State is buying Bowater land

The state is buying 13-thousand acres of “high priority” land from paper company Bowater Incorporated.

The money will come from 20-million dollars of bonds allocated by Governor Phil Bredesen. But the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund, which was formed one year ago by the Governor, will take credit for the deal.

Bowater forestry director Barry Graden laid out the specifics at the quarterly meeting of the trust fund’s board (today/yesterday) at Radnor Lake State Natural Area. The transaction includes several tracts that complete forest “corridors” on the Cumberland Plateau, connecting public lands around Fall Creek Falls and the Cumberland Trail.

“This particular package represents the cream of the cream. This is the top of the highest priority lands. It doesn’t mean there won’t be more opportunities in the future. There will be…this is just the first. And what’s unique about this, not just in the sense of the uniqueness of the land, but what’s unique about this particular offering is that it’s made exclusively to the state and not put on the open market.”

The initial purchase is expected to be finalized within weeks.

Bowater has sold half of its 360-thousand acres in Tennessee. Nearly 80-thousand acres, including land around Savage Gulf, was purchased by a timber investment group earlier this year and will likely remain in timber production.

The Heritage Conservation Trust Fund has not yet spent any of it’s annual 10-milllion dollar allotment to protect natural areas. The fund currently has 20-million dollars and will soon be accepting applications from conservation groups interested in partnering to save threatened land around the state.