The Tennessee Conservationist

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The Tennessee Conservationist

We bring you fascinating stories about Tennessee’s native species, rich history, and unique culture.

We're also your guide to exploring Tennessee State Parks and planning your next outdoor adventure!

09/29/2025

Are you a landowner in Tennessee who wants to make a positive impact for generations to come?

The Family Forest Carbon Program helps private landowners continue their legacy—offering financial support and expert guidance to improve forest health while keeping your land in your hands.

Created by the American Forest Foundation and The Nature Conservancy, the Family Forest Carbon Program helps smaller forest owners access the voluntary carbon market, providing landowners with income that they can use toward forest management, to help pay property taxes, or to further any personal goals.

Make a difference in your community, keep your land healthy and get rewarded for responsible stewardship.

🌳 Start your journey at https://familyforestcarbon.org/

09/27/2025

National Public Lands Day is a day to participate in the care of Tennessee State Parks, Natural Areas, and other public lands.

Here in Tennessee, these precious spaces are home to the native species, natural wonders, and stories that make our state special and unique.

When you step onto a Tennessee trail or paddle a clear blue stream, you’re experiencing generations of conservation at work.

Founded the same year as our state park system, The Tennessee Conservationist tells the stories behind that conservation work. From the wetlands of west Tennessee to the hollers and mountains of east Tennessee, we keep our readers connected to our public lands.

Join fellow stewards and parks enthusiasts and show your support for our parks and the people who strive daily to ensure they stay open and available to all.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist today!

🔗 tnconservationist.info/subscribe

Images by Tennessee Photographs, Tennessee Drone Services and Randall at TN Photo Services.

09/24/2025

If you’re a fan of one of the newest Tennessee State Parks, Scott’s Gulf Wilderness State Park on the Cumberland Plateau, boy do we have an exciting opportunity to share with you!

The Sparta Speaker Series is an excellent way to learn more about the natural resources, history, and culture of White County, where the park is primarily located. Established by park manager Stuart Carroll, the Sparta Speakers Series is held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. on the third floor of the White County Courthouse in Sparta, Tennessee. And it’s free!

Check out the fall lineup below and make your plans to take in a talk.

tnconservationist.info/SpartaSpeakerSeries

09/22/2025

It’s fall, y’all! 🪾🍂

The start of the season has us dreaming of fall colors, hikes, views and all things cozy, so we pulled some of our favorite pics from our archive and of Tennessee State Parks.

We hope these pictures and their rich, seasonal color palettes inspire you as much as they did us.

Image 1: Fall Creek Falls State Park
Image 2: Brenda Walker, Montgomery County
Image 3: South Chickamauga Creek at Audubon Acres
Image 4: Tom and Pat Cory
Image 5: Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
Image 6: Norris Dam State Park

09/17/2025

We invite you to Go Green With Us in each issue of The Tennessee Conservationist, but what is the Go Green With Us initiative, exactly?

Go Green With Us is a program that has focused on nine sustainability categories to foster sustainability practices in Tennessee State Parks for the last decade. Developed in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and TN Sustainability, Go Green With Us develops guidelines that steer parks along the path of sustainability.

Many campgrounds are now trashcan-free and are served by conveniently located dumpsters, recycling bins, and even areas to compost. This helps to reduce litter throughout campgrounds, and saves time and money. Some park restaurants are reducing food waste by diversion, donation, and composting. A few even have on-site gardens! Go Green has helped facilitate the installation of electric vehicle charging stations, low-volume water fixtures, energy-saving LED lights, and many more initiatives that lessen the parks' environmental impact.

The Go Green With Us initiative is just one of many ways Tennessee State Parks is committed to responsible stewardship and conservation of our treasured lands and native species.

Learn more about the initiative, check out the guidelines, and see what your favorite parks are doing to Go Green at https://tnstateparks.com/about/go-green-with-us.

09/15/2025

They say if you plant a seed, it will grow, and that’s certainly what led Todd Crabtree to his career in botany.

A crib placed under a sugar maple turned into pockets filled with critters from woods and creeks, which led to poring over botany manuals in high school. Along the way, Todd obtained a degree in biology, joined the Tennessee Native Plant Society, and tromped around Tennessee, developing a passion for native plants.

Since 2006, Todd has served as the state botanist for the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas under the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. As part of his role, Todd maintains the Tennessee Rare Plant List, ensuring its integrity. His expertise on the distribution and habitat needs of Tennessee’s rarest plants aids conservation efforts across the state.

Todd's current fascination is with limestone outcrops on the Cumberland Plateau. They are difficult, and sometimes dangerous, to access. Revisiting them in different seasons to track plants is especially hard, but it is rewarding.

