Cedars Of Lebanon State Park Receives Excellence In Innovation Award

Cedars of Lebanon State Park received the West Tennessee Excellence in Innovation Award at the 2015 Tennessee State Parks Management meeting last Wednesday.

 

Parks nominated for this award have demonstrated the ability to think outside the box to create new ideas for enhancement or improvement at their park.

The innovative project must be long lasting or far reaching.

 

Cedars of Lebanon was chosen for this award due to the renovation of the park’s nature center. The renovation began in 2013 and was completed this past December. This project was a collaborative effort between the volunteer efforts of the park’s volunteer camp hosts, the Friends of Cedars of Lebanon, the Wilson County Master Gardener’s Club and the direction of Ranger Wayne Ingram. 

 

The main portion of the nature center now has ample exhibits interpreting the cedar glades, native plants, cedar trees, native animals, reptiles and butterflies and includes an outstanding cave exhibit complete with blind cave fish. The history room has photographs and tools that depict the life and history of the area’s early settlers and the work of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) labor that constructed the park. Exhibits also depict Baird’s Mill and its impact on the local community as well as a working model of the Limber-Jack Harrow manufactured by the A.E. Baird Co. of Lebanon. 

 

The butterfly garden provides visitors with living examples of native plants and the opportunity to observe native species of butterflies throughout the spring, summer and fall while providing a habitat that allows them to flourish.

 

Cedars of Lebanon State Park is located in Wilson County and is part of the Cedars of Lebanon State Forest. The park is named for Eastern Red Cedar trees found throughout the area. Eight miles of hiking trails meander through the cedar forests and glades. For more information, visithttp://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/cedars-of-lebanon.