The Appalachian Conservation Institute (ACI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit protecting nearly 11,000 acres in Tennessee’s Little Sequatchie Cove, announced the opening of the Mountain Laurel Trail, a brand new hiking trail that runs through one of the region’s most biodiverse landscapes and features waterfall views. Access to the Mountain Laurel Trail as well as the rest of ACI’s nearly 11,000 acres is free through their online permitting system at aci.recaccess.com.
“With the Mountain Laurel Trail, we want to give people a chance to get out on the land and walk it, feel it, experience it,” said Rick Huffines, Executive Director of the Appalachian Conservation Institute. “The 11,000 acres we protect belong to the whole community, not just a few.”
Founded in 2023 by Michael and Karmin Pace, ACI was started with the mission of providing a new model for conservation philanthropy. The Paces privately acquired most of the land that ACI now protects, and they have been donating it to ACI over time to protect it into perpetuity. From day one, free community access has been central to ACI’s conservation efforts…