An environmental group has raised over five million dollars to accelerate land conservation in the tri-state area to battle climate change

Chattanooga, TN – According to the statement, the Open Space Institute is taking a key step towards conserving wildlife and forests around the Greater Chattanooga Region with the Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund.

Areas being considered for the project are Lookout and Pigeon mountains, Cumberland Plateau, Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, the Appalachians Connector, Paint Rock Watershed, Walden Ridge, and Hiwassee River Corridor.

Thrive Regional Partnership plans to double protected lands in the tri-states to 30% within the next twenty years.

They are continuing to fund-raise for this effort and hope the five million is just a start. The southern Appalachians are one of the fastest growing regions in terms of human population. The Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund will work to preserve the land to fight climate change.