Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary is a 300-acre wildlife sanctuary in northwestern Williamson County, Tennessee. Fossil traces in Ordovician limestone and 300-year-old giant trees, vestiges of the great eastern deciduous forest that once covered Tennessee, are important collections on the site, as are pioneer trees and seasonal wildflowers. The ponds and wetlands provide valuable amphibian habitat, home to more than a dozen species. 125 species of birds have been recorded on site through population surveys performed by the National Audubon Society. Nearly all mammals native to Middle Tennessee are in residence at Owl’s Hill.
Through public programs and working with the Land Trust for Tennessee (founded by governor Phil Bredesen) Owl’s Hill has become a focal point for neighboring landowners interested in placing conservation easements on their land. In the fall of 2000, a species inventory was completed. Owl’s Hill retained two biologists to undertake a 20-month survey using scientific sampling techniques to document amphibian and reptile populations. Addenda to the inventory catalogue include wildflower, tree, butterfly, bird and mammal populations.
