Our work at FLC often highlights how increased development in East Tennessee’s foothills and mountain areas creates negative impact on the region’s landscapes. But in Blount County, at the southeast base of Chilhowee Mountain near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), Mike and Kim Cook’s property is predominantly undeveloped and open; this is creating positive impact in several ways.

The property is approximately ¾ woods, and ¼ pastures and buildings that make up a small cattle farm. The woodland, variety of slopes, multiple streams, caves, pastures and edges, and proximity to high quality habitat collectively help this property support a diversity of plants and animals. This makes it a great protector of natural resources and a safe refuge for the many species of resident wildlife, or those that migrate through the area.

The property was first homesteaded in the late 1800s and had a blacksmith shop and log cabin on site. The overall steepness of the terrain prohibits intensive crop farming but it’s still possible to maintain a small amount of cattle. Protecting the ability of small farms like this one to continue to be productive is key to the future of local agriculture and the lifestyle of small-scale farming.

The Cook property is visible from numerous mountains and ridges bounding the valley of East Miller’s Cove. With significant frontage on The Loop Road, the protection of the land’s rural character also protects the integrity and visual quality of this scenic route. It’s a patchwork of small fields, woodlands of young pine, tulip poplar, sweetgum and sugar maple – which Mike has tapped for syrup. “This property is good for several things,” he says. “It’s good for farming, timber, and wildlife management. It’s a good buffer area for the GSMNP.”

The Cooks love of the land, combined with a love of farming sparked their interest in placing a conservation easement on it to protect it. “We’ve had a good relationship with FLC from the beginning,” Mike says. “They keep in touch with landowners, keep us well-informed and help us understand how to protect our land through a trusted organization.”