NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee is preparing to welcome back a small but striking bird that has been absent from the state for more than 30 years. The Red-cockaded Woodpecker, once native to upland pine and oak-pine forests, is set for reintroduction as part of a long-term habitat restoration effort.
The woodpecker vanished from Tennessee in 1994 due to fire suppression, logging of old-growth pines, and fragmentation of its natural habitat. The last known RCW in the state was spotted in the Cherokee National Forest.
This is conservation at its best, and a promise kept to the land, the people, and future generations of Tennesseans,” said Governor Bill Lee. “It’s a triumph of collaboration for all Tennesseans.
The reintroduction project began with efforts to protect the white fringeless orchid in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area. Biologists quickly realized the large tracts of restored land could support the woodpeckers. About 1,200 acres have been prepared through habitat restoration, and plans include acquiring RCWs from other states for release, with the goal of reintroduction by 2028.
David Hanni, a bird conservation biologist involved in the project, called it a career highlight…