McCollum, who worked with The Land Trust in 2017 to conserve her 60 acres of “paradise” – a place she dreamed of calling home even as a little girl in Buffalo, New York.

“In 1976 I visited cousins in [neighboring] Humphreys County, Tennessee, and decided to move down and pursue my dream of living in the country and having a horse,” Rhoni said. “It was the first property I looked at and I decided this holler would be my home…sixty acres seemed like a wonderland.”

Over the years, Rhoni and her horses have enjoyed exploring the forested acres beyond her property. Her connection to the land only grew as she learned how far her roots went beyond the soil. While thumbing through old family pictures, Rhoni discovered her grandmother was born in Hickman County less than nine miles from her place. She kept digging and found her great- great-grandfather was a sheriff in Hickman County before the Civil War. As she grew to understand her once unknown heritage in the area, her appreciation for her home and the desire to conserve it for the future continued.

“More than 35 years later, I’m still here in paradise with a couple of horses,” she said. “Now I have the means of assuring that my paradise will be here always, enjoyed and shared.”

The Land Trust and landowners, like Rhoni, Sharon and Mike, have completed 17 conservation projects in Hickman County, protecting more than 4,100 acres to date. (Story continued on page 7...)

Protecting the land you love for Tennesseans of today and tomorrow

ON THE GROUNDWinter 2018

As a group of neighbors and friends gathered at Mike Weesner and Sharon Anthony’s home on a sunny day last November, a real sense of kinship could be felt: each person in the room had made the decision to conserve their land in Hickman County.

For Mike and Sharon, bringing together like-minded individuals is an important way to connect as neighbors and also to help spread the message of conservation to others.

“I’m very appreciative of those that have done this in this area,” Mike said. “We wish more neighbors would take a look at this as a possibility.” Over the last few years, Mike and Sharon have worked with The Land Trust to conserve 250 acres of open space where they run a retirement facility for horses. Mike and Sharon both love to ride - in fact, it’s how they met - and it is a tremendous source of pride that their horse farm will forever be open space that provides solace and visual relief for so many.

Also among the group in the living room was landowner Rhoni

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Hickman county Landowners celebrate a shared commitment to conservation

See what you helped us achieve in 2017

Top: Rhoni McCollum’s farm. Photo provided.

The Duck River. Photo by Nancy Rhoda.

Mark Manner, ChairLiz McLaurin, President Martin Brown, Jr., SecretarySam Belk, TreasurerGentry BardenRobert BrandtDoug CameronKate Sherrard ChinnDavid DarstCharles Elcan

Kelly J. GillJoe HodgsonKimberly KaegiLynn Lassiter KendrickJeff LipscombRosemary McIlhennyBrian TibbsVicki Pierce Turner

Lynchburg, Leiper’s Fork, Fiery Gizzard, Shelby Farms Park, Sewanee, Glen Leven Farm, the Duck River, the Natchez Trace Parkway, Signal Mountain. One of these names likely evoked something…a memory of a drive, a hike, a paddle, a ride…the taste of honey, the smell and crunch of leaves along a trail in fall, the vibrancy of a sunset.

Special places across our state are not just pinpoints on a map – they ground us, orient us and help us understand our roles in our communities and in our world.

Technology allows us to connect with friends no matter where we are –we’re virtually anywhere, anytime. Today, lots of young people spend time playing together in simulated worlds and spend very little time in our natural world. This disconnection from the raw world outside is a threat to special places, because you can’t care about what you don’t know about. As Stewart Udall wrote in 1968, “Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.”

At the end of 2017, my 11-year old son and I spent the day with the couple pictured above as they protected 465 acres of farmland in Robertson County. Mr. Bracy fascinated us with stories of the land and expressed what being protected forever means to them, their grandchildren and to the character of that distinctive farming community. They are generous visionaries much like the stewards you’ll read about throughout this issue of our newsletter.

They, along with you, help us protect places and connect people to the natural world of which we are all such a powerful part.

Thank you,

The importance of a place

Liz McLaurin (left) with Sandra and Kenneth Bracy in December 2017.

Liz McLaurinPresident & CEO

Liz McLaurinPresident & CEO

Emily ParishVice President of Conservation

Rachael BergmannConservation Project Manager, Southeast Tennessee

Daniel BrownDirector of Communications

Matt CottamGlen Leven Farm Coordinator

Emma DavidsonDirector of Transactions & General Counsel

Luke IversonConservation GIS Manager

Brooks LambConservation Project Manager,Rural Lands

Kayla McBrideOffice Manager

Alysia MercerDirector of Finance & Operations

Brickey NucholsMember Relations Coordinator

Sarah O’Rear Director of Stewardship

Emily QuinlanConservation Project Manager, Middle Tennessee

Noell RembertDirector of Outreach Programs

Mike SzymkowiczStewardship Coordinator

Sharayah WinklerDirector of Member Relations

OUR TEAM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

122,000+acres protected...Since 1999, The Land Trust for Tennessee has worked with private and public landowners and conservation partners to successfully complete 375+ conservation projects conserving more than 122,000 acres of land. Thank you for your continued support.

