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National Public Lands Day
wetlands photo

Division of Natural Areas Contact

Reggie Reeves, Director
7th Floor, L&C Annex
401 Church Street
Nashville, TN 37243-0447
615-532-0431

FY 2006/2007 Annual Report

NA Conference Link

The mission of the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas is to restore and protect the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the natural biological diversity of Tennessee. The Division carries out its mission through the following program areas: Natural Heritage Inventory Program, Natural Areas and Scenic Rivers Program, and administers the Tennessee Natural Areas Preservation Act of 1971, the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, the Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act of 1985, the Ginseng Dealer Registration Act of 1983, and the Ginseng Harvest Season Act of 1985.

The Division of Natural Areas, with a staff including professional biologists, botanists, zoologists, ecologists, natural resource management specialists and data managers, conducts a wide variety of programs and activities focused on the conservation, restoration and management of Tennessee's vast diversity of natural resources. These activities include providing technical assistance and educational programs for governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, industrial and other private landowners, and educational institutions, as well as managing a statewide system of State Natural Areas and Scenic Rivers.

The Division of Natural Areas is a member of the Natural Heritage Network, a consortium of Natural Heritage Programs from each state in the U. S., and similar programs from Canada, Central and South America. The Division receives technical support from, and cooperates with, Natureserve (https://explorer.natureserve.org) the science and data offshoot of The Nature Conservancy. Together, Natural Heritage Programs and Natureserve provide the scientific basis for effective conservation, and is the trusted source for information about rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems.