Environment (Wildlife)

SB 1277 revises Tennessee’s state natural areas program by adjusting acreage measurements for existing protected lands and designating four new natural areas for conservation. The bill specifically adds Clifty Creek Gorge (89 acres in Morgan County, protecting the Virginia spirea), Rocky Hill (1 acre in Rutherford County, safeguarding endangered plants), Union Grove (59 acres in Hamblen County, preserving the Tennessee trillium), and Versailles Knob (40 acres in Rutherford County, protecting Braun’s Rockcress). It also updates acreage figures for multiple existing sites, such as expanding Barnett’s Woods to 156 acres and Emory River to 2,754 acres. These changes directly affect the state’s conservation efforts by formally protecting specific ecosystems and endangered species under Tennessee’s natural areas framework.

HB 126 revises Tennessee's state natural areas by updating acreage descriptions for existing protected lands and designating four new natural areas. It increases protected acreage for sites like Barnett's Woods (from 40 to 156 acres) and adds new areas including Clifty Creek Gorge (89 acres protecting the federally threatened Virginia spirea), Rocky Hill (1 acre safeguarding the endangered running glade clover), Union Grove (59 acres preserving the Tennessee trillium), and Versailles Knob (40 acres protecting Braun's Rockcress). The bill directly affects conservation efforts by expanding legal protections for specific endangered species and habitats across Morgan, Rutherford, and Hamblen counties. Enacted on April 11, 2025, it formalizes these land designations without introducing new funding or regulatory requirements.