Mayberry Hollow
In November 2021, TennGreen Land Conservancy, Tommy Pinkston, and donors to TennGreen’s Conservation Easement Assistance Fund protected nearly 70 acres of forests and streams in Hickman County, Tennessee. This historic conservation easement marked TennGreen’s first completed Conservation Easement Assistance Fund project and will support Mr. Pinkston’s vision for the land and protect its natural wonders for generations to come.
The protected property, known as “Mayberry Hollow,” is green and lush, with large towering trees, clean, flowing streams and creeks, and an off-grid cabin. The land lies within the Western Highland Rim Forests, a Conservation Opportunity Area designated by the Tennessee State Wildlife Action Plan. These forests support a large diversity of breeding birds and help maintain water quality, protecting diverse habitats for freshwater animals. Fort Cooper Creek runs through the property and empties into Lick Creek, a feeder stream to the Duck River.
Walking through Mayberry Hollow’s hills and valleys, you’ll see a wide variety of plants and animals that call the land their home. Rare species have been found on the property, including the coppercheek darter (Etheostoma aquali), butternut (Juglans cinerea), and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius).
This conservation easement limits threats to the natural environment, such as excessive development, timber harvest, subdivision of the property, and the intentional introduction of invasive and pest plants. Additionally, the easement protects Mr. Pinkston’s vision for the land—to use the property for educational purposes or to form an intentional, sustainable community. The easement will remain with the land forever, so TennGreen staff will visit the property annually to ensure the agreement’s terms are upheld.
UPDATE: In 2024, Pinkston added an additional 9.3 acres to the Mayberry Hollow Conservation Easement, bringing the total acreage protected up to 76.3 acres.
This conservation success wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of Ginger & Dr. Dale Ensor, the Maddox Fund, and TennGreen’s Board of Directors, who established and dedicated funding to the Conservation Easement Assistance Fund program in 2018. This vital fund helps defray some conservation easement costs to landowners with demonstrated financial need and land with high conservation values.
To learn more about the Conservation Easement Assistance Fund or see if you qualify for assistance, please email our experts at land@tenngreen.org or call (615) 329-4441 today.
“I am extremely grateful to TennGreen for ensuring that the property I love will be protected forever. Over time it will be able to return to the ecologically diverse old growth forest it once was and be available for future generations to experience. The most important asset in this process is the amazing people I have had the pleasure of working with, whose dedication and passion for the TennGreen mission have done so many incredible things to preserve the beauty around us.”