The cerulean warbler is among the bird species and others that will benefit from the latest land acquisition to expand the Cumberland Trail near the Emory River in Tennessee. Wikipedia Commons

Nature Conservancy partners on Emory River watershed protection

WARTBURG — TennGreen Land Conservancy acquired about 58 acres near Wartburg to expand the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park and the Cumberland Trail. This important acquisition strengthens the long-term vision of connecting Tennessee’s first linear park from the Morgan County Visitor Center to Frozen Head State Park.

“TennGreen has long been committed to advancing the vision of the Cumberland Trail, and this acquisition represents an important step in enhancing trail connectivity while protecting ecologically rich lands,” said Alice Hudson Pell, TennGreen’s Executive Director.

The newly acquired property lies within several significant conservation planning areas, including the Catoosa, Frozen Head, and Upper Cumberland Areas of Interest (as designated by the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund) and the Catoosa/Emory River Conservation Opportunity Area. It also provides vital habitat for high-priority species including green salamanders (Aneides aeneus) and cerulean warblers (Setophaga cerulea).