MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — The red-cockaded woodpecker could become a common sight in Tennessee thanks to a new effort by state and federal agencies.
At the inaugural Tennessee Biodiversity Summit hosted at Middle Tennessee State University Wednesday, the chief of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s biodiversity division Josh Campbell announced that the TWRA, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched an effort to restore red-cockaded woodpecker populations in the Volunteer State.
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“Its return is not just a biological milestone, it’s a triumph of collaboration for all Tennesseans,” Gov. Bill Lee said via video message at the summit. “…For generations, our citizens can witness the beauty and the balance of a restored ecosystem.”
Campbell explained the species had been listed as endangered decades ago, and the species has not been seen in the state since 1994. Prior to settlement, fires were common across Tennessee, but became less common as the area was developed. Additionally, the shortleaf pine forests that existed on Tennessee’s lands were cut to make way for hardwood forests. The red-cockaded woodpecker relied on both the mature shortleaf pine forests of pre-settlement and fire to thrive…