Save enterprise south nature park

Background

In October 2025, the Hamilton County Mayor proposed lifting federal deed restrictions on ~500 acres of Enterprise South Nature Park with the intention to rezone our protected public park land for industrial use. 

Just a few months prior to the County’s proposal, Chattanooga, TN was honored as the first National Park City in North America, a designation that recognizes our city's commitment to preserving natural spaces and promoting sustainable urban living. This new proposal just didn’t make sense.

In response to this unthinkable loss, a collective of community members decided to do something. They were determined to make their voices loud and clear: we oppose lifting restrictions on Enterprise South Nature Park. This encroachment would have irrevocably altered the landscape and diminished the park's value as a sanctuary for both humans and wildlife. This effort was about more than the trails, more than the trees and wildlife, more than the park—this effort was about our community’s vision for Chattanooga and Hamilton County. Removing protections on permanently protected land sets an alarming precedent for the balance of conservation and development in Hamilton County. Instead, we want to celebrate our community’s unparalleled access to greenspace and outdoor recreation and envision a future where conservation and economic development goals can exist in a shared framework.

For three months, thousands of local residents devoted themselves to a shared cause.

They created and circulated a petition, submitted public input to the County, made calls and wrote letters to officials, formed a grassroots nonprofit, created weekly newsletters, spread awareness through social media, wrote news editorials, spoke at weekly City Council and County Commission meetings, attended community events, strengthened organizational networks with other community groups, held events at the park, researched and shared the land’s history, acquired legal counsel, scheduled meetings with Commissioners and Representatives, held volunteer meet-ups, made public records requests, scoured hundreds of pages of deeds and other public documents, and so much MORE—all in the name of protecting what was already rightfully ours.

And the community won.

In three short months, our community made enough noise to send an exceedingly clear message: leave our park alone. And the County listened!