Tennessee Conservation Easement Law

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City of Chattanooga Receives 37 Acres For Park

A land trust has given the City of Chattanooga a wooded 37-acre tract on Stringer's Ridge to be used as a park. The conservation easement on the property is held by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust.

Land Trust for Tennessee announces Conservation Easement on 152 Acres on Tennessee River

The Land Trust for Tennessee has announced that a 152-acre farm beside a Civil War ferry site on the Tennessee River will be put under conservation easement. More details here.

Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation Awarded National Accreditation

Congratulations to Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation on receiving national accreditation!

Enhanced Tax Incentives Renewed Through 2011

The US Congress recently extended the 2006 Enhanced Easement Incentive through December 31, 2011 and made the increased tax incentives retroactive for the year 2010. More detail on what this means for landowners here.

SELC Releases List of Ten Endangered Areas

The Southern Environmental Law Center has included the Cumberland Plateau in its Top Ten List of Endangered Places for 2011. Although a significant portion of the Plateau is public land, the ownership interests in the coal are held by other owners, including mining companies. If the mining companies and other owners proceed with mining the coal via mountaintop removal or other destructive practices, then it is possible that the Plateau will be irrevocably damaged - both in terms of visible beauty and the richness of its wildlife habitat.

Seedlings in the City

For the second year in a row, Stites & Harbison, PLLC is hosting ‘Seedlings in the City.’ On Saturday, November 7, 2009, volunteers will work to plant 100 trees in Bellevue neighborhoods, at no cost to participating residents.

“These aren't just any trees,” explained Tara Aaron, co-founder of the project and an attorney with Stites & Harbison. They're American Elm seedlings from a champion tree. American Elms are prized for their lovely arching branches that provide shade, make homes more energy efficient and add beauty and value to neighborhoods. During the early 1900's, American Elms were found in great numbers gracing the eastern United States. Sadly, many trees were lost, during the mid 1900's, due to the outbreak of Dutch Elm disease. While this disease affected some American Elms in Nashville, others survived and continued to grow into majestic, healthy trees. The seedlings that will be planted on November 7 are the offspring of one of Nashville's largest and oldest American Elm trees. This tree was named by The Nashville Tree Foundation as a 2008 Big Tree champion.

Bellevue residents who are interested in having a seedling planted in their yards are invited to register by contacting Becky Dan at becky.dan@stites.com or (615) 782-2210. There is no charge for receiving a tree. Anyone wishing to volunteers to help plant the trees should also contact Becky Dan.

Once in a Blue Moon

The Land Trust for Tennessee is hosting its ninth annual Once in a Blue Moon party this Saturday, October 24, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the Farm at Glen Leven (4000 Franklin Road in Nashville). Several times voted the “Best Just Plain Fun” party of the year by nFocus Magazine, this event boasts evening of delicious dining by Kates Fine Catering, dancing under the Tennessee sky complete with country, bluegrass and cloggers, and a classic bonfire set in the middle of 65 untouched acres in the heart of Nashville.

Get your tickets, grab your boots and join the fun, all for a great cause!

Nashville Open Space Plan

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is asking the public to finish this statement at the Nashville Open Space Plan Visioning Charrette. ULI wants to give those who are interested in the future development of Nashville a chance to collaborate with those who are professionally involved in open space planning and land use and development to create a plan for the city’s future development.

Peter Harnik, author and Director of the Trust for Public Land's Center for City Park Excellence, will share examples of 'Best Practices' in open space/green planning. The Trust for Public Land is a land conservation and open space resource for landowners, government agencies and community groups interested in protecting land for human enjoyment. It maintains the nation's most complete database about the urban park systems of large cities, including acreage, usage, spending, employment, facilities ad historical evolution.

Next, Orchard Advisors, a Nashville consulting group, will lead attendees in a creative exercise to elicit ideas for the 'best Nashville' going forward. They hope to reach a group consensus on a Vision Statement and Defining Objectives to set the tone for the Open Space Plan

The Davidson County Open Space Plan is a joint effort between ULI and the Land Trust for Tennessee to protect the unique landscape of Middle Tennessee. More information on the objectives of the Open Space Plan are to follow.

