Welcome to our Conservation Newsroom. We hope you'll visit often to stay informed about conservation projects and big wins that we are reporting on from around Tennessee. Thanks for reading!
June 31, 2025
Welcome to Our Team, Casey Davis!
Casey brings 15 years of experience in both private and public fundraising, along with a diverse background in archives management, project development, and nonprofit and public works leadership.
Before joining TNC, Casey founded and co-led the Autistic Voices Oral History Project and served as the Adult Program Director and grants lead at the nonprofit Autism Tennessee. She spent 10 years as Project Manager for the American Archive of Public Broadcasting, a collaboration between the Library of Congress and Boston public broadcaster GBH, and she was Project Manager for the Rising from the Ashes: Chimney Tops 2 Wildfires Oral History Project at the University of Tennessee.
Casey enjoys hiking in the Smoky Mountains, mountain biking, cycling on Nashville greenways, and collecting embroidered patches from local, state, and national parks, and everywhere she goes. While TN's landscapes are her most beloved, Casey's most memorable recent hike was Mount Vogel in the Julian Alps of Slovenia.
She holds degrees from Louisiana State University and the University of Southern Mississippi.
June 18, 2025
Welcoming Douglas Swink to The Nature Conservancy Board
The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee is proud to welcome Douglas Swink to its board of trustees. With more than three decades of experience in sustainable land development, Douglas has been a leader in environmentally conscious planning throughout West Tennessee and the Midsouth. As the founder of Renaissance Development, he has championed eco-friendly practices, creating preservation-focused neighborhoods in communities such as Hickory Withe and Rossville, where he lives.
Douglas’s work emphasizes the protection of natural landscapes, including wetlands, mature tree canopies and native topography. His developments incorporate low-impact grading and advanced stormwater management systems that support local ecosystems. Through collaboration with municipalities, he has helped shape zoning and subdivision regulations that prioritize green infrastructure and responsible growth.
Beyond his development work, Douglas leads a group of companies that provide integrated services in land surveying, planning, engineering and real estate—offering a comprehensive approach to sustainable community building. His holistic perspective reflects a deep commitment to balancing thoughtful development with environmental stewardship.
We are excited to have Douglas bring his expertise and passion for conservation to our board, helping us further our mission to protect Tennessee’s natural heritage for future generations.
June 18, 2025
Welcoming David Long to The Nature Conservancy Board
The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee is proud to welcome David Long to its board of trustees. David co-founded Long, Ragsdale & Waters, P.C. in 1986, establishing a boutique law firm focused on real estate, entrepreneurial and finance law. With decades of experience, David has represented land trusts, real estate developers, financial institutions and closely held companies across Tennessee and the Southeast. He remains deeply engaged in conservation easement and resort real estate law and serves as counsel to several land trusts and local park organizations.
David earned his bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in finance and banking from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and graduated Order of the Coif from the Tennessee College of Law in 1981. He is a Fellow of both the Knoxville Bar Foundation and the Tennessee Bar Foundation. David and his wife, Susan, have been married for more than 46 years and are proud parents to two children and have one grandchild.
May 9, 2025
Scott’s Gulf Wilderness State Park Officially Opens
On May 9, 2025, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) proudly gathered at Welch’s Point Overlook alongside conservation partners to celebrate the dedication of Scott’s Gulf Wilderness State Park, which is adjacent to The Nature Conservancy’s Bridgestone Nature Reserve at Chestnut Mountain.
We are incredibly proud of this significant conservation milestone and deeply grateful to our partners at TDEC and TWRA for their support. This new state park spans over 9,500 acres, uniting Virgin Falls State Natural Area with Dog Cove and Lost Creek Natural Area. Scott's Gulf Wilderness State Park, located primarily in White County, Tennessee, offers visitors a chance to explore its diverse terrain and scenic beauty. Highlights include Welch’s Point, Lost Creek Falls, Virgin Falls, and access to the Caney Fork River at Mitchell Ford.
Laurel Creech, State Director of The Nature Conservancy, emphasized Scott’s Gulf’s unique biodiversity, saying, “It is the most biodiverse temperate forest in the world,” Creech said. “We are here today to celebrate this important day, to steward and shepherd this conservation.”
