WILSON SCHOOL ROAD FOREST AND CEDAR GLADES
CLASS II NATURAL-SCIENTIFIC STATE NATURAL AREA

DESCRIPTION:

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Wilson School Road Forest and Cedar Glades is located in the northeastern section of Marshall County approximately 2 miles east of Rally Hill, and is just southwest of the intersection of Moses and Wilson School Roads. This natural area consists of limestone cedar glades with a wet-weather conveyance.  The glades are surrounded by dry eastern red cedar-blue ash woodlands. Additional woody plants include winged elm, glade privet, and aromatic sumac. The surface of the glades are open limestone with small pockets of herbaceous vegetation while the eastern red cedar-blue ash woodlands exhibit a rich, yet thin soil layer with patches of thick moss cover. Some plants visible here during the spring include cedar glade St. Johnswort, twoflower melic grass, rue anemone, columbine, and trillium.

There are three rare plants known from this site including running glade clover (Trifolium calcaricum), Carolina anemone (Anemone caroliniana), and glade cress (Leavenworthia exigua var. exigua). Running glade clover was first discovered in 1979 by Leo Collins, a botanist with TVA. A few years later he and another botanist from Virginia, Tom Wieboldt, found the species in Virginia and then described it as new to science. There are only seven known occurrences of this species globally, two of which are protected within a Virginia state natural area.  There are only five known occurrences of this species in Tennessee, and except for this site, none are protected on public lands. This species is considered globally imperiled (G1) and is listed as state endangered.  Although common globally, Carolina anemone is considered imperiled in Tennessee (S1) and is listed as state endangered. Currently there are only eight extant occurrences of Carolina anemone, all within just a few Tennessee counties within the Central Basin Physiographic Province. The particular variety of glade cress at Smith Glade is considered rare throughout its range.

SITE MANAGEMENT:

Division of Natural Areas, 401 Church Street, 7th Floor L&C Annex, Nashville, TN 37243, phone (615) 532-0431

PUBLIC ACCESS:

No public access is provided at this time.

DIRECTIONS:

Directions are not provided since there is no public access. Click on the map link to view its location.