COMMUNITY EXPANDS AND PROTECTS BELOVED PARK IN EAST NASHVILLE
Collaboration between multiple partners results in doubling the size of Lockeland Springs Park
NASHVILLE – TennGreen Land Conservancy (TennGreen), the Trust for Public Land (TPL), and Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation today announced the expansion of Lockeland Springs Park, a beloved pocket park in East Nashville. The purchase of the land was supported through a joint fundraising effort led by Friends of Lockeland Springs, TPL, and TennGreen. Before transferring the property to Metro, TennGreen and TPL placed a conservation easement, held by TennGreen, on the property to protect the natural values of the land in perpetuity.
Established in 2010, this unique Metro Park is nestled in a deep, wooded valley. Its springs and sparkling stream flow year-round, attracting animals of many kinds. Deer, turkey, frogs, hawks, salamanders, turtles, woodpeckers, butterflies, crayfish, aquatic snails, owls, raccoons, foxes, and chipmunks live in the valley, and this tract serves as their primary biological reserve. Paths run through the woods along the stream, cross bridges, and lead to outdoor classroom areas. The land’s varied topography—stream bed, banks, undeveloped slopes, and hilltops—currently offers food, shelter, water, and cover to numerous species of animals and plants. Renowned for its water quality by early Nashvillians, Lockeland Springs evoked the timeless importance of sheltered coves across generations.
“Trust For Public Land was honored to play a role in this project, ensuring that a neighborhood’s dream to expand Lockeland Springs Park as a cherished community oasis is now a reality for generations to come,” said Noel Durant, Tennessee State Director of Trust for Public Land.” Nashville residents have made it clear that more high-quality, accessible parks and trails everywhere is a major part of their city’s future, and TPL stands ready to help them realize that vision.”
For many years, a family who lived out-of-state owned the adjacent property, totaling five acres of land. They wished to sell the land to developers, intending to make a subdivision of the property. This type of development would have detrimental effects on the water quality and wildlife that inhabit the land, destroying the natural values that make this pocket park unique. Over the years, the Lockeland Springs Neighborhood Association approached several conservation groups to protect the land. However, the out-of-state owners marketed the property well above the appraised value, rendering the acquisition infeasible.
In 2021, the land’s owners sold it to a couple from Chicago, Illinois. Luckily, the new landowners valued conservation and public access to natural areas, having a plan to retain 1.4 acres, renovate the home on the property, and sell the remaining 3.9 acres to a conservation group. Upon learning this, the Lockeland Springs Neighborhood Association reached out to TPL, who assisted in fundraising and acquiring the land to convey to Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation Department. TennGreen also assisted the partners in fundraising and now holds a conservation easement on the property—protecting it forever.
“Collaborating with TennGreen Land Conservancy, Friends of Lockeland Springs Park, and Trust for Public Land on this project was a terrific experience,” said Councilman Brett Withers. “I appreciate their commitment to preserving a place that is so special to so many of my neighbors, and to my colleagues on the Metro Council for their partnership and support throughout this process.”
Conservation easements are voluntary, legal agreements designed to forever protect important natural resources from detrimental land practices. By conserving a property with a conservation easement, landowners can preserve their vision for the land and shape their legacy.
“Conservation easements are one of the strongest tools that we can employ as conservationists to protect the natural assets on properties,” said Alice Hudson Pell, Executive Director of TennGreen Land Conservancy. “This easement will ensure that the forests, waters, trails, and habitats that provide vital ecosystem services will be protected from development, segmentation, and degrading practices in perpetuity. TennGreen is grateful to have played such an important role in the long-term protection of this wonderful property and look forward to the public’s enjoyment of the land for generations to come.”
Now that this unique oasis has been saved from development, the property will serve as a natural open space destination for Nashvillians to enjoy the outdoors.
Learn more about this project at tenngreen.org.
TennGreen Land Conservancy
TennGreen Land Conservancy (formerly the Tennessee Parks & Greenways Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit and the oldest accredited statewide land conservancy in Tennessee. Through sound science and partnerships, TennGreen identifies and conserves land across Tennessee for wildlife corridors, critical habitat, and public benefit. TennGreen protects, cares for, and connects people with Tennessee’s natural world by providing meaningful outdoor experiences, establishing conservation easements, supporting restoration efforts, and acquiring (or assisting in the acquisition of) privately held land.
The Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 3 million acres of public land, created more than 5,000 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $93 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected more than 9 million people to the outdoors. In Tennessee, TPL has protected over 21,000 acres while connecting nearly 30,000 people to a park within a 10-minute walk. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
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