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Kelly J. GillJoe HodgsonKimberly KaegiLynn Lassiter KendrickJeff LipscombRosemary McIlhennyBrian TibbsVicki Pierce Turner

For Bill and Stefani Vatter, conserving their open spacein West Tennessee in 2017 was as much about investing in the future of their family as it was investing in their land.

“Our land has become an investment in family with thememories we make,” Bill said. “It’s about the bonds webuild working and playing together, and the enjoymentI get teaching my son about stewardship and the responsibilities we have as landowners.”

Some of Bill’s fondest childhood memories are fromspending time with family outdoors. These memories, he says, shaped his commitment to being a steward of the land and his desire to leave the land that he loves better than he found it.

“I was fortunate growing up being able to go hunting and fishing with my father, uncle and cousins on properties not far from this one,” Bill said. “It had a large impact on my life, interests and hobbies starting at a young age.”

“I want my son to share in our past experiences, to pass to his family someday our traditions and practices as well as create his own memories,” he continued. “Having the opportunity to teach a younger generation about conservation and the importance of good stewardship is as much a privilege as it is a responsibility.”

Bill and Stefani worked with The Land Trust forTennessee to do just that. The Vatters protected 316 acres in Hardeman County with a conservation agreement that will endure forever.

They hope this decision will instill a stewardship ethic in their son and inspire families for generations to continue making memories outdoors.

“The decision to protect our property was an easy one. I began learning about The Land Trust after seeing a sign on a neighbor’s property,” Bill said. “I soon realized that this was the perfect way to ensure our farm will remain in its current natural state forever. With the conservation easement in place, I have no doubts our vision for the future of our property will be upheld.”

Bill says the family is focused now on enhancing the land as best as they can. He admits he spends about 300 hours a year on his tractor improving it, including nights and most weekends - though he guesses that’s only half of the time they truly invest.

“I was taught early in life that ‘You reap what you sow’.The work we put into the property, while sometimeshard, is always rewarding. Providing food and enhancing habitat for wildlife, watching our fruit trees, crops and fish grow has been rewarding for all of us and a perfect illustration of that lesson for our son.”

Conserving land For Family and Future

“Stewardship is as much a privilege as it is a responsibility.” - Bill Vatter

What is a Conservation Easement?A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and land trust that permanently limits development of the land in order to protect its conservation values. To learn more, visit LandTrustTN.org

Photo: The Vatter family in summer 2017.3

2017 CONSERVATION IMPACT

2017 successes

duck River watershed conservationThe Duck River is one of the world’s most biologically diverse rivers. Our work to conserve land in its watershed continued in 2017 with three projects, bringing our total to 14,000 acres protected since 1999.

urban gardenWe worked with landowner Beegie Adair to conserve a garden that dates back to 1923 in an historic district of Franklin.

From conserving tree-lined hills in Nashville to rich farmland near Fort Campbell to a 0.27-acre garden in an historic urban district, our projects in 2017 were as varied as they were significant.

We also continued conversations across the state with community members of all ages about the importance of conserving land that benefits us all. Here are a few of the highlights:

New climbing destination OpenWe celebrated the opening of Denny Cove, a 685-acre climbing destination in Marion County following a multi-year, multi-partner conservation effort.

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addition to state parkIn June 2017, partners of the Sherwood Forest addition to South Cumberland State Park received a 2017 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for a multi-year partnership protecting more than 4,000 acres.

prime soils in robertson countyOur efforts to protect working farms continued in 2017, including the Bracy’s 465 acres in Robertson County.

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A look back in photos...1. Marianne Blackwell conserved her family’s Century Farm in Rutherford County where her family has raised Hereford cattle since 1917.

2. The Land Trust and Rippavilla conserved a piece of Civil War history in Maury County. The City of Spring Hill has plans for the land to become a public park.

3. Students from the Nashville area learned about history, agriculture and nature through our Nature’s Classroom Field Trip Program at Glen Leven Farm.

4. Our work to conserve land important to Tennessee’s watersheds continued as we protected two working farms in Kentucky touching the state line, including the Winn’s.

5. We celebrated the dedication of Sherwood Forest to South Cumberland State Park in October with our partners from the state and fellow conservation groups.

6. Our work to protect land in West Tennessee continued in 2017, including our first project in Henry County with the Stouffer family.

7. After a multi-year effort with landowners and the State of Tennessee, we celebrated the opening of Window Cliffs State Natural Area in Putnam County in April 2017.

8. Hundreds of community members ‘buzzed’ about The Land Trust’s Glen Leven Farm during our second annual National Honey Bee Day Celebration in August.

2017 By the numbers

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highest point1,145 ft

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highest point in brentwood, Williamson Co. In 2017, we conserved nearly 100 acres of forestland in Brentwood, including the highest point in the city, by working with a developer to balance conservation and community growth in one of the fastest growing areas in our state.

The Land Trust for Tennessee’s Glen Leven Farm is a 65-acre center for conservation just four miles from downtown Nashville. In 2017, we planted a large plot of wildflowers to attract pollinators and bees to the natural habitat, and with the support of 100+ volunteers, we cleared invasive honeysuckle and created a quarter-mile of trail to help us better manage and share the property.

