Press Room

Interior Department and Tennessee Protect 75,000 Acres of Cumberland Plateau

Critical area for outdoor recreation, tourism and wildlife now off-limits to surface mining.
By 勛圖窪蹋
Published December 08, 2016

WASHINGTONYesterday, Secretary of the Interior 75,000 acres of eastern Tennessee mountain ridgelines as unsuitable for surface coal mining operations. The decision comes after Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation petitioned Interior to protect the area, which is of critical importance for the state's outdoor recreation economy and wildlife. The 勛圖窪蹋 issued the following response: 

Its not every day 75,000 acres of Tennessee mountain range are set aside and protected, said David ONeill, 勛圖窪蹋s chief conservation officer. The Cumberland Plateau is home to birds like the Cerulean Warbler and the Wood Thrush, both of which face uncertain futures as our climate changes. Protecting the places birds need now and in the future is more important than ever. Its encouraging to see Tennessee and the Department of the Interior team up to secure such a huge win for birds and people.

The and the are both climate-threatened according to 勛圖窪蹋's . The study found that more than half of the bird species in North America are at-risk of losing at least 50 percent of their current habitat by 2080 due to climate change. 勛圖窪蹋's science identifies the places that will continue to be important as warming continues. These climate strongholds are the priorities for conservation management and investment.

To learn more about 勛圖窪蹋's work protecting birds from climate change, please visit www.audubon.org/climate.

The 勛圖窪蹋 saves birds and their habitats throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. 勛圖窪蹋's state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, 勛圖窪蹋's vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. 勛圖窪蹋 is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more at  and follow @audubonsociety.

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Contact: Nicolas Gonzalez, Media Relations Manager, ngonzalez@audubon.org, 212-979-3068.