Each morning, birdsong echoes beneath Tennessee’s dense tree canopy as rivers and waterfalls continue the same rhythms they have followed for thousands of years. Along the trails of Savage Gulf State Park, hikers gather beneath towering sandstone bluffs while the Duck River winds quietly through Middle Tennessee farmland.
During his tenure, Gov. Bill Lee has overseen the largest expansion in the number of Tennessee state parks under a single administration — adding 14 new parks by the end of his time in office. Long before he entered politics, Lee developed a connection to Tennessee’s outdoors, spending days on his family’s farm exploring creeks, woods and pastures. When Lee was 10, a neighbor involved in bird banding taught him about protecting local birds and giving them clean water. It was at this young age that Lee recognized the importance of stewardship — a lesson he’s never forgotten.
Tennessee Identity
Agriculture remains one of Tennessee’s leading industries, contributing $103.8 billion annually to the state economy, according to a University of Tennessee study. Like Lee, many Tennesseans grew up working the land. And it was through farming and exploring the rolling acreage of his family’s Triple L Ranch that Lee’s passion for conservation took root.
“I grew up with the woods right behind our house,” Lee explains. “I was a kid who played in the creek and swam in the river and hunted in the woods.” His father often took the family canoeing on Tennessee rivers and camping in state parks — experiences that deepened Lee’s appreciation for the outdoors and the state’s natural beauty. “When I was old enough, I developed a real deep appreciation for our natural resources,” he says.
For generations of Tennesseans, state parks have served as an extension of those formative experiences — places where families camp, hike, fish and experience the state’s forests, rivers and mountains firsthand. Out-of-state visitors also recognize the natural beauty of Tennessee, making it a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts nationwide. Each year, Tennessee’s 65 state parks welcome more than 30 million visitors and generate an estimated $1.9 billion in economic impact…