News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The TennGreen Land Conservancy calling for support with an opportunity to purchase and transfer 160 acres of forested bluff lands in the Obed River Park.
Executive Director Alice Hudson Pell said it came to their attention that a portion of the Obed Scenic River in the Clear Creek area would be available to purchase after being privately held for generations.
Hudson Pell said the total price tag sits at some $565,000. She said fundraising efforts have gotten close to that number, but about $50,000 is still needed.
“The land we are talking about on the Clear Creek is one of the most important places in the park boundaries,” Hudson Pell said. “It is part of the Dark Sky designation which is an international designation that shows that there is limited light pollution around, really a place you can go and sleep under the stars.”
Hudson Pell said it is one of the most popular places for paddlers. In addition to its ideal area for recreation, she said that acquiring the land is also critical for the protection of sensitive and threatened resources including numerous archeological sites and federally listed plant and animal species located on or near the property.
Hudson Pell said the goal is to purchase the land and then divide it into three sections: the land within the NPS jurisdictional boundary, the forested tract adjacent to but outside the boundary, and the field and home site. She said if TennGreen does not succeed, the land would be sold to a private buyer and the NPS’ acquisition of the property would be delayed indefinitely and perhaps permanently.
“We hope that all those in our community will join us in this effort to keep Clear Creek scenic and wild,” Hudson Pell said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a key portion of the Creek along Obed Wild & Scenic River. If we don’t protect it now, we might never get the chance again. Protecting this land will be a win for people and wildlife today and for future generations.”
Hudson Pell said for those interested in helping the cause, as in partnership with the Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning, you can visit clearcreek.gvtls.com, or mail a check to TennGreen Land Conservancy at 1213A 16th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212. If you mail a check, please add a note indicating your gift is for the Clear Creek campaign.
