Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center begins next era of conservation

In 1956 the late John and Margaret Chambliss transformed an abandoned farmland into a 300 acre nature preserve that opened to the public as Reflection Riding Arboretum.

Twenty-two years later, the Chattanooga Nature Center was created on 17 acres of land donated by Reflection Riding and acquired from the family of Harold and Marie Humphreys, long time residents of the site.

Today the two organizations, considered Chattanooga's oldest and best known outdoor recreation and nature education institutions, have reorganized to become the Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center.

Board Vice President Angie Conroy said the restructuring will result in a stronger regional resource and expanded educational offerings.

"Our goal now is to build on what we already have, and create an outdoor and educational experience that will be unique to any other in the region," John Mitchum, president of the newly established board of directors for the Chattanooga Arboretum, said.

The site is located along Lookout Creek at the western base of Lookout Mountain, surrounded by the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.

Under the Tennessee Arboretum Certification Program, Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center is certified as a Level Four Arboretum.

Among other requirements involving public access and public programs, a level four certification means that at least 120 different species of trees have been located, identified and labeled. The purpose of the certification program is to define what the word "Arboretum" means in Tennessee and set standards for what can be called an arboretum for public educational purposes.

The location is also home to several species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

Rehabilitation and rescue projects for the American crow, bald eagle, broad winged hawk, great horned owl, turkey vulture, bob cat, southern flying squirrel, red wolf, as well as turtles, frogs, snakes and salamanders, are also part of the offerings of the institution.

The area's Wildlife Wanderland is a natural area with enclosures housing native wildlife which are no longer able to successfully return to the wild due to injury or lack of survival skills.

"The goal is to inspire people, not only with wonder for the natural world, but also with the knowledge necessary to preserve nature for future generations," Chattanooga Arboretum Executive Director Dr. Jean Lomino said.