NASHVILLE – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to create a new national wildlife refuge in Middle Tennessee.
The refuge would cover approximately 25,000 acres in Franklin County near Estill Fork, Hurricane Creek and Larkin Fork.
Dwight Cooley, who manages refuges in Alabama, said the tract is one of the most important in the Southeast with respect to natural resources. Living within it are at least 15 federally endangered or threatened species and a number of species considered endangered or threatened in Tennessee. Much of the land is forested and provides habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” he said. “It’s a wonderful area.”
Within the proposed Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge, the Fish and Wildlife Service would seek to either buy the land outright or purchase conservation easements that allow the land to stay in private hands while maintaining the undeveloped nature of the area.