Title 11, Natural Areas and Recreation

(a) The department of environment and conservation has the full power to acquire by gift, devise or purchase, or by the exercise of the power of eminent domain, areas, properties, lands, or any estate or interest therein, of scenic beauty, material or recreational utility, histor…

The department is empowered to receive by bequest, gift, or otherwise, money or other personal property for park purposes, to be held and used under § 11-1-105.

(a) In the event any property at any time acquired lies in the designated area of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the department is empowered to convey same to the federal government as a part of the national park. (b) Any money so received shall be deposited with the sta…

(a) The department shall make a careful study of lands in the state suitable for park purposes and shall formulate and adopt a system for the proper development, preservation, and administration thereof. (b) The department has the power to make rules and regulations and to promul…

(a) Any violation of rules and regulations for the care and management of such properties as may be made under the authority of § 11-1-108 is a Class C misdemeanor. (b) In addition to the criminal penalty in subsection (a), the general assembly finds that it is appropriate that t…

(a) There is hereby created in the department of environment and conservation a division to be known as the “division of educational service.” (b) The head of the division shall be a director appointed by the commissioner of environment and conservation. (c) It is the duty of the…

The commissioner of environment and conservation is hereby authorized and empowered to use such part of the commissioner's appropriation for the commissioner's central office as the commissioner may deem appropriate in connection with the division of educational service.

(1) In order to provide park facilities for the department and to enable the construction and financing thereof on lands owned by the state or by an industrial development corporation which has been created under title 7, chapter 53, but for no other purpose unless authorized by …

(a) Subject to the approval of the state building commission, the commissioner of environment and conservation is hereby authorized to make grants, as funds are available, to any municipality, county, town or city, utility district, public utility, or any authority, corporation, …

(a) The commissioner of environment and conservation has the authority to enter into agreements with any not-for-profit corporation chartered under the laws of this state, such agreements being for the purpose of planning, providing, maintaining, and/or administering recreational…

(a) The commissioner of environment and conservation is authorized to contract with the Cloverbottom Association, subject to the approval of the state building commission, for its assistance in the renovation, repair, maintenance, operation and preservation of the Cloverbottom Ma…

It is the policy of the general assembly that young persons should assist in the preservation of state parks and recreation areas. The commissioner of environment and conservation is encouraged to employ persons under nineteen (19) years of age to work in state parks and recreati…

The commissioner may initiate proceedings in the chancery court of Davidson County or the county in which the activities occurred against any person who is alleged to have violated or is about to violate this part or the rules promulgated under this part. In the action, the commi…

The commissioner of environment and conservation shall promulgate rules that take effect by July 1, 2021, to create a commercial use authorization to allow persons wanting to engage in commercial activities at one (1) or more state parks or state natural areas to obtain a permit …

For the purposes of the department of environment and conservation, “park” means and includes any and all areas of land heretofore or hereafter acquired by the state, which by reason of having natural and historic features, scenic beauty or location, possess natural or potential …

Every park under this part shall be preserved in a natural condition so far as may be consistent with its human use and safety, and all improvements shall be of such character as not to lessen its inherent recreational value.

(a) All parks, monuments and other areas used primarily for recreational purposes shall be properly classified under the supervision of the department of environment and conservation, and the department shall, upon approval of the classification, designate the areas comprising th…

The state, counties, municipalities, and all political subdivisions of Tennessee are empowered to cooperate with each other, and with other states, and with the United States government, or any agency thereof, in planning, establishing, improving, or maintaining any park or other…

In the acquisition of sites or boundaries of land for parks to be used for any one (1) or more of the purposes recited in this part, the state is authorized to exercise the power of eminent domain when the governor so orders.

Every county, municipality, and other political subdivision of this state is empowered to expend money from available sources to aid in the purchase of areas within the county, municipality or political subdivision for park purposes within the meaning of this part, the park to be…

(a) The division of parks and recreation is authorized to employ a suitable number of persons as park rangers, ranger naturalists, park managers and in other positions, however designated or named, having qualifications established by the division of parks and recreation, and app…

The department of environment and conservation is authorized to sell certain tracts of land which are surplus to the needs and benefit of the state of Tennessee, and now being used for state park purposes. The land shall be sold only upon authorization of the national park servic…

(a) Upon receipt of such authorization and terms and conditions from the national park service, the commissioner of environment and conservation is hereby authorized to execute a deed on behalf of the state of Tennessee, transferring and conveying whatever interest the state of T…

All funds received from any of such sales of land shall be invested in capital improvements in that particular state park from which the sale was made.

