Taylor Hollow Class II Natural-Scientific State Natural Area
Taylor Hollow is a 173-acre natural area located in Sumner County on the Western Highland Rim and is owned by The Nature Conservancy. It is a botanically rich and a biologically diverse area that is one of only a very few areas remaining like this in Middle Tennessee that has been minimally impacted by human activity. The natural area is characterized by narrow winding ridges and separated by steep V-shaped valleys that drop 200-300 feet from the ridge. Its rich hollows provide habitat for a spectacular display of spring wildflowers and is highlighted by a carpet of blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna). The rare Ozark least trillium (Trillium pusillum var. oazarkanum) is another noteworthy species that occurs here. It is an evolutionary intermediate between sessile and stalked forms of trillium.
Taylor Hollow's forest community is generally considered old growth though some very selective cutting for commercially important species may have occurred here. The mixed mesophytic forest is particularly interesting because its species composition is very similar to an East Tennessee forest. The forest structure is indicative of old growth with snags and large standing live trees along with decomposing logs and organic forest matter in decay on the forest floor. The vast occurrence of blue-eyed Mary is also indicative of old growth. Blue-eyed Mary is sensitive to forest disturbance like logging and probably was once much more abundant in moist rich Middle Tennessee forests before logging occurred. The mixed mesophytic forest includes sugar maple, tulip poplar, numerous oak and hickory species, ash species, buckeye, basswood, yellow wood, and beech, only to name but a few species. The mixed mesophytic forest is considered the most biologically diverse forest community in the eastern deciduous forest.
The Nature Conservancy, Tennessee Chapter, 210 25th Avenue North, Suite 810, Nashville, TN 37203, phone (615) 383-9909. Division of Natural Areas, William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower, 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 2nd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243, phone (615) 532-0431.
Privately owned; access permitted by request and permission of owner.
Contact The Nature Conservancy.
Details & Map
- Map to Taylor Hollow
- Owned by The Nature Conservancy
- Westmoreland 7.5-minute quadrangle
- Western Highland Rim Physiographic Province
- Designated in 1995