What Deregulating Tennessee's Wetlands Means for Our Trees, Our Ecosystems, and Our Communities
Tennessee's wetlands are under attack by deregulation and urban sprawl, which have regional effects as local ecosystems are degraded. Current state-level deregulation regarding best wetland management practices may encourage dangerous levels of unmonitored development that threaten the environmental health and livability of both rural and urban areas across Tennessee. Flooding, excess heat, and loss of wildlife are a few of the hazards that opportunistic development creates.
In this article, we’ll examine the importance of wetland environments to natural ecosystems, rural and urban places, and whole regions. We’ll then look at how legislation affects the area-wide condition of these environments by examining recent deregulation measures in Tennessee that have scaled back rules about wetlands and the environmental responsibilities of property developers. Towards the end, we’ll share some ways that Tennessee residents can make their voices heard in support of robust local and statewide wetland regulations.
Trees And Wetlands
A wetland is an area of land whose ground is saturated with water permanently or seasonally. Trees are keystone features of certain types of wetland ecosystems, such as swamps, lakes, rivers, and lowland forests, all of which can be found in the Nashville area and across Tennessee. Wetlands are often connected across a whole region: wet ground flows into streams, which flow into small rivers, which flow into larger ones, and on into larger bodies of water.
In wooded wetlands, tree roots help maintain the shape of the soil that absorbs and holds moisture, protecting the landscape from erosion and water loss. The collection of moisture is essential for ecosystems that support trees and other plants, all types of native wildlife, and even human settlements.
In addition to groundwater storage, natural infrastructure, and habitat provision, ecosystem services that wetlands perform include:
Water filtration
Flood regulation
Carbon storage
Cooling effects
Water cycle support
Wetlands and the Built Environment
The majority of our state’s wetlands are privately held in small parcels, making these complex environments vulnerable to improper management and land use changes (or able to be consciously maintained with best care practices).
Due to regional ecosystem effects, rural wetlands are just as important for towns and cities as the green spaces within the built environment. When wetlands are removed:
Cities are subject to more flooding, hotter weather, and increased pollution due to fewer trees and less moisture
Infrastructure costs increase due to water damage
Wildlife populations decrease
Ecosystems degrade and disappear from both rural and urban areas
Economic and cultural consequences arise, including rising insurance premiums, increased disaster relief funding, and reductions in quality of life following the loss of healthy, stable environments
Wetlands are fundamental to regional natural systems as well as the resilience and livability of modern cities, and we’re currently experiencing the effects of wetland destruction from rapid development. Flooding is wreaking havoc across Tennessee, becoming more frequent and destructive, overwhelming infrastructure and damaging communities. Uncontrolled water flow, caused by deforestation, urban sprawl, and weakened floodplains, amplifies the risk.
Strengthening water flow management by maintaining wetlands and riparian areas (along rivers) is crucial to protect both human populations and local ecosystems from further devastation. It’s essential to preserve these foundational spaces that contain and support the built environment as we’re able to, while supporting development practices that seriously take into account the environmental conditions of a given site and its long-term stewardship needs.
Since most of Tennessee’s wetland environments are privately held and natural ecosystems don’t respect property boundaries, current and future landholders are positioned as major actors in long-term, area-wide wetlands management, as are rural Tennessee residents and urban or suburban homeowners with moisture-prone properties.
Deregulating Tennessee Wetlands
Recent wetland deregulation in Tennessee has direct implications for Nashville's environment and communities, including its tree canopy.
In May 2025, Governor Bill Lee signed a bill into law that rolled back protections for “isolated wetlands” (those without surface connections to rivers or lakes) under two acres in size, which make up roughly 80% of Tennessee's non-federally protected wetlands. This significantly alters the state's approach to wetland oversight.
Specifically, the bill:
Created a new category for "artificial isolated wetlands" (formed by humans or beavers) and allows developers to drain or fill them without a permit or mitigation (impact reduction measures)
Eliminated mitigation requirements for low- and moderate-quality isolated wetlands up to two acres
Removed requirements to consider cumulative impacts, meaning regulators won't need to account for multiple small wetlands across an area when approving development
These relaxed requirements mean that many small, isolated wetlands can now be filled or altered with little to no oversight from the state.
How Does Statewide Deregulation of Wetlands Affect Nashville?
