The Environmental Journal of Southern Appalachia
Monday, 16 June 2025 12:24

Take an inventory of life on a summer walk in a (possible) Harriman park

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Foothills Land Conservancy Harriman tractThis is one of the views from a 1,000-acre tract of undeveloped land in Harriman. The Foothills Land Conservancy hopes to acquire and transfer the land to the city of Harriman.  Foothills Land Conservancy

Harriman tract eyed for preservation as city park boasts both biodiversity and beautiful views; biological survey set to document life

Shelby Lyn Sanders is senior biologist with the Rockford-based Foothills Land Conservancy.
HARRIMAN — Foothills Land Conservancy, in the midst of its 40th year, seeks volunteers to help document the ranges of life in an eastern Cumberland Plateau escarpment area that could one day become a city park. The Walden Ridge “bioblitz” breaks out at 8 a.m. Monday, June 23.
 
This 1,000-acre tract is located in Harriman in Roane County and offers exceptional biodiversity and scenic beauty. Currently under private ownership, it has been protected by a conservation easement held by Foothills Land Conservancy since late 2016.
 
FLC hopes to acquire the property and transform it into a public park through partnerships with the city of Harriman and Roane County, utilizing grants to make this vision a reality.
 
Since this project is in its early stages, documenting the flora and fauna on the property will significantly strengthen grant applications. Some information about the site has provided a baseline since 2016, and a recent biological survey identified several rare species.
The area includes a view from “Buzzard’s Roost” — the overlook that's highly visible from I-40 and offers stunning vistas across the region.

BioBlitz Details

Date: Monday, June 23
Time: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern (stay as long as you like!)
We’ll be using the iNaturalist app (available for iPhone and Android as well as on a desktop) to document everything we encounter: herbaceous plants, trees, moss, lichen, fungi, birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians — even invasive species. A special focus will be placed on any herps (reptiles/amphibians), bats and aquatic species we can find. For plants, especially, please capture multiple photos showing flowers, leaves and other distinctive characteristics to help the iNaturalist community verify your observations. Any observations uploaded from within the property boundaries will be automatically added so be sure to check back after the event to see what everyone found.  
 
Participants can receive shapefile/KML of the property boundary to aid navigation. There should be plenty of cell service on the property as well. Printed maps will be available the day of the event.

Getting There

Access: A 4WD vehicle or higher ground clearance is recommended for the access road to the parking area near the property’s high point. The road is partially paved but deteriorated, with some ruts and holes along the way. While manageable for most vehicles, we want everyone prepared for rough conditions.
Meeting Point: For those needing transportation, we can arrange carpools from the McDonald’s on Harriman’s main drag. 
On-Site: Once there, you’ll find adequate parking and a road/trail system along the ridge top. Feel free to explore the steep slopes and drainages on either side — or stick to whatever terrain suits your preference and ability level.
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Last modified on Tuesday, 24 June 2025 23:49