Private-Public partnership leads way in preserving 3,000 acres

Leaders of The Land Trust for Tennessee and Sewanee: The University of the South have announced a partnership to complete a $4.3 million purchase of nearly 3,000 acres of land on the southern Cumberland Plateau in Franklin County.

The Land Trust and The University have reached an agreement in principle to purchase 2,987 acres of forest from American Timberland, a subsidiary of Regions Morgan Keegan Timberland Group, a timber investment management organization.

Once the purchase is completed, the land will be placed in a perpetual conservation easement held by The Land Trust and will be owned and managed by The University for use as an outdoor academic laboratory and for recreation. The Land Trust will monitor the area on an annual basis to assure that the land is conserved in perpetuity.

A joint funding project, The Lost Cove Campaign, will provide capital to complete the transaction of the massive tract of land in Lost and Champion Coves, adjacent to the Sewanee campus. The campaign—part of The University’s current $180 million capital campaign—must be concluded by February 2008 to complete the transaction.

Led by a $1.75 million grant from the State of Tennessee’s Heritage Conservation Trust Fund, the fundraising campaign already has surpassed the $3.25 million mark. Other early gifts include a $500,000 donation from The Nature Conservancy, a grant of $300,000 from the Benwood Foundation, and several leadership gifts.

“I want to applaud all of the partners who are contributing to preserve this wonderful natural asset for generations to come, and I’m particularly pleased to see the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund is one of those participants,” said Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen. “The conservation of this land for both recreation and study represents a dual benefit for the people of Tennessee.”

Representatives of The Land Trust and The University expressed confidence in the successful completion of the campaign, and in the importance of the project.

“Today, we are so pleased to announce this partnership. Lost Cove and Champion Cove have been on our watch list of properties for some time now. The Land Trust believes saving this land from inappropriate development is critical to conserving the forests and protecting the wildlife habitat in the southern Cumberland Plateau,” said Jean C. Nelson, president and executive director of The Land Trust for Tennessee.

“The opportunity to conserve the Lost and Champion Coves would not have been possible without a great effort by our staff and volunteers at The Land Trust and the administration and alumni of Sewanee. Now we enter Phase Two of our partnership – raising the funds to meet our financial obligation,” said Nelson.

“We at Sewanee are pleased and honored to join with The Land Trust in securing this important tract,” said Dr. Joel Cunningham, Vice Chancellor and President of The University. “This initiative is a natural extension of Sewanee’s academic traditions and our commitments to environmental stewardship. The project has far-reaching implications for The University and the Cumberland Plateau.”

Nelson said the entire region will be enhanced through the conservation of important natural resources, especially for the wildlife habitat, as the combined Sewanee holdings of 13,000 acres will be linked with 8,000 acres of state-owned forests.

“We are encouraged by the early response of our friends who share our excitement for this campaign,” Dr. Cunningham said, “and we are confident that their enthusiasm will spread to others who will be moved to join in conserving the land of Lost Cove and Champion Cove.”

Nelson said the diverse coalition of organizations supporting the project is testament to the value of conserving the scenic beauty and natural resources of the southern Cumberland Plateau.

“We are fortunate to have the various groups, representing state government, academia and conservationists so interested in these properties. Now we are going to engage in an aggressive fundraising program so we can protect these valuable acres from inappropriate development, inconsistent land uses and timber clear cutting, which will provide both economic and ecological benefits to the area,” Nelson said.

About The Land Trust for Tennessee

The Land Trust for Tennessee is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, founded in 1999. Its mission is to preserve the unique character of Tennessee’s natural and historic landscapes for future generations. To date, The Land Trust for Tennessee has protected nearly 20,000 acres of land and is working with numerous other landowners across the state. The Land Trust works with willing landowners to find ways to preserve forever the historic, scenic and natural values of their land. The organization is supported primarily by financial contributions from individuals. The Land Trust has offices in Nashville, Monteagle and Chattanooga. More information is available at www.landtrusttn.org.

About Sewanee: The University of the South

The University of the South is an independent liberal arts university, owned by 28 dioceses of the Episcopal Church and located in Sewanee atop Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau. This year celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding, Sewanee is one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges, comprising an undergraduate liberal arts college with over 1,400 students and a graduate School of Theology enrolling approximately 90 seminarians. More information is available at www.sewanee.edu.

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