Latimer High Adventure Reservation

Our Vision to Secure a New Wilderness/High Adventure Camp

The Middle Tennessee Council’s most recent Long Range Plan detailed our vision to secure a large parcel of land that will serve Scouting immediately as a Wilderness/High Adventure Camp and be available in the future for the development of a new year-round program facility.

About Our New High Adventure Reservation

We have purchased a 1,587 acre parcel of land on the Cumberland Plateau in White & Van Buren Counties which offers the most pristine and unique outdoor setting in the mid-state. The property includes:

• 300 acres in cleared fields and over 1,200 acres in pines and hardwoods all of which can be used for various Scouting Activities.
• Existing buildings that can easily be converted into a ranger residence, maintenance buildings and lodging for youth and adult volunteers.
• Single phase power, a 4” municipal water line and excellent road access. We have already employed a caretaker who has relocated to the property and we are in the process of developing various programs that will allow our youth to utilize this facility. This property is already “Program Capable”.

BSA Program Possibilities at Neighboring Properties

Our property is in close proximity to other properties that will offer some unique program possibilities for our youth including Scott’s Pinnacle, Bee Creek, Virgin Falls, the Caney Fork River, Fall Creek Falls and Rose Cave. The “neighborhood” includes:

• 25,000 plus acres owned by the State of Tennessee and managed by the Tennessee State Parks System. An additional 13,000 acres of state land is managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency which is known as Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness and Virgin Falls Pocket Wilderness
• Bridgestone Americas, Inc. owns 5,000 acres of the original “Centennial Wilderness” in the Scott’s Gulf Area.
• Bledsoe State Forest, which is comprised of approximately 10,000 acres, adjoins the Boy Scout Property.

Positive Outcomes Resulting From Our New Wilderness Reservation:

Meeting the growing need in Scouting for High Adventure Programs in the Boy Scouting and Venturing Programs, which nationally are at an all time high. The average age of boys active in the Boy Scout Program has recently grown to 14.1 years. The average age in Scouting is also increasing on the national level. Philmont Scout Ranch, which is the Boy Scouts of America’s most popular National High Adventure Base, will serve 23,000 youth this year. Demand for Philmont’s Program is such that they turn away over 10,000 youth annually. The Florida Sea Base, which also is a National High Adventure Base, is currently operating very near full capacity. Roy Williams, Chief Scout Executive of the National Council, Boy Scouts of America, stated in a letter dated July 9th, 2007, “There has been significant pressure to build a second Philmont. Our strategy for many years is to encourage councils to do just as you have done. If we expect to continue our good retention rate, we must provide challenging programs for these youth.

Youth and adults will be exposed to this pristine land in the Cumberland Plateau which ranks 7th out of 88 ecoregions globally for temperate broadleaf forests and ranks in the top third of ecoregions globally for all habitat types. The Cumberland Plateau is the most biodiverse ecoregion in the country for freshwater fauna. It is the global center for cave invertebrate diversity, has 3,000 species of plants, 54 of which are globally rare, and its forests shelter some of the largest populations of neo-tropical migratory birds in the eastern US. Youth will experience beautiful overlooks of the Caney Fork River Gorge, limestone rock bluffs, unique caves and many rare wildlife species.

The Boy Scouts purchase connects over 50,000 acres owned by the State of Tennessee and managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Tennessee State Parks System. Bridgestone/Firestone also owns 5,000 acres in this area and all parties are interested in keeping this pristine land in its natural state and preserving the land for future generations. A poster-sized map in our campaign promotional brochure (copy attached) shows each of the different properties that comprise these 50,000 acres. Additionally, the 1,567 acres we purchased changed from commercial use to one that will sustain the environment, benefiting youth for generations.

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Look for the property to open up in late 2008 or early 2009.