1. Fredonia Mountain Properties Land value increased over 100-fold in the last five years. Development was primarily driven by non-residents (Figure 6). Wheeler Tract Properties Land value remained significantly lower than upland properties. Development was primarily driven by county and state residents (Figure 7). Costs of services were greater on upland developments than valley developments. Tax revenue was less on upland developments than valley developments. Five Acres and a McMansion. Is this the fate of forest and farmland in rural Tennessee? Mary Bruce Gray, Megan Hinkle, Haley Merrill, Deborah McGrath, Ken Smith, and Kevin Willis The Environmental Studies Program, The University of the South Introduction: Dunlap, TN is located in the Sequatchie Valley (Figure 1), and mining, timbering, and farming once sustained its economy. Currently, the townspeople actively recruit industry to boost employment and revenue. Recently, the Natural Resource Defense Council labeled this area as a BioGem, a designation given to important conservation areas that are threatened by multiple factors. In addition, recent US Forest Service (Figure 2) and American Farmland Trust (Figure 3) studies have shown high land conversion rates for the area surrounding Dunlap. In fact, Tennessee has the eighth highest rate of farmland conversion to commercial and residential uses in the nation. Our case study examined the current and projected land use change in this area and the key contributing factors to this conversion. Conclusions: Current development practices are financially burdensome for taxpayers. Conservation developments offer a sustainable balance between conservation and development, rendering financial, social, and ecological benefits to the developer and the community. Conventional developments often affect 85-100% of the site’s land and resources. Conservation developments typically modify 5-60% of land, leaving 40-95% as green space such as parks, trails, recreation areas, or wilderness. Results: Future work : Account for economic stimulation caused by increased population growth and home construction. Complete cost benefit analysis of upland and valley development in Sequatchie County. Facilitate a meeting with local developers to discuss the benefits of conservation developments in the Sequatchie Valley. Extend costs of services study to Chattanooga. Acknowledgements: Mr. Richard Winslow Mrs. Nicole Nunley Dr. Jimmy Wagner Mr. Buck Gorrell Mayor George Wagner State of Tennessee Economic and Community Development Team The Land Trust of Tennessee Methods: Identified two recently developed farm and forested land tracts Fredonia Mountain Properties (Forest) (Figure 3) Wheeler Property (Farm) (Figure 4) Identified source of sprawl/growth Proximity to Chattanooga Highway 111 “Half Backs” Conducted a cost benefit analysis of development, which included: Cost of extending water, sewer, electricity, roads, schools Tax revenue generated (Figure 5) Money generated by recreation Stimulation of and contribution to local economy Objectives of this study: Examine the trends in land use change and population growth in Southern US Quantify sprawl in Sequatchie Valley, TN Understand development pressures in the region Identify public costs versus tax revenue associated with development Look at conservation oriented developments versus traditional subdivisions Figure 4. Aerial Views of Fredonia Mountain Properties (Left) and Wheeler Property (Right) in Relation to Highway 127 (Center). Figure 7. Wheeler Property Landowner Demographics, November 2005. Figure 6. Fredonia Mountain Properties Landowner Demographics, November 2005. Figure 10. Percentage of Population that Commute to Hamilton County, 2000. Figure 2. Projected Loss of Private Forest Land (US Forest Service 2005). Figure 3. Farmland Conversion Rates in Tennessee (American Farmland trust. Figure 8. Population Growth in Sequatchie County, Tennessee. Literature Cited: Apfelbaum, Steve I. et al. 1996. On Conservation Developments and their Cumulative Benefits. National Symposium Reprint: 181-187. USFS, McRoberts et al. 2005. Southern Forest Roundtable. Asheville, NC. American Farmland Trust. 2002. Farming on the Edge. http://www.censusscope.org http://www.chcrpa.org Discussion: Privately owned land in Sequatchie County is not subject to zoning or growth restrictions. Regional land use change is driven by population growth (Figure 8), expansion of Highway 111 (Figure 9), accessibility to Chattanooga via Highway 127 (Figure 10), and “half-back” migration from traditional retirement sites in Florida. Unplanned development often carries unrecognized financial, ecological, and social costs. Figure 4. Aerial photos and county tax maps were collected and formatted into a GIS to provide a better understanding of ownership patterns in the study area. Fredonia properties and Wheeler subdivisions are highlighted. Fredonia Properties Wheeler Tract Figure 1. Physiography of the Cumberland Plateau and the Sequatchie Valley Dunlap Figure 9. Road map of area between Dunlap and Chattanooga.