Pocket wilderness

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pocket wilderness is a name used by Bowater corporation and the State of Tennessee for any of several tracts of Bowater-owned private land on and near the Cumberland Plateau that the company set aside beginning in 1970 "for preservation in its natural state, with no logging or development other than hiking trails permitted within its boundaries" and registered as Tennessee state natural areas.^[1][2] Several areas formerly managed as Bowater pocket wilderness are now incorporated into state-owned natural areas or National Park Service sites.^[2]

The Virgin Falls State Natural Area in White County was the first pocket wilderness established, originally consisting of 317 acres (1.28 km²) along the Caney Fork River and including Virgin Falls.^[1] This area was acquired by the state in 1996 and is now part of a 1,157-acre (4.68 km²) state natural area. ^[3]

Other Tennessee natural areas established as Bowater pocket wildernesses include:^[1][4]

• Bacon Ridge in Roane County ^[5]
• Honey Creek State Natural Area in Scott County, 109 acres (0.44 km²) within the boundaries of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.
• Laurel-Snow State Natural Area on Walden Ridge in Rhea County, consisting of 710 acres (2.9 km²) and featuring two waterfalls, Laurel Falls and Snow Falls.
• North Chickamauga Creek, originally about 1,100 acres (4.5 km²).^[6] The Bowater Pocket Wilderness Area was transferred to the state in 2006 and became a part of the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Natural Area, which consists of 7,073 acres (28.62 km²) in Hamilton and Sequatchie counties. ^[7]
• Piney Falls State Natural Area in Rhea County^[8] on the east side of the Sequatchie Valley, a 187-acre (0.76 km²) area including two waterfalls ^[2]
• Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area in Rhea County, consisting of 104 acres (0.42 km²) and including the 30 ft (9.1 m) Stinging Fork Falls.

[edit] See also

• Wilderness

[edit] References

v • d • e Protected Areas of Tennessee National Park Service Andrew Johnson National Historic Site • Appalachian National Scenic Trail • Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area • Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park • Cumberland Gap National Historical Park • Fort Donelson National Battlefield • Fort Donelson National Cemetery • Great Smoky Mountains National Park • Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail • Natchez Trace Parkway • Obed Wild and Scenic River • Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail • Shiloh National Cemetery • Shiloh National Military Park • Stones River National Battlefield • Stones River National Cemetery • Trail of Tears National Historic Trail National Forests Cherokee National Forest • Land Between the Lakes National Wildlife Refuges Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge • Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge • Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge • Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge • Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge • Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge • Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness Areas Bald River Gorge Wilderness • Big Frog Wilderness • Big Laurel Branch Wilderness • Citico Creek Wilderness • Cohutta Wilderness • Gee Creek Wilderness • Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness • Little Frog Mountain Wilderness • Pond Mountain Wilderness • Sampson Mountain Wilderness • Unaka Mountain Wilderness East Tennessee State Parks and Natural Areas Big Ridge • Booker T. Washington • Cove Lake • Cumberland Mountain • Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail • Davy Crockett Birthplace • Fort Loudoun • Frozen Head • Harrison Bay • Hiwassee/Ocoee • Indian Mountain • Norris Dam • Panther Creek • Pickett • Red Clay • Roan Mountain • Sycamore Shoals • Warriors' Path Middle Tennessee State Parks and Natural Areas Bicentennial Capitol Mall • Bledsoe • Burgess Falls • Cedars Of Lebanon • Cordell Hull Birthplace • David Crockett • Dunbar Cave • Edgar Evins • Fall Creek Falls • Harpeth River • Henry Horton • Johnsonville • Long Hunter • Montgomery Bell • Mousetail Landing • Old Stone Fort • Port Royal • Radnor Lake • Rock Island • Sgt. Alvin C. York • South Cumberland • Standing Stone • Tims Ford West Tennessee State Parks and Natural Areas Big Cypress Tree • Big Hill Pond • Chickasaw • Fort Pillow • Meeman-Shelby • N. B. Forrest • Natchez Trace • Paris Landing • Pickwick Landing • Pinson Mounds • Reelfoot Lake • Ross Cross Landing • T.O. Fuller State Forests Bledsoe • Cedars of Lebanon • Chickasaw • Chuck Swan • Franklin • Lewis • Lone Mountain • Martha Sundquist • Natchez Trace • Pickett • Prentice Cooper • Scott • Standing Stone • Stewart Pocket Wildernesses Honey Creek * Piney Falls • Laurel-Snow • North Chickamauga Creek Gorge • Stinging Fork Falls • Virgin Falls Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (web) - Tennessee Department of Agriculture {web}