Nashville is located in the Cumberland River Basin, which collects water from surrounding areas of the state, leading to natural flooding and wetland formation. The Cumberland River receives water from all ends of Tennessee through its tributaries, drawing moisture from various regions as it flows through the state toward the Ohio River. Deregulating wetlands across Tennessee can increase flooding and reduce water quality downstream in Nashville by decreasing natural water storage and filtration along rivers feeding into the Cumberland Basin.
In addition to potential damage to the city’s buildings and infrastructure, regional flood risks pose real threats to Nashville's trees and urban forest. When heavy rainfall overwhelms urban infrastructure, it can lead to increased surface runoff, which may erode soil and damage tree roots. Standing water can suffocate roots, depriving trees of necessary oxygen. The loss of trees due to flooding not only diminishes the city's canopy but also reduces its capacity to manage stormwater naturally, creating a cycle of increased vulnerability to future floods.
The loss of more Tennessee wetlands could worsen Nashville’s existing challenges related to tree loss and stormwater management. The city has already experienced significant tree canopy loss due to development. When flood risks rise and ecosystem quality declines, insurance costs, infrastructure spending, and disaster response burdens will increase in wetland-adjacent areas and across state budgets and tax bases to compensate for environmental degradation.
To date, the state of Tennessee has lost about 60% of its original wetlands, and further loss increases flood risks, endangers urban forests, and weakens Nashville’s resilience to climate change and extreme weather.
The Duck River
The Duck River, just south of Nashville, is a tributary of the Cumberland River, flowing through Middle Tennessee into the larger waterway. The Duck is the most biodiverse freshwater river in North America, home to a rich variety of fish, aquatic plants, and wildlife, including rare species like freshwater mussels. Its diverse species help sustain food webs and ecosystem functions that are essential for both wildlife and human communities in Middle Tennessee and beyond. Parts of the Duck River are protected to preserve its biodiversity and water quality, though some areas face challenges from development and pollution.
The Duck River itself is fed by tributaries, smaller streams, and wetlands, and changes to these smaller ecosystems have significant impacts on the larger ones that depend on them. The wetlands that surround the river are crucial for local and regional water management, acting as natural buffers that absorb excess water, filter out pollutants, and prevent flooding.
The river’s proximity to Nashville has resulted in pressures from the built environment. Human activities, particularly residential development along the riverbanks, can degrade these crucial ecosystems. Removal of vegetation and trees leads to increased erosion, poor water quality, and loss of habitat. Conservation efforts, such as riparian restoration and sustainable land use, are key to protecting the river’s health. Maintaining the integrity of the banks and wetlands of the Duck River is essential for both its biodiversity and its role in local and regional water management.
Standing Up for Tennessee Wetlands
There are various ways Tennessee residents can voice their support for the development of stronger wetlands protection:
Contact your legislators and attend public meetings to share your support for the conservation and proper management of Tennessee wetlands
Volunteer with local conservation efforts to help with on-the-ground work being done to plant and maintain natural environments
Raise awareness by sharing information with family and friends about the real consequences of wetlands deregulation and mismanagement
For more information about Tennessee wetlands conservation, check out some of these resources:
The Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ own mission engages with wetland loss and restoration by working with legislators, homeowners, and many Nashville groups to combat the reduction of the city’s tree cover, which ties directly to concerns raised by wetland deregulation. As Tennessee moves to weaken state-level protections for isolated wetlands, NTCC is one of the groups pushing for stronger local ordinances to preserve natural infrastructure like trees and green spaces, all while facilitating plantings across the city and supporting good care of trees in the ground.
Trees in Nashville’s Wetlands
In Nashville’s wetland areas, including the Cumberland River’s riparian ecosystems, Shelby Bottoms floodplain forest, the many creeks, lakes, and swamps in and around the city, and lowland forests and residential areas, we can find native tree species that thrive in naturally moist conditions: river birch, red maple, swamp white oak, loblolly pine, and American beech. Willow and bald cypress trees grow comfortably in saturated, poorly drained soil. These are all suitable planting choices for wetland properties.
Check out NTCC’s tree sale for a range of species that will thrive in your yard’s ground, whether it’s very wet or rather dry! You can also donate a tree for us to plant and sign up to lend a hand at our volunteer events. We also accept and appreciate financial donations, which go in full toward our mission-driven work for Nashville’s canopy.
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