ERWIN, Tenn.—Today U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, U.S. Representative Phil Roe, U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester Tony Tooke, and Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill joined other federal, state, local officials, community members and private partners to celebrate the completion of an extraordinary effort to conserve the largest stretch of unfragmented forestland in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Thanks in large part to funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the final 100 acres of the 9,814-acre Rocky Fork property is now protected, ensuring important wildlife habitat, water quality, recreational access and economic opportunities for neighboring communities.

The LWCF is the only bipartisan, federal program dedicated to the continued conservation and protection of America’s irreplaceable natural, historic, cultural and outdoor landmarks. Funded through a percentage of proceeds from offshore oil and gas royalties—not taxpayer dollars—this successful and critical national program will expire in less than 30 days under the current authorization. 

“Rocky Fork, Upper East Tennessee’s ‘Gateway to the Appalachian Trail,’ is one more way our beautiful mountains will attract anyone who enjoys the Great American Outdoors,” said U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander. “Congratulations to The Conservation Fund, Governor Haslam, the Forest Service, and other state and local officials for their hard work and vision in creating this great new addition to Tennessee’s tradition of protecting our lands and heritage while at the same time increasing tourism and bringing in more dollars from around the world.”        

“For nearly five decades, the Forest Service has partnered with The Conservation Fund and others to protect millions of acres of land,” said U.S Forest Service Regional Forester Tony Tooke. “The Rocky Fork property exemplifies what we can accomplish through partnerships to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of our national forests.”

“Rocky Fork State Park’s 2,000 acres offer a wide variety of high mountain outdoor adventures to the local community and visitors to Tennessee,” said Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Parks and Conservation Brock Hill. “Guests will experience hiking, camping, horseback riding, trout fishing, hunting, mountain biking, historic sites, wildlife viewing, spring wildflowers and fantastic fall foliage. It also will be the only Tennessee State Park containing the world famous Appalachian Trail. Tennessee State Parks and TDEC appreciate the efforts of Senators Alexander and Corker and Representative Roe for their support of the Rocky Fork project through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This LWCF investment will pay big dividends in tourism development and job creation for years to come.”       

The Conservation Fund, a national non-profit organization, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) purchased the large, mountain haven located along the Tennessee-North Carolina border starting in 2008 and completed in 2015. Over the last seven years, over $30 million in funding from the LWCF was secured with tremendous support from Senator Alexander, as well as U.S. Senator Bob Corker and Representative Roe, to preserve 7,778 acres as part of Cherokee National Forest.  An additional $6 million was provided by Tennessee’s Heritage Conservation Trust Fund and was used to acquire 2,036 acres of Rocky Fork for the establishment of the state's 55th park by TDEC. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through Walmart’s Acres for America Program, the Lyndhurst Foundation, Fred and Alice Stanback, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy and other private supporters also contributed to this conservation victory.

“Millions of people visit Tennessee each year to experience our incredible God-given outdoor amenities, and Rocky Fork’s completion ensures that this land will be available for future generations,” said Senator Bob Corker. “I thank Senator Alexander for his leadership and commitment to conserving these areas in our state, and I appreciate the hard work of all who made this a reality.”

“I am glad that Rocky Fork is officially part of the Cherokee National Forest after years of hard work,” said Representative Phil Roe. “The Conservation Fund, TDEC and the U.S. Forest Service have worked tirelessly to build partnerships and secure the resources necessary to create Rocky Fork State Park. I am proud of their leadership and that Tennesseans will be able to enjoy the beauty of Rocky Fork for years to come.”

Named after the cool creek waters that run down its center, Rocky Fork lies within the Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor and is surrounded by more than 22,000 acres of protected wilderness. Its protection provides and ensures public access for variety of unique recreational activities that attract visitors from across the country and brings revenue to the local economy—including hiking the Appalachian National Scenic Trail; camping in a secluded mountain landscape; fishing in more than 16 miles of pristine, blue-ribbon trout streams; and hunting turkey, deer and grouse.

“Forty years ago I hiked the Appalachian Trail where it crosses the Rocky Fork tract and personally know the importance of protecting this mountain land. This is also a great example of how The Conservation Fund makes conservation work for America by tying places like Rocky Fork into the economic vitality of nearby communities, such as Unicoi County and Erwin, Tennessee,” said R. Michael Leonard, Chairman of The Conservation Fund. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund is critical for protecting such majestic places throughout our country, and we thank Senators Alexander and Corker and Representative Roe for their support of this essential program.”

The Conservation Fund’s Conservation Leadership Network^® worked with local leaders in Unicoi County to identify ways the county could benefit from the conservation of Rocky Fork and become a top nature-based recreation and sustainable tourism destination that would bring in revenue for generations to come. By highlighting Rocky Fork’s natural assets, community character and quality of life, the County was recognized recently as an “Appalachian Trail Community” and tourist destination by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy —the first such designation in Tennessee and one of only four along the Trail.

“As I became Mayor nine years ago, the Rocky Fork project was already controversial in the County. Some folks wanted to see the land developed, while others were just as interested in the land being conserved. Not an easy period of time for a newly elected official,” said Unicoi County Mayor Greg Lynch. “But today, our citizens look at this public land as an asset thanks in part to the Conservation Leadership Network. The workshops hosted by The Conservation Fund helped us develop and advance a successful sustainable tourism plan for the County that has helped the local economy thrive and made us a popular destination for outdoor lovers. Rocky Fork is now a place of pride for us, and I’m thrilled it is completely protected for generations.”

About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are re-defining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states since 1985 to protect more than 7.5 million acres of land, including more than 285,000 acres of beloved natural lands across Tennessee from downtown Nashville to Civil War battlefields to the Great Smokey Mountains. www.conservationfund.org

About the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
Established by Congress in 1965, LWCF is a visionary and bipartisan federal program that uses a percentage of proceeds from offshore oil and gas royalties for the protection of irreplaceable lands and improvement of outdoor recreation opportunities across the nation. No taxpayer dollars are used to support LWCF. The program has permanently protected nearly five million acres of public lands including forests, natural resources, state and local parks and recreation areas.

In this 50th year of the LWCF, President Obama has called for full, permanent funding in his proposed budget, recognizing that LWCF is one of the nation’s most effective tools for conserving natural landscapes for public outdoor recreation use and enjoyment across the country; preserving and protecting rivers, lakes and other water resources; and expanding the interpretation of historic and cultural sites. This August marks 50 calendar days and just 10 legislative days until the current authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund expires, but there are efforts in the U.S. Congress—such as S. 890—to reauthorize the program and fully fund it at its authorized amount of $900 million. Failure to reauthorize LWCF or weakening this landmark conservation law would have devastating consequences and unravel decades of progress protecting America’s irreplaceable natural, historic and cultural resources.

Release Contact
Ann Simonelli | The Conservation Fund | 703-908-5809 | asimonelli@conservationfund.org