Protecting the Walls of Jericho

Walls of Jericho
© Beth Maynor Young

"This is truly a unique place, spiritual almost. It's like walking into a giant cathedral — you just want to be quiet," said Scott Davis, The Nature Conservancy's Tennessee director.

Mr. Davis is describing the Walls of Jericho, a large, bowl-shaped natural amphitheater that shoots water out of holes and cracks in the canyon wall during times of high water flow. The Walls are a unique formation that are part of one of The Nature Conservancy's newest acquisitions, more than 21,000 acres of rivers, forested uplands and caves spreading across the Alabama and Tennessee state line. This beautiful tract, which was once the hunting grounds of Davy Crockett, was recently purchased by The Nature Conservancy through a partnership with Alabama's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Division of State Lands.

In addition to its natural beauty, this property contains an extraordinarily diverse array of plants and animals, including several globally-imperiled species. Preserving The Walls of Jericho also protects the headwaters of the Paint Rock River in north Alabama, links other large intact forest lands, and will restore public access to the site.

The Walls of Jericho were closed to the public in 1977 — this transaction reopens them to a new generation of conservationists.

Ecological Importance
This purchase will protect the headwaters of the Paint Rock River. The upper Paint Rock River watershed, including the Walls of Jericho area, is one of the few intact large functional landscapes remaining in the Southeast. It is home to 100 species of fish and about 45 mussel species. Two of the mussel species (pale lilliput and Alabama lampmussel) are found nowhere else in the world, and one fish species (palezone shiner) is confined to the Paint Rock River and one stream in Kentucky. This area is also the epicenter of the rare Tennessee cave salamander and is an important habitat for migratory songbirds.

In addition, the protected acreage links other large intact forest lands within the Jackson Mountain landscape for a total of more than 50,000 acres.

Headwaters of the Paint Rock River
© Beth Maynor Young

Plans
The Walls of Jericho were purchased from Stevenson Land Company. The Alabama Forever Wild program intends to buy the 12,510 acres of land in Alabama from the Conservancy. The Conservancy will hold the 8,943-acre Tennessee portion with hopes that Forest Legacy funding can be obtained to implement a transfer to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Management goals associated with the addition of the land to the Skyline Wildlife Management Area (WMA), as well as non-consumptive recreation activities that are suitable to the tract and its inherent habitats, are being developed. This includes traditional conservation related activities, such as birding, nature study, wildlife photography and hiking.

For the Conservancy, the Walls of Jericho is a core purchase in a 1 million acre (Cumberland Plateau) project that will ultimately involve the Conservancy in Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Partners
In addition to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Division of State Lands, The Nature Conservancy credits the Doris Duke Charitable Trust with making this project possible, along with assistance from the Lyndhurst Foundation in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Nature Conservancy's Tennessee and Alabama chapters benefit from a three year, $2.5 million grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to work on the Cumberland Plateau. The multi-year initiative focuses on conserving natural areas, protecting working landscapes and strengthening efforts already under way in the region.

Threats
This acquisition preserves a key natural landscape, links other natural areas, and protects the headwaters of the Paint Rock River.

Facts

Size: 21,453 acres (12,510 acres in Alabama, 8,943 acres in Tennessee)
Location: northern Alabama, southern Tennessee
Animal Species: Tennessee cave salamander, 100 species of fish, 45 mussel species, migratory songbirds

More Information

Walls of Jericho Protected
The Nature Conservancy — Alabama Chapter
The Walls of Jericho
The Nature Conservancy — Tennessee Chapter
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