JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
The Appalachian Conservation Institute (ACI) has recently received a major donation of land towards the organization’s protected nature area encompassing the greater Little Sequatchie Cove region of the Cumberland Plateau.
According to Executive Director of ACI Rick Huffines, the 100 acre property was donated by Chattanooga resident and UTC (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) professor Dr. Ralph Wood. The property was donated as part of ACI’s ongoing efforts to protect the cove’s abundance of natural wildlife and resources. Because of the recent land donation, ACI now oversees 10,850 acres of protected wilderness.
The land is located directly in an area known as Peter Cave Cove, which is tucked deep within the greater Little Sequatchie Cove. Huffines explained that the region plays a major role for the Little Sequatchie River’s water supply, serving as a drainage site for all major creeks feeding into the Little Sequatchie. Both the Little and Big Sequatchie Rivers serve as two of Marion County’s major water supplies, with the nature area playing a vital role preserving the county’s water supply and quality through conservation efforts conducted within the land.
“I think it’s critical and it’s great to know that this will now be protected in perpetuity. And it is critical to that water because this forest becomes a buffer for all that’s not good that gets into the water,” said Huffines.
ACI is a non-profit organization first established in 2023 by Michael and Karmin Pace of Chattanooga. The couple created ACI as part of their initiative to get involved in the world of environmental conservation. In 2023, their mission first began through purchasing various pieces of property within the region, with each acreage purchased connecting into one another to help shape the property to what it is today. Billy Nunley, Facilities Manager of the organization explained how ACI’s goal of protecting the land personally means much to him, especially as he grew up working alongside his father for many years within the area, having a connection to the land and not wanting outside sources to change what makes it special to him.
“It’s what I wanted it to be for many, many years. To see it coming about in the way of being protected,” explained Nunley.
The property is open to the public for recreational use, including hiking, hunting, as well as horseback riding. An observatory dedicated to bird research is also on-site, where Rick and local wildlife researchers for ACI work together to monitor and study the area’s diverse range of bird life. However, while the public is welcome to the property, proper permitting is required prior to gaining entry. All permits can be acquired online at appalachianconservation.org/visit.