The Visioning Charrette will take place on October 6, 2009, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Martin Prof. Development Center, 2400 Fairfax Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212. Online registration is available, or you can register at the event beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Green Concert Kick-Off

Nashville's inaugural green concert series, LiveOntheGreen, is just days away from its first show. LiveOntheGreen is a free concert series to be held every Thursday evening between September 3rd and October 8th in Public Square Plaza adjacent to the Nashville’s Metropolitan Courthouse. This event will highlight local artists as well as national acts with roots in Music City.

What's more, LiveOntheGreen is committed to be an environmentally-friendly concert series. Public Square Plaza is a 2.25 acre green roof sitting on top of a 5 level subterranean parking garage. Food and drink vendors will produce less waste and offer more environmentally friendly packaging and distribution, and a free Bike Check is available on-site to incentivize riding a bicycle to the event.

For more information on the initiatives that LiveOntheGreen is striving to implement, visit LiveOntheGreen.

Counting Crows Support Land Trust for Tennessee

In an effort to give recognition and draw attention to organizations and individuals working to help their communities, rock band Counting Crows started a community outreach project called the Greybird Foundation. The Greybird Foundation focuses on three issues: domestic violence, HIV / AIDS and the environment.

Counting Crows invites community-based organizations that focus on these issues to each of their concerts. At their recent show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Counting Crows invited members of the Land Trust for Tennessee and acknowledged the organization for its environmental efforts. The band was then joined by Augustana and Michael Franti and Spearhead in a rendition of This Land Is Your Land.

For more information, visit The Greybird Foundation.

Timberlake's Golf Course is a Sanctuary

Last fall, Justin Timberlake purchased an aging golf course just before it was to be sold at auction. Now, the 303-acre property south of Millington, Tennessee has been transformed to reflect design standards unmatched in Tennessee and in few places elsewhere in the world.

In fact, the Mirimichi golf course has become the nation's first to be designated as an "Audubon Classic Sanctuary" by Audubon International. Its "environmentally sustainable" design is intended to make it as friendly for wildlife and native plants as for golfers.

For more information, an article in the July 24, 2009, edition of the Memphis Commercial Appeal entitled "Course of nature" discusses Timberlake's blend of golf and serenity at Mirimichi.

A “Third Vision” for Bells Bend

In the debate over the future of Bells Bend, much attention has been focused on the potential economic impact of the proposed May Town Center. A group of Scottsboro-Bells Bend residents opposed to the May Town Center plan have been working to find an alternative plan which would still produce economic benefit and value to Metro Nashville.

These 50-100 residents have hired the Ochs Center, a Chattanooga-based research organization, to come up with a “third vision” for the land use. A recently released Ochs Center report says the corridor from Bells Bend to Beaman Park could be developed as "a low density residential and agricultural community complemented by environmentally compatible businesses."

The report suggests that the area could be preserved by creating a conservation district with conservation easements, designating properties in the National Register of Historic Places, and designating the corridor from Bells Bend to Beaman Park as a “heritage area” through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

These preservation efforts align with a recently released summary report provided to Mayor Karl Dean by the Green Ribbon Committee on Environmental Sustainability, titled “Making Nashville Green.” Making Nashville Green contains goals, recommendations, and metrics that will support efforts in enhancing and protecting Nashville’s environmental quality and livability.

The Ochs Center researchers estimate the area, as proposed by the “third vision,” would draw 200,000 visitors a year and could generate $34.6 million a year in economic impact and provide 395 jobs.

Tracking RANRA

For more information on the proposed legislation behind the "Rural, Agricultural and Natural Resources Act" (RANRA), the Bill Summary, Bill History and a Fiscal Note for SB 2217 can be accessed by visiting the Tennessee General Assembly website.

Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards Ceremony Friday

Deputy Governor John Morgan will join Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke and Deputy Commissioner Paul Sloan to present the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards at the Ed Jones Auditorium on the Ellington Agriculture Center campus in Nashville on Friday, June 12, beginning at 1 p.m.

As mentioned in a previous post, The Land Trust for Tennessee will be honored as the recipient of the Natural Heritage award for its efforts in connection with the Lost Cove Project.

For more information about the awards ceremony, please visit http://m.egovtn.org/node/2085. Information about the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards program can be found at: www.tn.gov/environment/awards/, and additional information about this year’s award recipients can be found at: www.tn.gov/environment/awards/09awds/09winners_1.pdf.