More than 800 acres added to Fall Creek Falls State Park

An additional 838 acres of land has bee added to Fall Creek Falls State Park as part of a purchase arranged through multiple partners. Located within the Dry Fork watershed, the property contains nearly five miles of streams, including Dry Fork, Benton Branch, and Mount Pleasant Branch. Waters from these streams flow within the park to Cane Creek. In addition to pristine waters, the property is within the headwaters of numerous nearby caves. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation announced a collaboration between TennGreen Land Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee, and The Conservation Fund with the support of the Open Space Institute and the Lyndhurst Foundation led to the purchase of the new property, which provides significant habitats for endangered species. The land lies within the Cradle of Southern Appalachia Initiative, a conservation blueprint adopted by the Thrive Regional Partnership's Natural Treasures Alliance. Although the tri-state region around Chattanooga is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, only 15% of the area is currently protected. Acquisition of this property is the most recent step among decades of collaborative efforts to expand conservation work in the region.