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Land Acquisition
| Our first land purchase was in 1994 near Summertown in the headwaters of the Big Bigby Creek. It is called The Highland Woods Preserve and consists of 100 acres of oak-hickory woods with a beautiful tributary of Big Bigby flowing through it.
Our second land purchase was in 1997 in the headwaters of Big Swan Creek. It was originally 309 acres surrounding Star Branch, a tributary of Big Swan, but has grown to 375 acres after additional purchases from the Smith family.
A 23-acre State Natural Area alongside Langford Branch
and Highway 412 protects a special seep habitat that is home to the
federally endangered Tennessee Yellow-eyed Grass, (Xyris
tennesseensis). The property
was purchased by the Nature Conservency and donated to Swan
Conservation Trust in 2002. Swan Trust has given the State of Tennessee
a conservation easement on the natural area in a joint partnership for
its management.
in February 2004, Swan Trust acquired the 1150 acre Baggs tract. This land adjoins the 375 acre Star Bracnch property and has been established as the Big Swan Headwaters Pereserve.
When surveys of the Preserve land and other adjoining properties were complete, a piece of “no man’s land” - a 140-foot wide strip, 3900 feet long - 10.4 acres in all, was discovered. David Smith filed a quick claim deed at the lewis County Courthouse and donated this land to Swan Trust in 2006.
In September of 2007, Swan Trust purchased an additional 17 acres from the Smith family including approximately 1.2 mile of bottom land and bluffs along Big Swan Creek. There are two unique features on the property. At one point on Big Swan Creek the entire water flow disappears into a sink hole and the creek literally disappears. Several hundred yards downstream the water reappears from a "boiling spring," several hundred gallons per minute emanating from the base of a steep bluff.
Also in September of 2007, Swan Trust purchased 75 acres, including a wetlands area known as “Green Pond,”
that connects to the Preserve on its north border. The property is of vital importance to Swan Trust, specifically because it
includes an “improved” road which will serve as a direct entrance into Big Swan
Headwaters Preserve. In addition to protecting the land from unwanted
traffic through our ownership, the entry can also serve as a focal point for
the development of trails facilitating public use.
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