Mission Statement
Trust Fund Activities
(left-right) State Rep. Jere Hargrove, State Rep. Charles Curtiss, State Rep. Mike McDonald, State Sen. Charlotte Burks and Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke joined Governor Phil Bredesen as he signed the Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2005 on September 15, 2005 at Burgess Falls State Natural Area.
The Heritage Conservation Trust Fund provides a mechanism for the state to work with other public and private partners for the conservation and protection of priority tracts across Tennessee. “It’s personally important to me to preserve land for the future of our state and the people of Tennessee,” said Governor Bredesen. “Once it’s gone, we can never go back to the wild spaces that are so much a part of Tennessee’s landscape. The Heritage Conservation Trust Fund allows us to leverage our resources by partnering with other public and private groups who are seeking to achieve the same goals.”
To date, the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund has approved more than $30 million dollars in grants to leverage for a total of $117,609,000 in conservation purchases to protect approximately 42,600 acres of priority land in Tennessee. In July 2008, five projects protecting more than 4,600 acres were approved for $2.2 million in grant funding. Learn more here.
The projects approved for grant awards must meet certain criteria before the funds are provided, including property surveys and appraisals, environmental assessments and enactment of mechanisms like conservation easements to guarantee the permanent protection of the properties.
“Greater prioritization for funding is given to projects that involve partnerships, leverage state funds and enhance or connect existing public lands,” said Trust Fund Chair Drew Goddard. “This round of grants will help protect more than 4,600 acres with an estimated value of more than $9 million. The participation of the Heritage Conservation Trust fund in these projects provides the maximum benefit to Tennesseans while leveraging available funds.”
Eligible projects range from the preservation of tracts for the purposes of tourism and recreation to projects focused on protecting or restoring the state’s physical, cultural, archaeological, historical and environmental resources.
The application deadline for the next grant funding cycle will be in early 2009, with grants to be announced in the spring of 2009. Projects demonstrating a level of urgency for threatened lands also may be considered by the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund Board at any time.
Contact the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund at (423) 854-5471 if you want to learn more about this program or to discuss this application process with department staff.Sincerely,
Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund
