VINE CEDAR GLADE
CLASS II NATURAL-SCIENTIFIC STATE NATURAL AREA

DESCRIPTION:

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Vine Cedar Glade is a 35-acre natural area in Wilson County approximately 12 miles south of Lebanon. It is part of Cedars of Lebanon State Forest and is managed by the Division of Forestry. Vine is named for a nearby community. It is near the southeast edge of the state forest and is located at the end of a gravel road. It is a harsh glade environment where limestone outcropping is prevalent. It is significant because it supports a large population of the federally endangered Tennessee purple coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis).

The coneflower occurs here in two small glades separated by a small block of cedar-hardwood forest. This area requires very little management and the coneflower habitat remains open largely because of extreme edaphic conditions influenced by frequent drought that is associated with limestone outcropping and very shallow soil. It does not have the same management needs as other coneflower populations that occur in the deeper soils where more woody encroachment occurs. Woody encroachment often requires management using prescribed fire. Much of the 35-acre natural area is surrounded by stunted cedar-hardwood forest.

This population represents one of four populations in public ownership protected as a state natural area. Seeds from the population on private land have been collected, propagated and introduced in suitable glade and barrens habitat at other state natural areas in Middle Tennessee. Through this vigorous protection activity it is expected that Tennessee coneflower will be down-listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service from federally endangered to federally threatened. Tennessee coneflower was one of the very first species listed by USFWS in the early 1970's and its protection, recovery, and eventual down-listing represents a true success story and case study of how the Endangered Species Act is protecting rare species.

SITE MANAGEMENT:

Division of Forestry, Cedar Forest Road, Lebanon, Tennessee 37090, phone (615)-443-2768; Division of Natural Areas, 401 Church Street, 7th Floor L&C Annex, Nashville, TN 37243 phone (615) 532-0431.

PUBLIC ACCESS:

Open to the public though no public access is provided.

DIRECTIONS:

From Nashville go east on I-40 to I-840 and go south to the Couchville Pike exit. Go east on Vesta Rd. four and a half miles to Highway 231. Turn right and go south for one and a half miles and then turn left onto Mulberry Lane. Vine is at the end of the Mulberry Lane.