GRANDVIEW, TN (Feb. 13, 2019) – Thanks to grant support from the Open Space Institute (OSI), the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has nearly doubled the size of the popular Piney Falls State Natural Area. The acquisition protects critical habitat that will continue to be a haven for sensitive plants and animals, even as the climate changes.
The 400-acre Piney Falls addition offers stunning views, provides protection for the Upper Piney Falls and could lead to further trail development for the now 840-area Natural Area in central Tennessee’s Rhea County.
OSI provided funding for the project through its Resilient Landscapes Initiative, which has conserved 26,000 acres in the Southeast since 2012. The Fund conserves “climate-resilient” properties — lands that will continue to harbor sensitive plants and animals, even as the climate changes.
“The conservation of the Piney Falls addition is a phenomenal conservation ‘win’ that demonstrates the importance of protecting land for wildlife facing an uncertain future,” said Peter Howell, executive vice president at OSI. “We commend The Nature Conservancy for purchasing the property so it could be conserved for future generations.”