Project information last updated: 1/5/2018 9:38 AM Report prepared: 4/9/2021 4:16 PM

Forest Legacy Project Karst Forest at Cumberland County,

FUNDING HISTORY

FY 2017 Forest Legacy Program Funding $1,350,000 FY 2017 Non-Federal Cost Share $560,000 FY 2017 Project Costs $1,910,000 FY 2017 Project Acres 956

Forest Legacy Funding To Date $1,350,000 Total Project Costs $1,910,000 Total Project Acres 956

Tract Name Size (ac) Tract Cost FLP Funding Non-Fed Cost Share Status Grassy Cove (Kemmer Tract) 956 $1,910,000 $1,350,000 $560,000 Completed 2018

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The 956-acre FEE acquisition subject property is composed of three tracts, two of which are held by third-parties. Conservation of the entire 956-acre tract will protect the karst forests of Bear Den and Brady Mountains which converge to enclose Grassy Cove. Grassy Cove, the largest in North America, is surrounded by the . Eighteen GCN species, including a federally threatened species and 3 species of G2/G3 ranking have been documented on the property. The property is within the original boundary of a National Natural Landmark. The property protects the viewshed of the adjacent Cumberland Trail State Park, Tennessee's only linear park. The property will be managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Brady Mountain framing Grassy Cove provides extensive scenic Conservation to provide recreational opportunities qualities. (Photo by Joe Allen) including access to eight caves on the property. The threat to this property is an enormously valued mineral resource that could create yet another open pit mining site in the local vicinity. PROJECT FEATURES Important • TIMBER: The existing forest had a diameter limit cut in the 1980s and 1990s leaving a mostly two- aged stand of approximately 65+years and 20 years, composed primarily of yellow poplar and maples. • A forest stewardship plan (2014) was developed for the property by ecoReata with management recommendations including removal of low quality trees to encourage habitat diversity, hard mast production, and provide a mix of forest products for the local economy. • The 956- acre subject property will be protected as a forested tract with management goals including restoration of the natural species composition to support Greatest Conservation Need (GCN) species. • Approx. 95% of the soils produce good quality woodland habitat; 73% of the soils have a forest productivity site index average across all species of 80 and the remaining soils average 74. The property has southeast and northwest facing slopes that can support merchantable timber.

Page 1 of 6 Karst Forest at Grassy Cove Project information last updated: 1/5/2018 9:38 AM Tennessee Report prepared: 4/9/2021 4:16 PM

• ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF NON-TIMBER PRODUCTS: The property is adjacent to the Cumberland Trail State Park (CTSP), a linear park currently being constructed and managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). • The addition of the subject property will provide increased recreational opportunities to CTSP. The property will provide recreation attractions on Bear Den and Brady Mountains for bird watching, biking, hiking, wilderness camping and rock climbing. • The average tourist spends $43 per person in Tennessee state parks. Between July 2014 and July 2015, The CTSP received 110,000 visitors totaling $4.7 million in tourism dollars. The property provides habitat for GCN and federally threatened Conserving the subject property protects the species. (Photo by (cw) Audubon, S Thomas, J Butler, V Herp) CTSP viewshed, ensuring this revenue continues. • T & E SPECIES HABITAT: The federally threatened Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) has been documented on the property. According to United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), one of the major threats to the species is degradation of summer habitat due to change in land use. • Tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) and little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), both with a global ranking of G3 (very rare or restricted throughout its range), have been documented on the property. Protection of the subject property secures needed habitat for this bat population. • The property provides habitat for the Cumberland dusky salamander (Desmognathus abditus) which has a global ranking of G2/G3 (imperiled globally/very rare throughout its range), is listed as near threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List, and has been documented on the property. • The tract represents one of only 13 locations of D. abditus found in the world. Additionally, the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), which is listed on the Center for Biological Diversity's petition for federal listing, has been documented on the property. • The heavily-wooded property provides a large expanse of desired habitat for cerulean warblers (Setophaga cerulea), the fastest declining eastern songbird. Additionally, the property is along the Jasper-Pulaski migratory flyway (USGS) and provides habitat for other forest dependent migrants. • UNIQUE FOREST COMMUNITIES: Two populations of the federally endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalist) are located within 1.2 miles of the subject tract. The large, mature forest of the subject tract provide summer roosting habitat for this important species and GCN species documented on the property. • The National Park Service (NPS) designated Grassy Cove Karst Area as a National Natural Landmark (NNL) due to its being one of the nation's best illustrations of karst development. The property is within the original NNL boundaries and contains the same underlying karst features identified by NPS. • WATER SUPPLY: The property provides a key buffer protecting water quality as it flows down Bear Den and Brady Mountains into Grassy Cove Creek. The creek sinks into the underlying karst passages ultimately forming the headwaters of the , a primary tributary to the . • PUBLIC ACCESS: The acquisition of this property secures full public access along the CTSP. The property will be managed by TDEC and will provide spur trail attractions along the CTSP. These attractions include the scenic Lost Waterfall Cave, 7 additional caves, and views of pastoral Grassy Cove. • SCENIC: The property provides an important scenic buffer to the CTSP. The CTSP is Tennessee's only linear park and surrounds the state scenic trail. It is currently under development and approximately 181 of the 282 planned miles of trail have been conserved. • Conservation of the property protects the significant karst habitat underlying the tract as well as secures the viewshed of the remaining private lands in the NNL.

Page 2 of 6 Karst Forest at Grassy Cove Project information last updated: 1/5/2018 9:38 AM Tennessee Report prepared: 4/9/2021 4:16 PM

• Bear Den and Brady Mountains on which the property is located form the southern boundary of the Grassy Cove community and are visible from the Grassy Cove Scenic Drive segment of the Scenic Byway. • Cultural: Although no formal archaeological surveys have occurred on the subject property, Tennessee's Department of Archaeology has stated that there is a high likelihood of historic and prehistoric sites within the caves on the tract, specifically burial sites.

