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Shady Valley

College volunteers in Shady Valley
College volunteers during a day's work at Quarry Bog.
© Charles McQueen/TNC

Why the Conservancy Selected This Area
Shady Valley has long been recognized as one of the Southern Appalachians' most ecologically important areas, a rare high-elevation remnant of the last Ice Age. The valley was once covered with a network of sphagnum/cranberry peatland bogs and white pine/hemlock forests, which supported a rich community of plant and animal life. As the human population has grown and drained most of the wetlands, these plants and animals have become increasingly rare and threatened.

To protect the wetland plants and animals of this special place from extinction, The Nature Conservancy purchased its first nature preserve in Shady Valley in 1978, the Jess Jenkins Cranberry Bog. The Conservancy later transferred the preserve to East Tennessee State University for scientific research and educational purposes.

Today the Conservancy owns four preserves and 723 total acres in Shady Valley, including 468 acres of mountain land and approximately 255 acres on the valley floor. The Conservancy permits or leases land in Shady Valley for haying, cattle, and/or hunting—practices which are consistent with standard protection strategies for the rare plants and animals in the area. Of the 723 acres owned by The Nature Conservancy, 452 were donated by a charitable individual in 1996. The rest were purchased at fair market value from willing sellers.

Plants and Animals
Shady Valley supports at least 26 rare plants and animals. The valley's wetlands are the only place in Tennessee where cranberries grow naturally. These wetlands are also home to the federally threatened bog turtle.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Since 1997, The Nature Conservancy has had a satellite office in Shady Valley staffed by longtime valley residents. The Conservancy has worked to preserve and restore the few mountain bog sites still remaining in Shady Valley. These restorations have been identified as the single most important factor in the long-term protection of rare wetland plant species like the wild cranberry and the bog turtle in Shady Valley. The Conservancy is dedicated to protecting the valley's unique cultural and natural heritage. As with all of its work, The Nature Conservancy seeks to find solutions that allow people and nature to live harmoniously.