Learn more about Todd and his work: tnconservationist.info/StateBotanistProfile

09/12/2025

In one week, volunteers across Tennessee will be wielding paint brushes and hammers, picking up trash, wrangling w**ds, and breaking a sweat to keep Tennessee State Parks beautiful for all.

In partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation - NEEF and First Lady Maria Lee’s Tennessee Serves initiative, each Tennessee State Park is hosting a volunteer event as part of a weeklong celebration of National Public Lands Day.

Our public lands are a national treasure, and this is your chance to give back to the parks you love. In Tennessee alone, parks preserve historical homesites, and hundreds of acres of protected forests, waterfalls, wetlands, and wildlife. Plus, volunteering in a state park is an adventure!

So pull out your work clothes, fill up your water bottle, and find an event at a park near you: https://tnstateparksvolunteer.galaxydigital.com/

See you out there!

09/11/2025

The arrival of the ’Ber months have us feeling nostalgic for ’Ber months past, so we cozied up with some of our old covers. 🪾🍂

What’s your favorite ’Ber month activity? Tell us below!

09/09/2025

It’s been one year since North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Park became Tennessee’s 59th state park. If you haven’t visited yet, that’s OK—those sandstone bluffs and rushing creekwaters aren’t going anywhere.

“North Chick” features something for the day tripper, the backcountry enthusiast, and everyone in between.

Here’s some of what this beautiful, rugged park has to offer:
- Miles of mountain bike trails
- Rock climbing routes
- Whitewater kayaking
- Sunbathing and dips in the Blue Hole
- Fly fishing for rainbow trout
- Backpacking, including occasional ranger-led trips

Whether it’s a day hike along the creek or an overnight trek into the gorge, North Chick is sure to inspire outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists of all stripes.

📖 https://tnconservationist.info/NorthChick

09/06/2025

Many things make Tennessee special, and sure—we’re a little biased—but we think our state parks top the list!

Our parks preserve our most important ecological and historical lands. And those lands are public, and free for everyone to enjoy.

This September as a celebration of Tennessee State Parks and National Public Lands Day, First Lady Maria Lee is inviting all Tennesseans to volunteer at a Tennessee State Park. Volunteers will join with the First Lady’s Tennessee Serves initiative and the National Environmental Education Foundation - NEEF to roll up their sleeves, grab a trash bag or a w**d wrangler, and make a difference in our state parks.

Every state park across Tennessee will offer volunteer opportunities between September 19 and 28.

Find an event and learn more about Tennessee Serves here tnconservationist.info/TennesseeServes2025

They don’t call us the Volunteer state for nothing!

09/03/2025

There’s a twinge of color in the hills and a hint of a chill on the wind. 🌬️ 🍂

As summer fades and shortening days signal fall’s approach, Tennessee State Parks are welcoming a new batch of Things To Do.

Immerse yourself in the heritage, history, and natural beauty of the Cumberland Plateau at the 47th Annual Mountaineer Folk Festival. This 3-day event at Fall Creek Falls State Park features craft vendors, artisan demonstrations, live bluegrass and folk music, and more than 20 food vendors.

Take a guided hike at Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park with the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas. You’ll see Tennessee's largest group of Native American mounds from the Woodland Period, and one of the only known occurrences of the endangered whorled sunflower.

The Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee (BRAT), is an annual, multi-day bicycle tour through different regions of Tennessee. 2025’s fully supported ride includes a basecamp at Montgomery Bell State Park, SAG stops, ranger-supported rides, massages, and evening activities. Register at thebrat.org!

Want a sneak peek at a future Tennessee State Park? Join a guided hike with the Division of Natural Areas at Sherwood Forest State Natural Area! See the endangered Morefield’s leather flower and federally-threatened painted snake-coiled forest snail.

Get all the details, and more Things To Do here: tnconservationist.info/SeptemberThingsToDo

See you out there!

08/31/2025

There’s some amaze-bats research going on at U.S. Army Fort Campbell. 🦇

Deep within the army base’s 93,000 acres of forest, scientists and their students at Austin Peay State University are studying the behavior, health, and habitat of Tennessee’s bats—and developing strategies to protect them from disease and habitat loss.

Bats are more than silhouettes in the night sky. They’re natural pest control agents, devouring thousands of insects each night and reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Their work benefits agriculture, forestry and human health—saving farmers millions annually, preventing damage to forests, and slowing the spread of insect-borne illness.

Funded by a unique, decade-long contract, Operation Nightwatch brings conservation partners together while giving students hands-on training. That means richer science and a brighter future for these creatures of the night.

Take a closer look at how science and service are working hand in wing: tnconservationist.info/OperationNightwatch

Images by Sean McCulley.

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https://tnstateparks.com/conservationist

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