Foothills Wildlife Management AreaAllegheny Loop Road, Tallassee, TN 37878

Acre: 10,000+

Property Type: Forest Land, Habitat, Public


Project Partner(s)

← Back to Interactive Map

Foothills Wildlife Management Area

Foothills Wildlife Management Area

Back in 1995 Foothills Land Conservancy, along with many organizational partners and individual supporters, secured a 4,700 acre tract called the Abrams Creek – Chilhowee Bear Reserve. The Abrams Creek Campaign, chaired by Senator Alexander and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, raised 1.2 million dollars to make this possible. This land reached from Abrams Creek to the western foothills of Chilhowee Mountain. The majority of these acres were donated to the Tennessse Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and designated as part of the Foothills Wildlife Management Area (FWMA) with the approximately 400 acres transferred to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Project Map for Abram’s Creek and Cochran Creek Campaigns (Larger image available in gallery below.)

In the summer of 1997, FLC worked with the community to raise $500,000 in order to purchase 1,500 adjoining acres along the south end of Chilhowee Mountain. This project was known as the Cochran Creek Campaign. This acreage was also transferred to the State of Tennessee for management by TWRA also became part of the Foothills WMA.

Over the years, the FWMA has grown to 10,000+ acres. FLC now has over 30 conservation easement partnerships, protecting thousands of acres, within a 20-mile radius of this natural area.

Per TWRA’s website: Parts of the WMA include the Chilhowee lake reservoir. Currently, there is a shortleaf pine and oak mix savanna restoration occurring. Current research being conducted along with the University of Tennessee includes burning shortleaf pine stands, to study fire return interval, intensity, and timing of the year.

Foothills WMA is part of The Foothills Conservation Opportunity Area.