While the park currently offers fourteen primitive campsites and basic amenities, there are plans for improvements, including restrooms, a visitor center, future trails, overlooks, and additional campgrounds. Scott's Gulf Wilderness State Park represents a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and preservation in Tennessee, offering an escape into nature for those seeking tranquility and adventure.
To find out more about Scott’s Gulf Wilderness State Park
May 14, 2025
Welcome to Our Team, Brian Scales!
The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee is excited to welcome Brian Scales as its new Director of Philanthropy. Brian brings over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and fundraising, with a strong background in major gift campaigns and strategic planning.
A Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Brian has held leadership roles at organizations such as Cannon School, The Lovett School, Murphy-Harpst Children’s Center, and Stand Together. He has also served on the boards of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District III and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Atlanta Chapter.
Brian is a graduate of Elon University and holds an MFA from Emerson College. He and his wife recently served on the Sewanee Parents' Council at The University of the South and are proud parents of five boys. In his free time, Brian enjoys photography, travel, and spending time outdoors—making Tennessee a natural fit.
We’re thrilled to have Brian on board as we continue to grow support for conservation across the state.
April 28, 2025
Protecting Tennessee's Diverse Ecosystems: SWAP Committee Update
In 2024, more than 25 agencies and organizations united to guide future conservation efforts in Tennessee. On April 16th, the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) Steering Committee convened in Nashville to discuss strengthening partnerships to protect sensitive species and their habitats.
From the Mississippi River to the Blue Ridge Mountains, Tennessee's conservation activities are as diverse as its natural resources. Efforts include creating vegetated buffers to protect water quality, restoring grasslands and forests with prescribed fire and exploring the state's unique cave systems.
A key takeaway from the meeting was the need to expand education about the value of Tennessee’s natural systems and connect all Tennesseans to this richness. The TN SWAP Steering Committee is committed to addressing these needs by developing tools to capture interagency project impacts, share species data and prioritize conservation efforts.
The SWAP update will be available to view in fall 2025. To stay updated on Tennessee’s SWAP progress, check out Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. For more information, contact actionplanstn@tnc.org.
April 11, 2025
Welcoming Tyler Congleton to The Nature Conservancy Board
The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee is thrilled to introduce Tyler Congleton as its newest board member. Tyler's dedication to conservation began in the early 2000s, focusing on conservation easements to protect land from extensive development. As managing partner of Blackberry Development Company and Blackberry Farm Real Estate, Tyler oversees residential development at Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain. His leadership has helped ensure that thousands of acres are preserved in permanent conservation.
Tyler is actively involved in the community, serving on various boards including the Tennessee Wildlife Federation and the Great Smoky Mountains Conservation Association. He holds degrees from the University of Virginia and UNC-Chapel Hill.
An outdoor enthusiast, Tyler enjoys spending time with his wife, Vee, and their sons, Fulton and Riggs. We are excited to have him join our board and contribute to our mission of preserving Tennessee's natural beauty.
February 17, 2025
A meeting of the minds around the Mississippi River takes place in Memphis.
The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee was honored to host staff, trustees and partners from several states at TNC's Mississippi River Basin Program's annual meeting in Memphis February 10-13. After a warm welcome from TNC's Tennessee state director, Laurel Creech, more than 100 participants gathered over several days to discuss challenges and impactful work taking place across the basin, which encompasses 31 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. During the event, key conversations centered on floodplains, agrulture, government relations and communications, highlighting collaborative efforts to protect and sustain the vital ecosystems of the Mississippi River Basin.
Thanks to your support, we're protecting critical lands and waters throughout Tennessee.
More Tennessee Stories
Tennessee Forests and Woodlands
Conserving forests supports wildlife, benefits water quality and combats the effects of climate change in Tennessee.
Tennessee Caves (and Bats That Use Them)
With more than 10,000 caves in Tennessee, The Nature Conservancy has made preserving cave ecosystems a priority.
Floodplains and Farms
In West Tennessee, working with the agriculture industry is key to restoring and reconnecting a landscape once dominated by vast floodplains and bottomland forests.