Rangers at Long Hunter State Park are hauling away refrigerators, couches and boats dumped near Hobson Pike, saying cleanups drain staff time and resources.

Metro and partners closed on roughly 300 acres to add to Beaman Park, protecting Highland Rim forestland northwest of Nashville and expanding outdoor access.

Murfreesboro crews are uncovering Town Creek along Broad Street and building a new linear park and trail system. The roughly $22M project is on a late‑2026 timeline.

Metro Parks’ Plan to Play 2026 forces a choice: fix aging gyms and playgrounds or spend big on new trails and parkland. The board‑approved update lays out multi‑tier costs and shows repairs are already affecting summer programs.

Invasive hammerhead flatworms are being found across Tennessee. Experts warn against bare‑hand contact and outline safe removal steps.

A nightly swarm of more than 100,000 endangered gray bats filled the sky over Nickajack Reservoir.

Appalachian Bear Rescue may resume taking cubs after a 2024 pneumonia outbreak that led to 13 euthanized cubs. New pens, soil testing and a TWRA agreement are the final hurdles.

TWRA warns Middle Tennessee that black bears have been spotted in Hickman, Dickson, Wilson and Sumner counties; secure food sources and report sightings.

Utility crews recently trimmed large oaks along the Park Plaza at Centennial Park, drawing alarm from the conservancy and raising coordination questions with Metro Parks. The cuts have complicated a long‑planned revitalization on the park’s north edge.

A new elevated greenway bridge and riverfront upgrades were unveiled at Ascend Amphitheater, promising year‑round access and management‑led improvements.

A proposal to pave a short connector at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center has prompted a petition and neighborhood pushback. Residents say the unpaved loop is vital habitat and quiet space.

Austin Peay’s grasslands institute won a $10M grant to rebuild about 2,500 acres across Middle Tennessee, including a major makeover at Nashville's Shelby Bottoms.

New Prospect Presbyterian Church is donating its building and about 15 acres to Ijams Nature Center as the congregation prepares to close, expanding protected greenspace in South Knoxville.