Swan Conservation Trust board member Glenn Rohrbach spoke about the group’s strategic conservation and community action initiatives.

Swan Conservation was founded in 1992 to ensure the lasting protection of headwater forests and streams in the Big Swan and Big Bigby watersheds. The group’s initial focus area has enjoyed much success in the 30 years since its founding and is now expanding to become a strong protector of Tennessee’s Western Highland Rim.

Today, Swan Trust owns 1,600 acres across Big Swan and Big Bigby headwaters. They also hold two conservation easements (over 160 acres) adjacent to Big Swan Headwaters Preserve in Lewis County, and a 22-acre conservation easement in Perry County. Notably, the group also protects the 23-acre Langford Branch State Natural Area, a generous donation from The Tennessee Nature Conservancy. All of Swan Trust’s owned land is permanently protected from development.

With an all-volunteer staff, Swan Trust has carried out stream and wetland restoration projects, species inventory, and invasive plant removal for decades. The group has an active program of connecting children and adults to the natural world, and Swan Trust lands also serve as sites for scientific research.

Partnering with Sierra Club’s Middle Tennessee Group and other organizations, Swan Trust is now actively working to protect Nashville’s Highland Rim Forest, potentially the world's largest urban forest and a vital natural resource.

Wildlife biologist, environmental consultant and Swan Conservation board member Glenn Rohrbach received his B.S. in biology from MTSU. Glenn began his career as an aquatic biologist and worked for 10 years at Nashville Zoo, after internships with TN Department of Environment and Conservation and TWRA. With the Nashville Zoo he helped lead conservation efforts for native species, including population monitoring of the endangered Nashville crayfish.  Glenn lives in Nashville and is employed at Davey Resource Group as an Associate Consultant, providing a variety of environmental consulting services from stream and wetland restoration to permitting and regulatory compliance.