RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Tennessee House of Representatives on March 3 passed a bill creating four new state natural areas and expanding six existing ones. Two of the new ones are located in Rutherford County.
The first one is located in the Rocky Hill Road Glades, home to limestone cedar glade habitat and the state-endangered Running Glade Clover. According to University of Tennessee Horticulturist Justin Stefanski, this is the only location on earth that this plant can be found.
Stefanski said the Running Glade Clover is crucial for the ecosystem of the limestone cedar glade habitats because it can take nitrogen from the air and put it in the soil, supplying nutrients to the other plants. He said he is very happy to see these rare and diverse ecosystems protected…