The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has officially launched construction on a new $4.25 million forestry work center in Dickson County, marking a major investment in the state’s forest management and wildfire mitigation infrastructure.

Spanning 9,625 square feet, the facility is set to serve as a regional headquarters for key forestry operations in Middle Tennessee. According to the department, the center will house a team of burn permit writers who oversee wildfire burn authorizations for roughly half of Tennessee’s counties, streamlining communication, coordination, and permitting across a large geographic area.

Megan Carpenter, Communications and Outreach Unit Leader for the Division of Forestry, emphasized the urgent need for the project, noting, “The facility is replacing old and inadequate facilities at the site.” The new center is part of a broader push to modernize the Division of Forestry’s aging infrastructure while equipping staff with the tools and workspace needed to meet rising challenges, including increasingly complex wildfire seasons and heightened demand for reforestation.

A Multi-Functional Facility Supporting Forest Health

The new work center will include a variety of vital components, such as a seedling cooler, which will store bare-root seedlings delivered from the state nursery in East Tennessee. These seedlings are distributed throughout Middle Tennessee and play a key role in reforestation programs and ecological restoration initiatives. Having an on-site cooler will significantly enhance distribution logistics and seedling viability.

In addition, the facility will feature, “secure areas to store wildland fire (fighting) equipment, a shop to work on and maintain critical forestry and fire equipment and office space for burn permit writers and an area forester who serves the area,” Carpenter explained.

That area forester will oversee forestry operations in Dickson, Houston, and Humphreys counties, expanding the Division’s localized presence and enabling more immediate response capabilities during wildfires and other forest-related emergencies.

Expanding Capacity for Public Outreach and Training

Another critical component of the new center will be its public-facing educational space, designed to accommodate training sessions, public outreach programs, and staff development workshops.

“Officials say the new facility will also provide meeting space for training, outreach activities and educational events for staff and the public,” the release added. These outreach efforts are particularly important as the state works to educate landowners, students, and community groups about wildfire prevention, sustainable land use, and Tennessee’s changing forest ecosystems.

Delayed Ceremony, Ongoing Commitment

Although a groundbreaking ceremony had been scheduled for April 25 at the construction site on Fire Tower Road in Dickson, it was canceled due to severe weather conditions. Still, officials were quick to confirm that work on the project would continue without delay. “Facility construction will move ahead despite the event cancellation,” they stated in a release.

Carpenter confirmed the event would not be rescheduled but noted, “a ribbon cutting ceremony will be held once construction is complete.”

The original groundbreaking had planned to include State Forester Heather Slayton, Highland Rim District Forester Brian Hughett, Deputy Commissioner Andy Holt, and community partners — along with a guest appearance by Smokey Bear, the iconic symbol of wildfire prevention.

A Strategic Investment in Forest Resilience

The construction timeline projects completion by March 2026, with funding coming from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s capital improvements budget. Officials believe the center will dramatically improve wildfire response coordination and forest regeneration efforts across the region.

By investing in modern infrastructure, the state is not only supporting its forestry staff but also safeguarding public land, private forests, and rural communities from increasingly intense wildfire risks — while boosting reforestation and environmental stewardship for future generations.

Originally reported by Katie Nixon in The Tennesean.