Land Acquisition
Over the last 52 years, Friends of Radnor Lake has worked with the State of Tennessee, landowners and other partners to acquire additional land around Radnor Lake State Natural Area. This has been a comprehensive effort with the overall goal of maintaining Radnor Lake in the same natural state as it was when designated as one of the State of Tennessee’s first natural areas in 1973.
We strive to protect the watershed, viewshed, sensitive plant species, wildlife habitat, native grasslands and future trail opportunities.
Rangers periodically lead hikes for visitors in these closed to public areas on recently acquired properties to highlight their value and our land acquisition plans at Radnor Lake. To find these opportunities and register to attend, view the Radnor Lake State Park Events page.
Mantra Tracts (2025)
In January 2025, Friends of Radnor Lake secured the first three acres of property at the corner of Franklin Road and Old Hickory Blvd from Mantra LLC. Thanks to their interest in helping us reach our land acquisition goal, this great landowner worked with us to hold six adjoining acres of their property while working with the State of Tennessee to acquire this additional parcel.
This acreage has been on our land acquisition list since 2015 as part of our Harris Ridge Trail Project Land Acquisition Plan, however, the opportunity to purchase it did not become available until 2024. These parcels connect with our Harris Ridge properties and have road frontage on Franklin Road and Old Hickory Boulevard.
This combined nine-acre tract has two residences which will be demolished in 2026 thanks to a generous family foundation grant. This acreage will be restored to its natural state, free of invasive plants and planted as part of our Native Grasslands Initiative and will be the future site of a 100-car parking area and trailhead for the Harris Ridge Trail Project.
The final six acres were acquired by the State of Tennessee in October 2025 with a $3 million Federal Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) 50-50 matching grant. Friends of Radnor Lake committed $1 million dollars toward this 9-acre project in addition to matching land valued at $3 million which will transfer to the State as match for the LWCF grant.
Magill Tract (2023)
Efforts to protect land surrounding Radnor Lake starts with our great adjoining landowners. Chris and Linda Magill have been Radnor’s neighbors to the north for decades. For more than two years, the Magills worked with Friends of Radnor Lake to acquire a sensitive one-acre parcel located above the lake. Due to its location, the potential for redevelopment was high and would not have been attainable at market value for Friends of Radnor Lake. Chris and Linda Magill made this acquisition possible with a generous in-kind donation. This parcel is watershed and viewshed property directly over the lake along our northwestern boundary.
Since the acquisition, the Magills worked with us over an 18-month period as we demolished the existing residence and restored the property to native grasslands. This property will be transferred to the State of Tennessee as part of a 1-1 matching grant which funded an acquisition along our southern boundary, further leveraging the Magill’s in-kind donation and donor dollars to protect Radnor Lake State Natural Area forever.
Northern Boundary Tract (2021-2023)
Beginning in 2021, Friends of Radnor Lake worked with an adjoining private landowner to secure a 12-acre parcel of land, north of the Lake Trail, which had been on our acquisition list since 1973. The edge of this watershed and viewshed property is located 877 feet from Bench #11, making it a particularly sensitive geographical location to protect.
Friends of Radnor Lake worked with Radnor Lake park staff, and with permission of this landowner, to lead a series of focused land acquisition hikes in fall of 2023, highlighting the importance of this critical property in order to raise additional funds for the acquisition. The State of Tennessee provided the majority of the funding for this priority purchase with Friends of Radnor Lake contributing nearly $900,000 of donor dollars to fund the acquisition.
Parkwood Terrace (2018)
In spring of 2018, a residential parcel slightly under two acres on Parkwood Terrace was put on the market for $760,000+. This parcel is located at the head of the watershed on the northern boundary, in a very sensitive location surrounded on three sides by state natural area (in-holding), and included in our land acquisition plan for more than 20 years. Recognizing the high potential for redevelopment, the Friends of Radnor Lake quickly moved to acquire this critical parcel in May 2018 for $760,000.
Friends of Radnor Lake funded the demolition of the existing residence, expanding viewshed from Ganier Ridge Trail and protecting Radnor Lake watershed, as this property includes an unnamed creek.
