Soak Creek Farm
In 2020, philanthropist George Lindemann donated approximately 2,000 acres of land on the Cumberland Plateau, known as “Soak Creek Farm,” to TennGreen Land Conservancy. The property is located in Rhea and Bledsoe Counties and abuts the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park (the “Cumberland Trail”)—Tennessee’s first linear park. This remarkable land features a mosaic of forests and farmland and more than six miles of streams—including Dunlap Creek, Evans Branch, and Shingle Mill Branch—that flow to the Piney Creek watershed. This watershed includes significant recreational areas, such as Soak Creek, which was designated a State Scenic River in 2017, the first such designation since 2001.
Conservation of land along creeks on Soak Creek Farm is vital to protect water quality and habitat for fish, wildlife, and plant species.
In 2021, the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) awarded TennGreen and partners a grant to conduct restoration activities on Soak Creek Farm and enhance its natural ecosystems. This restoration work is essential to reestablish a landscape that was once extensive on the Cumberland Plateau.
The region continues to be an area of focus for TennGreen due to its significant conservation resources, such as its large forested tracts, rich biodiversity, and the ample recreational opportunities that the Cumberland Trail provides.