About Special Habitats of Tennessee

What do the cypress swamps of West Tennessee, the cedar glades of Middle Tennessee, and the high-elevation bogs of East Tennessee have in common? They are all examples of the many special habitats that exist in Tennessee.

With a $50,000 grant from the National Geographic Society Education Foundation, the Tennessee Geographic Alliance and Carson-Newman College have partnered with five other organizations across the state to launch a project that will use the study of local habitats to meet state teaching standards in science, social studies, and language arts. Dr. Mary Ball, a Carson-Newman biology professor, led the grant process and is serving as project coordinator. Also participating in the project are the Southern Appalachian Information Node of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (the host and developers of the website), the Tennessee Environmental Education Association, Project WET of Tennessee, Discover Life in America, and the Center for Environmental Education at Middle Tennessee State University.

Schools that join the Special Habitats of Tennessee program will adopt a local natural habitat or a schoolyard habitat and share their observations and activities through this website. For the 2005/2006 school year, the program will focus on grades 4-6.

National Geographic grants are awarded to organizations on a competitive basis, favoring projects with high-quality geographic content, proven management teams, and clear performance targets, among other criteria. All grant programs emphasize outreach to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Since 1988, NGSEF has dispersed more than $54 million to innovative educational programs that bring geography to life. "National Geographic is proud of its role in helping states and local communities restore geography to the classroom,” said Barbara Chow, NGSEF vice president for education and children’s programs. “We believe today’s students must have a sound knowledge of geography to prepare for their role as stewards of the planet. Our grants help bring geography into kids’ daily lives.”

To learn more about the development of the SAIN Special Habitats of Tennessee website contact Wolf Naegeli—email: wolf(at sign)naegeli.net. If you are interested in or want to participate in the Special Habitats of Tennessee project, contact Mary Ball—email: mball(at sign)cn.edu or call 865-471-3254.