Governor Bredesen knows a pro-active conservation strategy is essential to maintaining a strong quality of life in Tennessee. Priorities include:

	Forging public-private partnerships. The Governor believes businesses, nonprofits, individuals and government all have a role to play in protecting environmentally sensitive lands through acquisitions, contributions and conservation easements. In 2005, he proposed creation of the Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund to leverage public and private dollars to preserve the State’s most endangered tracts.
	Protecting and expanding greenways. Open spaces provide recreational opportunities and act as buffers to protect water quality and provide natural habitat for animals. From 2003 to 2005, the State administered grants allowing local communities to add nearly 77,000 acres of parks and greenways.
	Improving air quality. The Governor knows clean air is essential to the health and well being of our citizens. He supports a regional strategy for Tennessee and surrounding states to encourage pro-active measures, including the use of alternative fuels, the installation of pollution controls in TVA power plants and other facilities, and a coordinated approach to helping local communities meet federal air-quality requirements.