Tennessee's Tapoco Project

The Tapoco Lands © Byron Jorjorian

The 10,000 acres that The Nature Conservancy helped to protect adjoins the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and two designated Wilderness Areas -- Citico and Joyce Kilmer.

Ecological Importance
The 10,000 acres being protected by The Nature Conservancy contain 21 rare, threatened or endangered species. A wide range of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and plants make their home here including:

• American bald eagle
• Peregrine falcon
• Bristle fern
• Chalk maple
• Smoky dace
• Hellbender
• Junaluska salamander.

Successes So Far
In August 2008, The Nature Conservancy purchased 5,640 acres of Tapoco lands that had been secured under conservation easements since 2004 and immediately transferred them to the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency as public land.

The remaining 4,000+ acres of Tapoco lands are now protected by conservation easements. The Nature Conservancy ultimately plans to acquire and transfer the property to the Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee National Forest to ensure the land will be open to the public.

Major Threats
Among other threats, this property could have been sold for development.

In the News

• Alcoa agrees to preserve Tennessee & North Carolina land
• Tapoco hydropower settlement agreement results in 10,000 acres protected

The Tapoco Lands © Byron Jorjorian

Tapoco Facts

• Size: 10,000 acres
• Location: In east Tennessee this property adjoins the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and two designated Wilderness Areas -- Citico and Joyce Kilmer.
• Plant Species: Bristle fern & Chalk maple
• Animal Species: Smoky dace, Hellbender & Junaluska salamander.
• Bird Species: American bald eagle & Peregrine falcon

Learn More:

• About The Nature Conservancy's work in Tennessee
• Press Release
• About how The Nature Conservancy works to achieve conservation results

The Tapoco Lands © Byron Jorjorian

Partners

• National Park Service
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• U.S. Forest Service
• Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
• Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
• National Parks Conservation Association
• Tennessee Clean Water Network
• American Rivers