Speaker Friday, May 29, 2026
What if protecting nature is not only about preserving wildlife, but also about safeguarding our own future? Healthy natural habitats play a critical role in providing clean water, reducing flood risks, strengthening climate resilience, and supporting the wellbeing of communities across Tennessee and beyond.
The Green Hills Rotary Club welcomes Laurel Creech, Tennessee State Director for The Nature Conservancy, and Casey Davis, Associate Director of Philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy’s Tennessee Chapter, to discuss conservation, growth, and the future of Tennessee’s natural resources. The meeting is at 7:15 a.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026, at the Boy Scout Service Center on Hillsboro Road.
At a time when communities across Tennessee are facing the pressures of rapid growth and increasing demands on land and water resources, the work of The Nature Conservancy is more relevant than ever. Since 1978, The Nature Conservancy’s Tennessee chapter has helped protect nearly 470,000 acres and has contributed to the creation or expansion of more than 46 state parks, natural areas, and wildlife management areas. The organization also manages 16 preserves across the state while working alongside landowners, businesses, farmers, public agencies, and local communities to restore rivers and streams, reconnect habitats, strengthen forests through prescribed fire, promote sustainable agriculture practices, and advance science-based conservation policy.
Creech and Davis will share how this work comes to life across Tennessee, from the Appalachian headwaters and the forested Cumberland Plateau to the Duck River, the most biodiverse river in North America, located right here in Middle Tennessee. They will also discuss how these local efforts connect to broader global initiatives addressing biodiversity loss and climate challenges, while highlighting how conservation partnerships can help ensure a future where both people and nature thrive.
As The Nature Conservancy’s Tennessee State Director, Creech leads a statewide team focused on long-lasting land, water, and biodiversity conservation efforts. In her role, she cultivates relationships with donors, trustees, and partners across government, business, academia, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector. She also provides leadership for fundraising and advocacy initiatives that support The Nature Conservancy’s local, regional, and global priorities.
Before joining The Nature Conservancy, Creech worked for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, where she helped create and serve as assistant director for Metro Nashville’s Division of Sustainability. There, she oversaw initiatives related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, green infrastructure, waste reduction, and environmental education. Under her leadership, the division received two Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards and four U.S. Green Building Council Impact Tennessee awards.
Creech has also served on the boards of several conservation-focused organizations, including the Nashville Parks Foundation, Cumberland Trails Conference, Tennessee Nature Academy, Urban Green Lab, Walk/Bike Nashville, and Tennessee Women in Green, which she co-founded in 2008. Nationally, she has been recognized as one of Smart Energy Decisions’ inaugural Women in Smart Energy honorees and received the Women in Sustainability Award for Local Public Sector.
Join the Green Hills Rotary Club for this engaging presentation and learn how conservation efforts across Tennessee are helping protect the natural systems that support healthy communities, resilient economies, and future generations.
For more information see https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/tennessee/?vu=r.v_tennessee.local.na.tn
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| 5/1/26 | Jim Easter, Healthcare trends in 2026 | ||
| 5/8/26 | Yuri Cunza, CEO Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | ||
| 5/15/26 | Christiane Buggs, Bob Kucher, of PENCIL CEO | ||
| 5/22/26 | District Governor, John Christopher Williams | ||
| 5/29/26 | Laurel Creech and Casey Davis, The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee | ||
| 6/5/26 | Nashville Opera, Keri Alkema, Chief Strategy & Ops Officer | ||
| 6/12/26 | Todd Campbell, CEO Backfield in Motion — Serving and Providing Opportunities for Kids Through education and Sports | ||
| 6/19/26 | Jasmine Chambers, Co-Founder of Jasper |