Friends Of The Rickman Store

Nestled within some of the oldest mountains on earth, the upper Little Tennessee and Hiwassee River basins, and their surrounding mountain ranges, possesses a unique – yet threatened – natural and cultural heritage. Our vision is one clean water flowing through a healthy rural landscape and vibrant, sustainable economy situated within a well functioning ecosystem. This vision recognizes the connectivity of: • Past land use by Native Americans and European settlers with the current ecological and cultural landscape • Patterns of current land use and management with the quality of water in the streams and rivers • Maintaining the native biological diversity with the integrity and functioning of ecosystems across the landscape • Ecological health with sustainable economic and social developments • A healthy environment with the quality of life of its people and rural communities Our Work LTLT helps to conserve the land and water of the Upper Little Tennessee and Hiwasee River Valleys by accepting gifts of land, by promoting conservation easements and, when resources allow, by purchasing at-risk properties. In the Little Tennessee Valley LTLT also leads an active water protection agenda through monitoring stream health, restoring streambanks, and advocacting for water quality protection. LTLT works to restore the landscape through offering technical advice to landowners and the demonstrating sustainable forestry and agriculture, streamside reforestation, invasive exotic plant control, and wetland restoration. LTLT is also home to the 23-year Little Tennessee aquatic biomonitoring program which deploys citizen volunteers annually to assess the biological health of our streams through monitoring the fish communities. We believe that promoting responsible stewardship of our natural resources may ultimately be our most important work.