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Northern Cumberlands

Northern Cumberlands
The Northern Cumberlands
© Byron Jorjorian
Learn more about the Cumberland Plateau's history and biological richness.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Complete with waterfalls, steep bluffs, dense forests, and sandstone outcroppings, the Cumberland Plateau is a breathtaking example of the unique ecological value found in the overall Southern Appalachian Mountain chain. Extending over 400 miles from the western edge of the Southern Appalachians, the Cumberland Plateau represents one of the largest, temperate hardwood plateau systems in the world and is home to the highest concentration of endangered species on the continent.

Threats
This rare compliment of wildlife and wild spaces is under attack. Unsustainable development and human use threaten the beauty and viability of this special place. Vast stretches of forests are diminishing at alarming rates due to urban growth, rural development, unsustainable forestry practices, mining and agriculture. However, the most immediate and dangerous threat to the Plateau is the massive divestment of land. 

Plants
The region has the most diverse collection of woody plant species found in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Overall, there are more than 2,000 species of plants in the Northern Cumberlands.

Animals
The region has the highest concentration of caves in the world and within that the highest number of cave invertebrate species in the world!

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Northern Cumberlands project area in Tennessee and Kentucky encompasses about 2.5 million acres. The Nature Conservancy currently owns more than 5,500 acres of the project area. Large, unprotected private landholdings are of note within the Northern Cumberlands, many of which are interspersed within a vast network of public lands. Some of the more recognized public landholdings in the area include: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Obed Wild and Scenic River, Catoosa and Royal Blue Wildlife Management Areas, Frozen Head State Park, Scott State Forest, and Pickett State Park and Forest. The most recent addition to this list is the Sundquist State Wildlife Management Area, a 75,000-acre property protected by The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The acquisition of this property has successfully linked over 200,000 acres of wilderness into one publicly protected holding. This is now the 2nd largest public landholding in the state of Tennessee.

In early 2007, the Conservancy launched a project with the state of Tennessee to protect 124,000 acres in the Northern Cumberlands. This would create a corridor of protected lands linking Frozen Head State Park, the Sundquist WMA, and the Royal Blue WMA, preserving forests and habitat for wildlife ranging from songbirds to elk and for the enjoyment of the public.