Threatened • LACK OF PROTECTION: Mineral extraction companies have interest in the property due to the extensive presence of limestone and sandstone. The property contains 250 acres of surface and 900 acres of subsurface limestone, totaling 100 million tons. Current market value estimate limestone at $10/ton. • The property contains an additional 5,000 acre-feet of sandstone and sand resources for a total of 2.5 million tons of sandstone that could be extracted. • Lhoist North America, a global leader in lime, dolime and mineral extraction, is currently mining less than 10 miles from the property. The property has extensive limestone that could be exploited by Construction, extraction and nearby mining. (Photo by K Williams (l) and T Curtis (r)) maintenance/repair is the second highest occupation in Cumberland County. • In Tennessee, the mining of crushed stone is the number one principal nonfuel mineral produced. State Highway 68 provides easy access to Interstate 40 and opens the subject property to mineral exploitation. • The property is outside any municipal city limits and therefore is not under any zoning or other development restrictions to limit the exploitation of the land. • A 2,600 acre tract adjacent to the property has been clearcut and converted to cattle production. Similar conversion threatens the subject tract. Conversion would negatively impair the CTSP viewshed and the water quality of the Sequatchie River whose headwaters are formed by Grassy Cove. • LAND AND LANDOWNERS CIRCUMSTANCES: The 3 tracts that make up the 1,000 acres are owned by 1) five members of a family, 2) a land trust, and 3) a conservation buyer. Although the family is conservation minded, due to existing financial pressures, the family cannot hold the land indefinitely. • ABILITY TO DEVELOP: There is access to public electricity for the property. Grassy Cove Creek runs along much of the property. This water and electricity access makes the property an ideal location for the development of houses. • Cumberland County has a high second home population (6.3%) compared to the national rates (3.8%). Opening portions of Bear Den and Brady Mountains would be appealing to residential builders and open a market in the area that is virtually non-existent.

Strategic • The property is within the original boundary of the Grassy Cove Karst Area NNL which was designated by NPS due to the significant karst habitat. The NNL recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in both public and private ownership and advocates for the protection of these resources. • The property is on the which has been identified by TNC as one of the most biologically-rich regions on Earth. The Cumberland Plateau has been designated an international biogem by the Natural Resources Defense Council and is listed as one of the western hemisphere's 12 most endangered regions.

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• The property is identified by the Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund Preliminary Report of Need as important for the Cumberland Trail and Brady Mountain as designated by the "Cumberland Trail" area of interest. • The property is included in the Middle Cumberland Plateau Conservation Opportunity Area (COA) outlined in Tennessee's State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP, 2015). One strategy for protection of the COA is to manage high quality forests and cave systems, both of which are present on the property. • The property is adjacent to the CTSP which is currently under development and will link to the Great Eastern Trail. The Great Eastern Trail is a linear trail that will run from to New The property has 8 caves including scenic Lost Waterfall Cave. York providing hiking opportunities and a (Photo by C Sutherland (l) and C Peterson (r)) wildlife migratory corridor. Additionally, this property will add to the 330,000 acres of conserved land connected by the CTSP. • The property is within the Partners in Flight, Northern Cumberland Plateau region which contains cerulean warbler as a priority bird. The property is within the Appalachian Mountain Joint Venture (AMJV) which highlights forest health and restoring habitats as important for priority birds including wood thrush, Kentucky warbler, and hooded warbler, all of which have been documented on the property. • Ninety-nine percent of the tract is within "high" priority for protection of terrestrial species and "medium" priority for subterranean species habitats (SWAP 2015).The SWAP states that conservation actions should be prioritized based on conserving priority habitat for GCN species. • Per goals of Tennessee Forest Action Plan (TFAP, 2010), the project will mitigate forest fragmentation effects by providing a stepping stone habitat while the CTSP continues to develop, protecting headwater forest habitat, and promoting forest based recreation. • The Sequatchie River Watershed Management Plan (2008) identifies the Sequatchie River as having statewide or greater significance for recreational fishing and water quality. • The region is covered by the Cumberland Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), a plan developed through a coalition of local government and developers to plan long-term conservation for the area. The HCP includes timber rattlesnake, northern long-eared bat, and Cumberland dusky salamander which have been documented on the property.

Readiness Pre-Appraisal/Market Analysis 1 Easement or Fee Conditions 1 Non-Federal Cost Share Commitment 1 Signed Purchase Agreement 1 Title Search 1 Mineral Determination 1 Stewardship Plan (or equivalent)* 1 Readiness Total Tally Score 7

Supporting Parties United States Fish and Wildlife Service; National Park Service; The Nature Conservancy; Open Space Institute; Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry; Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation; Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency; State Rep. Cameron Sexton; Tennessee Aquarium; University of the South: Sewanee; Citizens for Wilderness Planning; Cumberland

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Habitat Conservation Plan; Native Plant Society; Local caving advocates; Cumberland County Mayor: Kenneth Carey Jr.; and Crossville Mayor: James Mayberry.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Scott Stewart Susan Granbery Brian Hughett National Forest Legacy Forest Legacy Program Forest Legacy Program Program Coordinator Coordinator Manager USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service Tennessee Department of 1400 Independence Avenue, 1720 Peachtree Road, NW Agriculture 3SC Suite 700 P.O. Box 40627 Washington, DC 20250 Atlanta, GA 30309 Melrose Station 202-205-1618 770-883-8925 Nashville, TN 37204 [email protected] [email protected] 615-837-5550 [email protected]

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