Tennessee Department of Agriculture

AT THIS SITE

STATE FOREST RULES
FOREST INFORMATION
PRENTICE COOPER SF
VISITOR INFORMATION

Tennessee State Forests

The Division of Forestry owns 15 state forests, ranging from mountain coves to cedar glades to bottomlands along the Mississippi.

While State Parks are managed only for recreation, State Forests are managed for a mix of natural resources including a wide variety of game and non-game wildlife, and growth and harvest of large, high-quality timber. State Forests lack improvements such as inns, golf courses and restrooms. However, they offer large tracts of land for hunting, hiking, bird watching and peace and quiet.

Tennessee State Forests have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as having a sustainable strategy of management for many benefits.

State forest lands were acquired during the 1930’s in lieu of delinquent taxes, through donation, and through the Resettlement Administration Project, which moved families from severely depleted lands and resettled them elsewhere. All these lands were in poor condition, either eroded or heavily timbered. Some were planted with trees to control erosion; others regenerated naturally into hardwood forest. Since then they have been protected and managed in a way that produces a mix of public benefits.