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Nobe's Pictures of Team Green May 2 - 3, 2009 Backpack in the Rock and Possum Segments
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The Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC), the
Friends of the Cumberland Trail ,
private corporations, individuals, and others assist the State of Tennessee in the maintenance and development of the Cumberland Trail. As a member of the Southeast Foot Trails Coalition (SEFTC), CTC assists in protecting, preserving and promoting the Cumberland Trail, and assists with organizing volunteers and supporters to help build, maintain, and provide activities on the Cumberland Trail. This includes trail maintenance and building outings, trail-building training sessions, providing environmental and cultural education, and organizing periodic hikes on the CT.
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Bredesen Announces Cumberland Trail Acquisition
Critical Partnerships Made 3,200 Acre Acquisition Possible
Jan. 12, 2010
NASHVILLE - Governor Phil Bredesen and Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke announced today the closing of a land acquisition that will add more than 3,200 acres and 10 linear miles of trail to the Cumberland Trail State Park in Hamilton and Rhea counties.
The acquisition was funded through a variety of sources, including a grant from the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund, federal grants and private funds raised by the Cumberland Trail Conference. It includes a significant conservation easement put in place by the Land Trust for Tennessee.
"This acquisition speaks to the power of leveraging resources and cultivating partnerships to accomplish more than we could do alone," said Bredesen. "I'm pleased that a variety of agencies and organizations were able to come together to accomplish an acquisition that will benefit Tennesseans for generations to come."
The property on Graysville Mountain is part of Tennessee's Cumberland Trail State Park. It will allow the Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail to expand between Dayton, in Rhea County, and Sale Creek in Hamilton County. The area provides opportunities for fishing, day hiking, whitewater paddling, swimming, rock climbing and trail running.
"Not only will the Graysville Mountain acquisition protect priority land and natural resources, it also represents an important piece of the Cumberland Trail," said Fyke. "Under Governor Bredesen's leadership, we have made considerable progress on the trail, increasing the acreage managed by the Cumberland Trail State Park from 1,200 acres to 23,000 acres since 2003."
The project is funded with more than $3.5 million in federal grants and a $1 million grant from the state's Heritage Conservation Trust Fund from Fiscal Year 2007-2008. The Cumberland Trail Conference will contribute up to $300,000 in private funds for administrative costs. The Land Trust for Tennessee assisted in negotiating the transaction with the seller, Richard Kinzalow, and will hold a permanent conservation easement on the 2,197 acres located in Rhea County. The project marks the Land Trust's first in Rhea County and places a total of more than 5,000 acres under easement managed by the Land Trust in Southeast Tennessee.
"The Land Trust for Tennessee is thrilled to be a partner on this wonderful conservation project that will forever protect the incredible biodiversity of the unique, irreplaceable cove ecosystem along Walden Ridge," said Executive Director Jeanie Nelson. "We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the state of Tennessee and Mr. Kinzalow on this landmark acquisition, and the permanent contribution to the future generations of Tennesseans that it signifies."
The Cumberland Trail Conference, a non-profit organization that assists the state in a variety of efforts related to the continuing development of the Cumberland Trail, raised money to assist with this acquisition during its, Pathways for People, People for Nature capital campaign.
"We appreciate all the donors, volunteers and CTC staff that contributed and worked to execute a very successful fundraiser," said Tony Hook, Manager of the Cumberland Trail Conference. "It is because of their efforts that the CTC was able to assist with this land purchase to expand the reach of the Cumberland Trail."
About the Cumberland Trail State Park and Scenic Trail
Upon completion, the Cumberland Trail, the state's only linear park, will be 300 miles, cutting through 11 Tennessee counties from the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park on the Tennessee-Virginia-Kentucky border to the Signal Point near Chattanooga. More than one hundred and fifty miles of the Cumberland Trail is currently open and ready for exploration. For more information on the Cumberland Trail State Park and Scenic Trail, visit www.tnstateparks.com.
About the Cumberland Trail Conference
The Cumberland Trail Conference is an affiliate organization of the non-profit Tennessee Trails Association. The CTC is dedicated to the establishment and development of the Cumberland Trail. Since 1997, the Conference has assisted with land acquisitions, volunteer organization, trail construction and trail maintenance. Working with park staff, the CTC has constructed and maintained more than 100 miles of the Cumberland Trail to date.
About the Land Trust for Tennessee
The Land Trust for Tennessee is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, founded in 1999. Its mission is to preserve the unique character of Tennessee's natural and historic landscapes for future generations. To date, the Land Trust for Tennessee has protected more than 50,000 acres of land and is working with numerous other landowners across the state. The Land Trust works with willing landowners to find ways to preserve forever the historic, scenic and natural values of their land. The organization is supported primarily by financial contributions from individuals. The Land Trust has offices in Nashville, Sewanee and Chattanooga. More information is available at www.landtrustn.org.
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BREAKING NEWS!
We've All Been Anxiously Waiting for Cumberland Odyssey
There are times when we just can't get out on the trail to view the splendor and beauty firsthand. Soon a copy of Cumberland Odyssey can rest on your coffee table, ready for you to "hit the trail" in its descriptions and four-season photographs.
Cumberland Odyssey: A Journey in Pictures and Words Along Tennessee's Cumberland Trail authored by David Brill with stunning four color photographs by nature photographer Bill Campbell and published by Jerry Greer will be available soon!