This property was transferred to the State of Tennessee as part of a 1:1 Federal match grant, providing a $760,000 land asset to obtain equal funding for another land acquisition, and forever protecting this critical viewshed, watershed property on Radnor’s northern border from development.
Cartwright (2018)
Efforts to protect land surrounding Radnor Lake starts with our adjoining landowners. John and Betsy Cartwright have been Radnor’s neighbors to the east for decades. After two years of planning, in January 2018, the Cartwrights bestowed their five acres of property, forever protecting this critical viewshed, watershed property on Radnor’s eastern border, from development.
Without the sizable and generous in-kind donation from John and Betsy Cartwright, this property would not have been attainable at market value for Friends of Radnor Lake. Special thanks also to TDEC, State of Tennessee and the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund for their support in this acquisition.
Harris Ridge (2011-2017)
Thanks to a private/public partnership which began in 2010 between the Harris family, Friends of Radnor Lake, and the State of Tennessee, this six-year, $4 million initiative to acquire 89 acres guaranteed the preservation of this unique property along Radnor’s southeastern border.
The Harris Ridge acquisition provided a unique opportunity for new trail opportunities and enhanced wildlife viewing while also protecting the last undeveloped ridgetops viewable from our trails.
Thanks to our largest private donation from the Adams family, Friends of Radnor Lake was able to acquire the last remaining acres for this project.
Since then, Friends of Radnor Lake and the State of Tennessee have worked with numerous partners to plan, prepare, and start the development of a new trail from Franklin Road to Otter Creek Road known as the Harris Ridge Trail Project.
Once completed, this project will add three new miles of trail, improve visitor access with a new trailhead and 100 vehicle parking area on Franklin Road near Old Hickory Boulevard.
Yarbrough Tract (2016)
The Yarbrough family’s relationship with Radnor Lake dates back to the 1930s. Sparked by an interest in bird watching, the Yarbroughs have resided near and explored the land that is now Radnor Lake State Natural Area.
Landowner Ed Yarbrough worked patiently with Friends of Radnor Lake and Tennessee State Parks to orchestrate the sale of two ridgetop acres of land, including a generous and significant in-kind contribution, in honor of longtime Radnor supporter and friend John Hollins, Sr. This property added two critical acres along the northwestern boundary.
The Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust made a generous grant award of $175,000 to Friends of Radnor Lake which enabled this land purchase and the transfer of a total of 13 new acres of protected land to the State of Tennessee’s Radnor Lake State Natural Area.
Cheek (2001-2015)
On September 13th, 2015 Kay Cheek joined Friends of Radnor Lake, The Land Trust for Tennessee, and the State of Tennessee in celebrating a capstone collaboration that permanently conserved 20 acres of wooded natural area visible from the trails of Radnor Lake. This land and the view will remain protected forever through a conservation agreement with The Land Trust for Tennessee, with 15 of those acres acquired by the Friends of Radnor Lake to be transferred to the State of Tennessee for the natural area.
Over a period of 14 years, the Cheeks have generously offered a total of 75 acres of land for purchase by Friends of Radnor Lake so that this land can be protected as part of Radnor Lake State Natural Area. This beautiful, untouched natural area was generously offered by the Cheeks for Friends of Radnor Lake to purchase for approximately 20% of market value. This land, along with the five acres that remain in private ownership, are preserved through a conservation agreement and are protected forever in memory of John Hancock Cheek, Jr. and John Hancock Cheek, III.
Hideaway (2012-2013)
Friends of Radnor Lake and Land Trust for Tennessee purchased a forty-acre parcel known as the “Hideaway” tract along Radnor Lake’s southeastern boundary on December 30, 2012. The land was secured by Friends of Radnor Lake and Land Trust for Tennessee, with assistance from The Conservation Fund, then purchased by the State of Tennessee in May 2013, protecting it as part of Radnor Lake State Natural Area. This large acquisition is a critical piece of the overall protection of the area surrounding Radnor Lake.