Governor Bill Haslam signed a bill Wednesday designating Overton Park’s Old Forest a state natural area, thereby preserving it from further encroachment.
The proposal was first put in motion by Citizens to Preserve Overton Park more than a year ago. From the CPOP website:
It’s taken 16 months of hard work from many wonderful people to give our 10,000-year-old forest the legal protection that it deserves, but we’re finally just about there. Please take a few minutes to thank Mayor AC Wharton, Councilman Jim Strickland, and your state legislators for believing in the Old Forest State Natural Area.
On the Senate side, this bill was sponsored by Senator Beverly Marrero and co-sponsored by Senators Mark Norris, Ophelia Ford, Brian Kelsey, Jim Kyle, Reginald Tate, and Tim Barnes.
On the House side, this bill was sponsored by Representative Jeanne Richardson and co-sponsored by Representatives Karen Camper, Barbara Cooper, Mike Kernell, Lois DeBerry, Larry Miller, John DeBerry, Antonio Parkinson, Curry Todd, Joe Towns, Jim Coley, Ron Lollar, Johnny Shaw, Johnnie Turner, Steve McManus, Gerald McCormick, Craig Fitzhugh, Michael Ray McDonald, and Mike Stewart.