Cumberland Odyssey portrays in dramatic pictures and words the scenic beauty, history, and plants and animals of the Cumberland Trail and its 300-plus miles of varied terrain. The book leads pictorially and via the narrative from end to end of the trail, beginning at Cumberland Gap National Historic Park on the Tennessee-Virginia-Kentucky border and continuing on to Signal Point near Chattanooga.
As soon as the books arrive from the publisher we will add a page on this website with more information on how you can obtain your copy of this awesome book - the next best thing to actually being on the trail.
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Coal Mining Threatens Pristine Rock Creek
Core drilling was recently done in the Rock Creek watershed to determine the economic feasibility of surface coal mining. Past mining in the same Sewanee coal seam in the Possum Creek and Board Creek watersheds resulted in environmental disasters and fish kills that persist to this day. Many years after mining, both of these streams have brown AMD (Acid Mine Drainage) entering them and resulting in low ph readings and minimal if any aquatic life.
Rock Creek is one of the few streams on the Walden Ridge that is in still near pristine condition, unaffected by coal mining. The Cumberland Trail runs beside Rock Creek for approximately seven miles, and recreational users are treated to numerous swimming holes and wading pools. Rock Creek is also very popular with whitewater paddlers. The threat of surface coal mining fowling this creek is unconscionable.
CTC supporters and volunteers feel an obligation to be a voice to protect Rock Creek from environmental degradation. We want to preserve the hiking and whitewater paddling experience that recreational users presently enjoy in this unique Tennessee linear state park. In order to prepare to have our voices heard, a new Protecting Rock Creek blog has been created.
For up-to-date information on the surface coal mining threat, please visit our new blog, Protecting Rock Creek.
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ANNE POTTER WILSON FOUNDATION GRANT
The Cumberland Trail Conference announces the award of a $25,000 grant from the Anne Potter Wilson Foundation. This very generous grant will be used to further the CTC's mission of the establishment and development of the Cumberland Trail and its associated corridor. Once completed, the 300-mile Cumberland Trail will be an asset for local Tennessee communities and will be a star in the Tennessee state park system. With the valuable support from the Anne Potter Wilson Foundation, the CTC will continue to strive forward, complete the project, and create a lasting legacy that will allow people to enjoy the unique Cumberland Plateau for generations
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ROCK/CREEK DONATES $3000 RAISED FROM
9th ROCK/CREEK STUMPJUMP 50K
The Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC) would like to acknowledge Rock/Creek in conjunction with Patagonia for a $3,000 donation. These funds were raised through, Rock/Creek's 9th year running, StumpJump 50K race. This donation will be used to further the Cumberland Trail Conference's mission of establishing and developing the Cumberland Scenic Trail and its associated corridor. This corridor will provide numerous recreational opportunities and preservation of the historical, cultural, and natural resources on the Cumberland Plateau. This trail will create one of the last remaining unbroken greenway corridors in the state, creating a lasting legacy, to be shared and enjoyed by all those who value the great outdoors. Rock/Creek have been long time supporters of the Cumberland Trail Conference and with their continued support, the Cumberland Trail project will continue to move forward.
See the article Over $13,000 Raised for Trails at 9th Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k.
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Winter Alternative Break, January 3-8, 2010
Ten students from Grand Valley State University and six students from Kansas University travelled to Tennessee to help with trail maintenance in the North Chickamauga segment of the Cumberland Trail. Also lending a hand, several CTC/TTA volunteers worked with the students. Volunteers repaired areas of the trail tread, removed rotten wooden steps and constructed stone steps, and corrected trail erosion issues. A total of 480 hours were donated for this maintenance project.
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CTC WEBSITE NOMINATED FOR BEST WEBSITE
BY AMERICAN TRAILS
This website has been nominated for the 2009 American Trails annual contest to seek out the best websites in the cyberworld of trails and greenways. American Trails seeks to recognize the diversity of the trails community, including urban trails and bikeways, greenways, wilderness hiking trails, motorized routes, and winter trails. Non-profit, government, and commercial sites may all be considered for awards.
The CTC website was nominated for the "Trail tour or virtual visit" award category. This is in recognition of the excellent pictures, maps, and descriptions contributed by volunteers and supporters. Members of the CTC Web Committee and our team of web professionals at Multipro feel honored that this website has received nomination.
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Send email to
cumberlandtrail@rocketmail.com
Cumberland Trail Conference
19 East 4th St.
Crossville, TN 38555
(931) 456-6259
Thanks for being visitor number
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The Multipro Network of Cookeville, TN is providing this website to the CTC. After generosly providing our website to us for over three years, Multipro generously increased their contribution by hosting this site, our new domain name, at no charge in 2000. This website, donated by Multipro, is property of CTC. Since its inception, this website was created and is maintained at no cost or expense to CTC or the State of Tennessee by unpaid volunteers and donors.
© copyright 2010
All of this website's content is donated by volunteers or is available from public contributers at no expense. Please feel free to use content from this site royalty-free for non-profit making, non-commercial purposes only. We ask only that you give proper credit to the volunteers whose work is identified on this site.
Multipro's Cookeville personnel have been especially supportive and we appreciate their continued generosity and support. The efforts and contributions of community and private supporters are helping to bring the vision of the Cumberland Trail closer to completion.
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For the latest news and blogs on the status of Cumberland Trail rock mining, see