Foothills Land Conservancy

08/26/2026

Foothills Land Conservancy staff wanted to take a moment, along with all of you, to honor the life and spirit of Dolly Parton. We also wanted to extend our condolences to the Parton Family.

Throughout her life, Dolly shared her love of family and her East Tennessee roots with the entire world. Her storytelling, music, and philanthropy reflected this, leaving a legacy for all of us to take inspiration from.

From our hearts here at Foothills, we thank you Dolly!

08/04/2026

We are thrilled too! Stay tuned for upcoming workshops!

07/21/2026

For Foothills Land Conservancy, stewardship starts right here at home on the Harris Farm, and part of that is admiring and encouraging native plant species.

Our native maypop (Passiflora incarnata) is the state wildflower of Tennessee and hosts caterpillars of fritillary butterflies, such as this Variegated Fritillary. Native plants are not only beautiful but also serve important ecological roles!

Check out FLC's pollinator meadows this Friday during our summer SE Atlas Bumble Bee Survey! Learn more and register here: https://ow.ly/xi2250Zq9L0

Images: variegated fritillary caterpillar with maypop flower in front of Harris Farm sign; variegated fritillary caterpillar; maypop flower; maypop fruit (Photos courtesy: FLC's Director of Natural Resources, Shelby Lyn Sanders.)

07/16/2026

Big news for our Farmland Raptor Project!! Foothills Land Conservancy and MTM Environmental, LLC have received the 2026 Land Trust Small Grant Award under Cornell's Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative for expanding the throughout the Tennessee Valley. Check out the official announcement below!

WBIR is scheduled to highlight the Farmland Raptor Project during their 6PM broadcast tonight (7-16-2026).

We are pleased to announce the 2026 Cornell Land Trust Small Grant Awardees! With support from our generous sponsors, the program was able to award $260,000 to 14 land trusts throughout the country. Below are brief descriptions of the projects, with full project summaries on our website.

07/15/2026

Last week, FLC staff presented a check for $330,000 to the City of Maryville during the Maryville City Council meeting. This money will be utilized for improvements at Jarvis Park and Billy Minser Park through gifts made by conservation-minded East Tennessee families and longtime FLC supporters.

Read more about this special gift in an article from The Daily Times. https://ow.ly/Isoq50ZnTRB

05/20/2026

FLC's 2026 Summer Celebration was another beautiful evening spent with our Friends of the Foothills! A big thank you to everyone that joined us at RiverView, including our Host Committee, Corporate Sponsors, and Event Partners!

This year's event got underway with great friends, a stellar menu, and beautiful weather! You can see all the memorable moments by viewing this year's Celebration photos, courtesy of Doug Mills.

Check out our 2026 Celebration Photos: https://ow.ly/sc0j50Z2a12

As part of FLC's program, Executive Director, Mark Stevans, announced The Oliver Tract Campaign. This campaign is once-in-a generation opportunity to add over 600 acres to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), the most visited national park in the country. Stay tuned for more details and how you can help support this campaign!

05/04/2026

(Online Webinar - Thursday, May 7th at 1PM EST)

Preservation Partners: Conservation Easements in Tennessee

Conservation easements provide estate planners with a powerful, tax-advantaged tool to help clients preserve family land, reduce estate burdens and create lasting legacies. This free webinar will walk through the legal framework, attorney checklist and real-world application of conservation easements designed to enhance your practice and deliver meaningful client outcomes.

Join Foothills Land Conservancy Executive Director Mark Stevans for a session on how to integrate these easements into estate planning strategies.

Register here: https://ow.ly/B17f50YRicz

04/08/2026

Last year, FLC profiled 40 conservation stories in honor of our 40th anniversary as a regional land trust. We are continuing this series and all stories can be found at our website's 'Our Stories' link (https://ow.ly/OAbx50YxMju).

Tucked into the rugged landscape of Marion County, about 25 miles from Chattanooga, Little Sequatchie Cove is one of the region’s most intact and ecologically significant natural areas, defined by forested ridgelines, waterfalls, headwater streams, and expansive, unbroken viewsheds. Nearly 11,000 acres of this landscape is now permanently protected through a collaborative conservation effort between Foothills Land Conservancy (FLC) and Appalachian Conservation Institute (ACI).

FLC continues to hold and annually monitor the conservation easements, working closely with ACI to ensure all land management activities comply with easement terms designed to protect the Cove’s unique natural and ecological features. ACI’s stewardship focuses on long-term preservation, restoration, and scientific education, ensuring these lands remain intact and ecologically healthy for generations to come. https://ow.ly/2Uow50YCPtp

04/03/2026

FLC's Director of Natural Resources, Shelby Lyn Sanders, and FLC's GIS Analyst and Field Biologist, Bailey Daining, stopped by the WJHL (Tri-Cities) studio yesterday.

Shelby and Bailey discussed the non-profit’s work partnering with landowners to preserve properties like family farms and critical natural habitats with WJHL's Murry Lee and Chris Mcintosh on their program, Outdoors Appalachia.

Listen here: https://ow.ly/SZYh50YCQCU