Portions of Pigeon and Lookout Mountains are part of a new forest conservation effort launched by the Open Space Institute, or OSI.  Along with mountain locations surrounding Chattanooga in Tennessee, the 5 1/4 million dollar effort seeks to put 30-thousand acres in conservation… according to the Thrive Regional Partnership.

The New York-based OSI group is targeting seven locations in the region which had been identified earlier by Thrive’s Natural Treasures Alliance work group.

OSI will administer the fund and work with interests in property acquisition and conservation easements.  Natural Treasures Alliance has a goal of at least doubling protected lands in the region by 2055… by adding a million protected acres.

WQCH