In June 2023, TennGreen Land Conservancy partnered with the State of Tennessee to purchase 85 acres of land adjacent to the Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lee Carter Class II Natural-Scientific State Natural Area (“Carter SNA”) in Franklin County. In March 2024, TennGreen transferred the property (known as “Formica”) to the State to expand Carter SNA and protect the area’s caves and species-rich forests.
According to the Southeast Conservation Blueprint, the acquired property is located within the highest conservation priority area. Before TennGreen’s protection, the land was at risk of development, which posed a significant threat to its native species.
Lost Cove Cave, which meanders underneath Carter SNA, is known to house several types of bats. Bats are vital to our world’s ecosystems, and with hundreds of bat species facing threats to their existence, protecting their homes and the surrounding forests is imperative. In addition to caves, Carter SNA has abundant forest and even rocky grasslands called barrens. Several rare species exist in the area, including Cumberland rosinweed (Silphium brachiatum) and Eggert’s sunflower (Helianthus eggertii), both of which have yellow flowers.