The Oliver Tract, more than 600 acres of forestland bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park; image submitted

MARYVILLE, TN - After months of goal-setting, planning, fundraising, partnership-building and anticipating, Foothills Land Conservancy (FLC) has officially completed the acquisition of the Oliver Tract, securing more than 600 acres of forestland bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Townsend and Cades Cove.

The closing represents one of the most significant conservation achievements in East Tennessee in nearly two decades and protects a landscape that conservation leaders describe as both ecologically important and deeply rooted in the history of the Smokies.

FLC intends to transfer the property to the National Park Service following completion of the federal review and acceptance process, ultimately adding the tract to the boundaries of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Large, privately held properties directly adjacent to the park have become increasingly rare. The Oliver Tract contains contiguous forestland, wildlife habitat, migration corridors, watershed resources and scenic ridgelines that connect seamlessly with existing protected lands inside the park.

“This is exactly the kind of project Foothills Land Conservancy was created to accomplish,” said Mark Stevans, executive director of Foothills Land Conservancy. “Opportunities to protect land of this scale, in a location this important, simply do not come along very often. The Smokies are part of the identity of East Tennessee, and preserving this landscape is an investment in the future of our region.”

The tract takes its name from John Oliver, one of the earliest permanent European settlers of Cades Cove and a central figure in the area's history. Preserving the property helps protect not only important natural resources but also a landscape connected to the cultural heritage of the Great Smoky Mountains.

“This project demonstrates what is possible when conservation-minded landowners, community supporters, donors and public partners come together around a shared vision,” said Mike Parrish, chair of the Foothills Land Conservancy Board of Directors. “The impact of this acquisition will be felt for generations. Long after we're gone, families will hike these forests, enjoy these views and experience a landscape that remains essentially unchanged because people chose to protect it.”

“We appreciate Foothills Land Conservancy’s work to protect this landscape for future generations, preserving its rich cultural history as well as the extraordinary biological diversity that makes this area so unique," said Charles Sellars, Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The acquisition builds on Foothills Land Conservancy's mission to protect the lands and waters of the Southern Appalachian region. Since its founding, the organization has completed more than 540 conservation projects and helped protect more than 200,000 acres across Tennessee and beyond.

For comparison, the Oliver Tract is nearly the size of the primary historic area surrounding the Cades Cove Loop, making it one of the most substantial potential additions to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in recent memory.

“This is legacy work,” Stevans said. “One day, people will walk these ridges and explore these forests without realizing how close this land came to becoming something else. That's exactly what successful conservation looks like.”