Basin Spring Dedication Honors Historic Conservation Easement
Governor Bill Lee, TennGreen Land Conservancy and conservation supporters celebrate the permanent protection of Williamson County’s Historic Basin Spring Property by the Little Family.
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — In spring of 2026, TennGreen Land Conservancy marked a landmark conservation milestone with a celebratory event at Basin Spring, a 100-acre property in Williamson County that has been permanently protected through a conservation easement.
Governor Bill Lee joined TennGreen staff, landowners Dr. Joseph Little, III, Billie Little, and Sarah Little Glover, alongside supporters at the property to mark an achievement that will benefit Middle Tennessee’s natural heritage for generations to come.
“Tennessee is blessed with unmatched beauty and rich natural resources, and we’re grateful the Little family is playing a key role in advancing conservation efforts through the Basin Spring easement,” said Gov. Lee. “We’ve made significant investments to conserve the land, water, and wildlife that define our state, and Tennessee remains committed to safeguarding these resources for future generations to enjoy.”
The Basin Spring Conservation Easement, finalized in 2025, permanently safeguards scenic ridgelines, biologically rich forest, and the Basin Spring which feeds into portions of Bedford Creek, a tributary flowing to the Harpeth River.
‘TennGreen is honored to protect critically important places like Basin Spring with our partnered landowners in perpetuity’
“A conservation easement is a voluntary agreement between a land conservancy and a landowner, and TennGreen is honored to protect critically important places like Basin Spring with our partnered landowners in perpetuity,” added Kristen Hanratty, Director of Private Land Conservation, at the Basin Spring Dedication. The Little family was presented with TennGreen’s signature “Protected Forever” sign at the event, a symbol of the lasting commitment made by the Littles and TennGreen to the land and to Tennessee.
The Basin Spring property supports remarkable ecological diversity. According to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Natural Areas, the property provides habitat for 26 rare species in Williamson County and eight rare species in the surrounding watershed. Two rare species, the sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) and the butternut tree (Juglans cinerea) have been directly documented on the property. The land is also designated within the Western Highland Rim Forests Conservation Opportunity Area under Tennessee’s State Wildlife Action Plan and has been identified as having high conservation value by the 2021 Southeastern Conservation Blueprint.
Beyond its ecological significance, Basin Spring holds deep cultural and family meaning. A historic cemetery is located on the property, and the land has been in the Little family for generations.
‘Basin Spring is where five generations of our family have hiked, waded, gardened and grown’
“Basin Spring is where five generations of our family have hiked, waded, gardened and grown,” said Dr. Joseph A. Little, III. “These acres aren’t a commodity; they are our best future. So, thank you to TennGreen and to Governor Lee for their recognition and advocacy for wild places here in Tennessee. It is critically important, and their partnership is a resource our state has that many don’t.”
The property also enhances landscape-level conservation connectivity. The land lies within one mile of another TennGreen conservation easement and just two miles from the Natchez Trace Parkway, a National Park Service Scenic Parkway. It falls within both the Greater Nashville Urban Focal Area and a Climate Corridor Focal Area identified in TennGreen’s Strategic Land Conservation Plan.
“Every conservation easement we celebrate represents a landowner who decided their land was worth safeguarding both as a living legacy and for the health of all Tennesseans,” said Alice Hudson Pell, Executive Director of TennGreen. “The Little family made that decision not just for five generations of their family but for all living things. Middle Tennessee is changing fast, and that kind of vision and courage matters more now than ever. If you have land that has shaped your family or your community, I hope their story inspires you to make that call—and I hope you’ll reach out to us when you do.”
For more information on conservation easements and protecting your property, please contact land@tenngreen.org.
TennGreen Land Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit and the oldest accredited statewide land conservancy in Tennessee. TennGreen’s mission is to conserve land where people and nature can thrive. Through sound science and partnerships, TennGreen identifies and conserves land across Tennessee for wildlife corridors, critical habitat, and public benefit. TennGreen protects, cares for, and connects people with Tennessee’s natural world by providing meaningful outdoor experiences, establishing conservation easements, supporting restoration efforts, and acquiring (or assisting in the acquisition of) privately held land.
Photos by Ashleigh Newnes Photography. For use, please contact jon@tenngreen.org.
