Oak Ridge Today

Mountain land gift honors Myrick, a leader, volunteer, Nature Conservancy Board member

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John R. Dickey Birch Branch Sanctuary in Shady Valley is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

John R. Dickey Birch Branch Sanctuary in Shady Valley is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

Eighty acres of beautiful mountain land in Johnson County have been added to a Nature Conservancy preserve in Shady Valley, thanks to the foresight and generosity of a local couple. Sadly, the May 20 land donation is not just a gift, but also a loving tribute to a departed spouse and friend of conservation.

Back in 2007, Teresa Myrick and her late husband Tim wanted to leave a legacy of protected mountain land for future generations. That’s why they donated a conservation easement to The Nature Conservancy, restricting development on a treasured tract of mountain land they bought for their retirement. The property is located adjacent to the Conservancy’s John R. Dickey Birch Branch Sanctuary in Shady Valley. Teresa and Tim, a former Oak Ridge National Laboratory engineer and community leader and volunteer, became solid supporters of The Nature Conservancy, and Tim went on to become a board member for the Tennessee Chapter of the Conservancy. The couple looked forward to spending many years together on the scenic property.

However, Tim passed away far too early, in December 2014, at age 60, of cancer. As Teresa thought about the future of their mountain land, she knew what Tim would have wanted. She realized he would want her to donate it outright to The Nature Conservancy to be protected and cared for. [Read more…]

UT Aboretum to present ‘Healthy Trees-Healthy Tennessee’ on March 13

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will present “Healthy Trees—Healthy Tennessee” on Thursday, March 13, at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge at 7 p.m.

Alex Wyss, East Tennessee project director with the Tennessee Nature Conservancy, will be giving an interactive slide show presentation to educate the public about several forest pests that are impacting Tennessee urban and rural forests, and he will discuss what can be done to help stop the spread of these destructive insects.

The Nature Conservancy’s Healthy Trees, Healthy Tennessee trains volunteers in tree stewardship and tree health monitoring. They also engage the public and tree care professionals in tree pest identification, tree health monitoring, and long-term care of trees. The organization’s goal is to raise awareness about the importance of trees and what people can do to keep trees healthy through education and outreach. [Read more…]