(a) The commissioner of environment and conservation, with the approval of the state building commission and attorney general and reporter, may enter into lease agreements for the operation of existing facilities and the development, construction, and operation of new facilities …

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the commissioner of environment and conservation has the authority to cause to be purchased and to develop the method for purchasing, without the approval of any other agency of state government, services, raw materials, merchandise fo…

If the golf course is located in a state park, but operated by a municipal or county government agency under contract with the department of environment and conservation, the department shall reimburse the operating agency for any green fees waived under [former] § 11-3-112 [repe…

(a) The commissioner of environment and conservation shall prohibit the forestry practice of clear-cutting in all state parks. The department of environment and conservation shall not conduct clear-cutting operations in such parks, nor permit any other person or lessee to conduct…

No individual shall be disqualified from having a park named in dedication to the individual based solely on the fact that the individual is not deceased.

The Cumberland Trail State Park, established on June 22, 1998, is known as the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park.

(a) The department of environment and conservation is hereby directed to formulate a long-range plan, hereinafter referred to as a “management plan” for each state park. Each such management plan shall include the following:(1) Funding requirements for state parks and an analysis…

(a) The commissioner shall offer discounted rates for activities at the state parks to senior citizens, disabled persons, state employees, members of the Tennessee national guard, and any other group that the commissioner deems appropriate for such treatment. The specific activit…

In state parks, a golf cart, as defined by § 55-1-123, may only be driven on golf courses in accordance with state park rules and policies and on the paved roads within the campgrounds, subject to regulation by state parks to protect public safety. Nothing in this section shall p…

The department of environment and conservation is encouraged to maintain the state park system in a manner that is conducive to use by all persons and that provides such persons with easy access to all public areas within the parks.

The general assembly finds that in order to maintain and enhance the purposes, programs and functions of the state park system, including, but not limited to, educational, interpretative and recreational functions, nonprofit citizen support organizations may be organized, and the…

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Citizen support organization” means an organization which:(A) Is organized as a nonprofit corporation, or is otherwise qualified to do business in Tennessee as a nonprofit corporation, pursuant to title 48, chap…

The commissioner may enter into an agreement with a citizen support organization for purposes consistent with this part if the commissioner determines it is in the best interest of a specific park or the park system generally.

(1) A citizen support organization which enters into an agreement with the commissioner may provide support, assistance or cooperation to a specific park or to the park system in general, including, but not limited to:(1) The provision of educational or interpretative material fo…

If the commissioner enters into an agreement with a citizen support organization, the commissioner may authorize such organization to use, under such conditions as the commissioner may prescribe, property or facilities of the state park system to carry out its support activities.

The commissioner, through the director of the division of state parks, may assist organizers of a citizen support organization with its creation and may provide technical assistance to the organization after its incorporation. However, it is the responsibility of the citizen supp…

(a) All annual reports and all books of accounts and financial records of a citizen support organization shall be subject to audit annually by the comptroller of the treasury. With prior approval of the comptroller of the treasury, the audit may be performed by a licensed indepen…

(a) Any monetary gifts, donations or otherwise received by the department, the commissioner, the division of state parks or by a specific park from a citizen support organization and designated by the citizen support organization for the benefit of a specific park or the park sys…

In the event a citizens support organization dissolves, any funds remaining after dissolution shall be donated to the division of state parks and shall be deposited, as provided in § 11-3-208, and applied for the provision or expansion of state park programs, services or faciliti…

The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, which the commissioner deems necessary to administer this part.

It is the legislative intent that people who use the state parks be given the opportunity to voluntarily contribute to the maintenance, renovation, promotion, expansion, recreational and educational programs, and operations of such parks. Each state park shall provide a collectio…

(a) There is created a special agency account in the state general fund to be known as the “state park fund,” hereinafter referred to in this part as the “fund.” (b) Any fund balance remaining unexpended at the end of a fiscal year in the fund shall be carried forward into the su…