Glen Leven farm enhancements

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Photo: Mary Craven

22 Projects Completed5 new Counties4,100+ acres protected320+ properties visited

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property and face opposition from The [Land] Trust along the way to any of our plans. This has simply not been the case at all.”

The farm was protected in 2007 by landowner Anne Sanders with an agreement that runs with the land forever - no matter who owns the property. Now, as the newest owners and stewards of the land, the Towery family is working with The Land Trust’s Stewardship Team to understand how best to follow the agreement that protects its scenic and agricultural values and wildlife habitat. The family went so far as to purchase and protect land adjacent to the property in 2017.

“The Land Trust has been amazing,” McClain said. “They have been helpful advisors and partners throughout the process, including buying our initial tract, developing a forestry management plan, renovating our cabin, adding an agricultural structure, buying a contiguous tract, and amending our conservation easement to include our new tract.”

“The process has been incredibly simple,” he continued. “The Land Trust for Tennessee is doing a great job balancing growth with conservation, which yields healthier growth.”

Today, the Towerys can enjoy their open space with the peace of mind that The Land Trust will protect this special place for generations to come.

Interested in your conservation options? Call us at (615) 244-LAND.

Thank you to the 500+ guests who attended our annual Once in a Blue Moon conservation celebration in October 2017!

Throughout the evening we celebrated more than 120,000 acres of land conserved since 1999 and the visionary landowners across the state who make it all possible. Special thanks to Chair Moons Liz Willers and Stephanie Conner (pictured, left to right) and the event committee for your energy, and to our lead partner, Jack Daniel’s, for your continued support of our signature event.

Save The Date: Once in a Blue Moon 2018 is October 27!

For McClain Towery and his family of five, spending time in nature provides the perfect calming escape from their busy schedules.

“My wife and I have three boys and we just love being outside,” he said.

When the family found a rolling, 230-acre wooded farm in 2017, they knew it could be a great place to spend time together. But McClain admits that when he first heard the property was protected by The Land Trust for Tennessee, he was skeptical that the land could not be enjoyed or used in the way he was seeking. As he learned more about the organization and how conservation easements protect the land’s natural characteristics, he says the benefits of the land came to life.

“Our biggest fear was that we would have very little control over our

What Conserved Land Means to The Next Stewards

Photos by Peyton Hoge, including musical guest, Boy Named Banjo. See more at LandTrustTN.org/BlueMoon

17TH ANNUAL ONCE IN A BLUE MOON SHINES A LIGHT ON CONSERVATION STATEWIDE

Land photos: Nancy Rhoda. Towery family: Photo provided.

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For more than a decade, sisters Caroline Trost and Edith Kirkland have each made a monthly gift to The Land Trust – a generous feat spanning over 100 consecutive months.

Conservation runs in the family. Brother Henry Trost is also a longtime supporter. Yet it is their father, Charlie, a former Land Trust board member, who Caroline and Edith say inspired their love and appreciation for conserving Tennessee’s natural beauty.

“Our dad has been involved from the beginning and he always encouraged us,” Edith said. “I’m so thankful for landowners who have protected their land so this state is absolutely guaranteed to have some green spaces for our children’s children’s children to enjoy.”

The sisters’ desire to give comes from a love for exploring the open spaces of Tennessee. “I do quite a bit of hiking and used to do a lot of bicycling in Middle Tennessee,” said Caroline. “This brought home to me the need to protect some of the beautiful farmland and wilderness around here.”

Caroline and Edith make recurring gifts as an easy way to ‘automate’ their support. “This way it’s taken out every month and I just don’t even think about it,” Edith said.

When tackling a greater challenge like statewide conservation seems daunting, a decision to start somewhere is sometimes all that is needed to make a difference. As Caroline describes, “Without conservation of natural resources, we can’t protect anything else that matters.”

Ready to support conservation in Tennessee? Give a gift today at LandTrustTN.org or call (615) 244-LAND.

DONOR SPOTLIGHT:SISTERS CAROLINE TROST & EDITH KIRKLAND

These include protected properties that contribute to the health of the Duck River, one of the most biologically diverse rivers in the world, which spans approximately 70 miles in Hickman County.

Sharon and Mike had many inspirations for conserving their pastures and beloved dirt riding paths, and they hope to continue sharing their message to encourage others to do the same. And while legacy was not their only motivator, Sharon says their decision – and all of their neighbors’ decisions – are ensuring the land that has provided so much to them will surely have the opportunity to provide others the same.

“There are a lot of ways to live this life, but we’re hoping this one makes a difference to this community and serves as an example for other people,” Sharon said. “When it boils right down to it, it’s the love of the land and the love of a lifestyle more than any other big thing.”

Learn more about how you can join the movement:Visit LandTrustTN.org or call (615) 244-LAND

Hickman County Story Continued...

Rhoni McCollum’s woods in the snow. Photo provided.

Photo provided: Edith (left) and Caroline (right) hiking.

Hickman County landowners gathering in November 2017.

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