress in layers that you can unzip or
remove as necessary.
Wear moisture-wicking synthetics and/
or wool.
Fewer people on the trails.
No spider webs, no bugs, no poison ivy!
Cool refreshing air means a lot less sweat.
Thermal long underwear or fleece-lined
pants are great.
You can see much farther when the
leaves are off the trees.
Remember what Mom said:
Cover your head!
Hidden landscape features are suddenly
easy to see.
Bring gloves, too. You’ll be glad you did.
Don’t forget water. Below freezing?
Keep it close to your body or use an
insulated bottle.
Hiking in snow can be magical.
Bonus… hiking in the cold burns more
calories than when warmer.
Extra gear for snow: sunglasses for glare,
hiking poles, waterproof boots.
Bring a buddy.
10 TENNESSEE FIELD NOTES 2016 WINTER
Places to Go
Nature Conservancy preserves & more –
nature.org/Tennessee
(Places We Protect)
State Parks - tnstateparks.com
Natural Areas - tn.gov/environment/
topic/na-na-list-of-natural-areas
State Forests - tn.gov/agriculture/topic/
ag-forests-state-forests
Smokies – nps.gov/grsm
Big South Fork – nps.gov/biso
Obed Wild & Scenic River –
nps.gov/obed
A view from Skinner Mountain in the northern Cumberlands. © Rob Bullard/TNC.
Winter hiker. © Ben Herndon/Tandemstock.com
TOP
NEWS & NOTES
A Big Lift From Ascend
Federal Credit Union
In 2011, The Nature Conservancy in
Tennessee embarked on an innovative
partnership with Ascend Federal Credit
Union, headquartered in Tullahoma. Ascend
is an occupational-based credit union with
limited membership and like the Conservancy, Ascend is a nonprofit.
Both of our organizations wanted to increase membership, and we hit
upon a good way to do it: membership with The Nature Conservancy
makes a person eligible for membership with Ascend.
Since this cooperative program began, new memberships to The
Nature Conservancy through Ascend have brought in more than
$190,000 for conservation.
“Both organizations have aligned their brands to promote
responsible financial and environmental stewardship,” Ascend
President and CEO Caren Gabriel said. “This is the type of
partnership where everyone truly wins.”
Nature Conservancy members can join Ascend simply by bringing
their Field Notes newsletter or Nature Conservancy membership
card to their nearest Ascend financial center and opening a savings
account with just $5. Those who are not already Nature Conservancy
members or are otherwise eligible can visit their nearest Ascend
financial center and donate at least $25 to The Nature Conservancy
and immediately become eligible to join Ascend.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.ASCENDFCU.ORG
CHARLOTTE MARTIN: IN MEMORIAM
It’s with great sadness we tell you that
Charlotte Martin, our Tennessee
Chapter office manager for many
years, passed away on July 11. She
was 68 and had been retired for
five years after 18 years with The
Nature Conservancy. She was a
special person and very devoted
to The Nature Conservancy and
to Tennessee. We’ll remember her as a
cheerful, quick-witted friend and colleague, who loved people and
nature, and gave selflessly to both.
Give Back to Nature
SUPPORT THE CONSERVANCY
Thanks to several recent gifts from charitable foundations, including WestRock,
Eastman, Lyndhurst, Riverview, Wallace
Research, Berglund Family Foundation and the
Maddox Charitable Foundation, The Nature
Conservancy in Tennessee is able to continue
its critical conservation work across the state.
We are especially grateful for this support as
the calendar year comes to a close.
In this season of giving, please consider
an annual gift to support our conservation
programs. Your investment makes possible
increased protection of Tennessee’s wildlife,
plants and natural habitats. Every gift makes
a difference in our ability to advance the
Conservancy’s mission to conserve the lands
and waters on which all life depends.
There are a number of convenient ways to give.
Mail: Please use the enclosed envelope. Your
tax-deductible gift will help sustain our work
in Tennessee.
Online: Please make a secure donation at
www.nature.org/tngiving. Please designate
your gift to Tennessee.
Planned Gifts/Stock Transfers: To learn more
about bequests, estate planning or gifts of
stock, please call (615) 383-9909. We would
be happy to help you make a legacy gift to The
Nature Conservancy in Tennessee. Key dates
for 2016 gifts - Electronic stock transfers: Dec.
28. Mutual funds with paperwork: Dec. 12.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS as you
are considering year-end giving, then
please contact Britt Moses, Director of
Philanthropy, (615) 383-9909, ext. 222
or at [email protected].
THANK YOU FOR GENEROUSLY
SUPPORTING THE WORK OF THE NATURE
CONSERVANCY IN TENNESSEE.
NATURE.ORG/TENNESSEE 11
The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee
210 25th Avenue North
Suite 810
Nashville, TN 37203
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field notes
WINTER 2016
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BELOW
Our Director of Protection, Gabby Lynch (left), views a cave on the Shafer-Tuuk property with Rebecca and Roger Tuuk.
IN THIS
ISSUE
We Thank You
Saving a Forest, Saving the Earth
One-hundred-and-six-year-old John Shafer and his family
were looking for a way to protect their family forest from
future development and still have income from occasional
timber sales. That’s where The Nature Conservancy’s
Tennessee Chapter stepped in. Read more inside.
We couldn’t do our jobs protecting Tennessee
without you. Your support makes all of our
conservation work for people and nature possible.
See a thank you video from our Tennessee
conservation staff at their project areas around
the state. It’s posted on our home page:
nature.org/Tennessee.