Department of Environment & Conservation
Robert Martineau, Commissioner

A bird with striking appearance, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak nests in the higher elevations of Frozen Head State Park. Photo by Michael Hodge.

By Michael Hodge

From Acadian Flycatchers to Cerulean Warblers, Frozen Head State Park is a birding hotspot with 122 species with miles of hiking trails to allow exploration of bird habitat. Michael Hodge, Tennessee State Parks Interpretive Specialist at the Wartburg park and natural area, shares the story of Frozen Head birds in the featured article “Bird Study at Frozen Head State Park.”

Margaret Woods, left, and Margaret Matens, Tennessee Naturalists in-training with the Friends of South Cumberland Chapter, rest after weeding, digging and replanting in front of the South Cumberland State Park Visitor Center. Photo by Mary Priestley.

By Margie Hunter

Tennessee Naturalist volunteers assist at nonprofits and government agencies all around the state. “The Tennessee Naturalist Volunteers: Conservation, Education, Connection” by Margie Hunter, describes the features of the Tennessee Naturalist program, a 10 class course introducing biological life of the state, comprised of 40 hours of classroom and fieldwork and 40 hours of volunteer activity. Hunter, of Nashville, is the author of the UT Press book Gardening with the Native Plants of Tennessee.

Many species of snakes depend on the protection of fallen logs and branches. Photo by Brian James.

By Pandy English, Scott Somershoe and Dwight Barnett

A messy forest with dead wood provides homes and food to many creatures. The article “The Living Dead and the Creatures That Must Have Them” reminds us that woodpeckers, for instance, rely on dying and standing dead trees for feeding, nesting and roosting. Many snakes depend on the protection of fallen logs and are non-venomous and eat rodents that carry ticks and fleas. Leaf litter is home to mammals like shrews, moles, bats and more.

Pandy English, Scott Somershoe and Dwight Barnett are co-authors of this article about the importance of dead wood in forests. English is a biologist with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency; Somershoe is an ornithologist with TWRA and Barnett is a forester with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

For more than seven decades, the award-winning Tennessee Conservationist has been dedicated to telling the stories of Tennessee’s natural, cultural and historical distinctiveness. In a cluttered media marketplace, this magazine continues to stand out by offering authentic Tennessee places, people and experiences through beautiful photography and engaging, informative articles. The magazine fulfills its purpose without receiving a state appropriation as it is totally funded through subscription revenue, non-commercial advertising for Tennessee State Parks and environmental programs plus gifts and donations from supporters. With continued strong support from our subscribers, we look forward to sharing more authentic Tennessee stories with you in the years to come.

Bob Martineau, Commissioner