History
Foothills Land Conservancy (FLC) was incorporated in 1985. Its parent group was “Alternatives for Blount County” (ABC), an organization concerned with the prospect of a 1,200 acre amusement park in Tuckaleechee Cove. Though that development never materialized, the group recognized that development and land conservation issues were increasing rapidly. ABC disbanded in 1985 and the Conservancy was incorporated and granted tax exempt statu as a 501(c) (3) corporation in June of that year.
The Foothills Land Conservancy was limited in its activities in the early years. The board was a small core group headed by Gail Harris. In 1987 Senator and former Governor Lamar Alexander joined and publicly endorsed the organization. Activities in the late 1980’s included public education conferences and articles about land conservation in several area publications.
In 1990, FLC received a donation of 25 acres of land within the city limits of Maryville from local businessman Sonny Lambert. The board put together a limited, or “green” development plan and sold the property to a local developer. FLC received $200,300 for the property. In the spring of 1992 FLC launched a national search for an executive director. While that search was under way, FLC completed its first conservation easement on “Granny Belle Woods,” an eleven ‘lot’ subdivision. The easement is on 120 acres of common area. Granny Belle Woods is featured in Protecting the Land (2000, Island Press, Gustanski and Squires, editors).
FLC’s first executive director, Randy Brown, began work on September 1, 1992. He and FLC discovered many projects lying in wait for professional staff. At the time, FLC had 80 members.
In June of 1993 FLC received its first challenge grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Its purpose was to increase public support for FLC. Membership began a steady climb, as did the number of conservation easements. In October of 1993 FLC hosted its first major fund raising and public relations event, a dinner in West Mills Cove. Senator Lamar Alexander was the keynote speaker.
In January of 1994 FLC bought an option to purchase 4,700 acres that reached from Abrams Creek to the western foothills of Chilhowee Mountain. The Abrams Creek Campaign, chaired by Senator Alexander and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, raised 1.2 million dollars. In June of 1995 FLC donated 400 acres to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and 4,300 acres to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). TWRA created the Foothills Wildlife Management Area (WMA) from that donation. At the same time FLC undertook a second campaign to purchase 1,500 acres adjoining the Foothills WMA. The Cochran Creek Campaign was completed in 1997 and the land was donated to TWRA as an addition to Foothills WMA. FLC was recognized as the Tennessee Conservation Organization of the Year in 1995. Executive Director Randy Brown was presented with the Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Leadership Award in the same year.
In 1997 FLC was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, and a number of other publications and the electronic media. FLC continued to receive donations of land in fee and conservations easements.
1998 proved to be another good year for FLC. It received a revocable trust on a 400 acre farm in Blount County and assisted TWRA in acquiring Kyker Bottoms, also in Blount County. The latter area is now a wildlife refuge. FLC, The Conservation Fund and TWRA initiated a six million dollar campaign to purchase Smith Bend in Rhea County in 1999. FLC raised $900,000 to assist in the effort. Now known as Yuchi Wildlife Refuge, it serves the eastern flock of sandhill cranes as well as all other indigenous species. In the fall of 2001 FLC optioned a 60 acre tract on Allegheny Loop Road, raising the funds necessary to complete the purchase by summer of 2002. The tract provides much needed access to Foothills WMA. During the summer of 2002, FLC transferred 600 acres to TWRA that had been donated to FLC over a period of years. That acreage was added to the Foothills WMA.
Early in 2002, FLC hosted an accredited legal seminar for attorneys and accountants. December of 2002 saw the donation of the two largest conservation easements in Tennessee. One is a 769 acre forested tract which shares 2 miles of boundary with GSMNP. The other is a 960 acre dairy and beef cattle farm in central Blount County. These donations received national media coverage that included the Cable News Network (CNN).
In 2003 FLC received several conservations easements, one of which is part of an upscale development in Sevier County. FLC also provided “bridge” funding for several groups and TWRA for the acquisition of small but critical additions to previously established WMA’s and Refuges. It received two easements in 2004 and one in 2005.
In December of 2005, Randy Brown retired as executive director of FLC. Board member Dr. Edward Clebsch served as interim executive director while a national search for a new executive director was carried out. Some 55 individuals applied, and the new executive director, Bill Clabough, was selected and began work in March of 2006.
To date, FLC has protected about 6,000 acres in conservation easements and about 10,000 acres by acquisition and transfer to state and federal agencies. The current (2006) market value of the 16,000 acres that FLC has protected is forty-two million dollars.
