A watercress darter found in Seven Springs, one of only three other locations where these fish are found. All three locations are in Jefferson County.
Seven Springs emerges from the ground onto land owned by Faith Apostolic Church. In its clear, cold waters swims a secret-one that scientists had been in search of for two decades. In 2002, biologists discovered a thriving population of the beautiful watercress darter, a critically endangered fish found only in three other locations in Jefferson County, and nowhere else in the world. Bishop Heron Johnson and other church leaders were eager to protect the rare fish, but had little idea how to begin. And then they met with the Freshwater Land Trust.
Bishop Heron Johnson / Pastor, Faith Apostolic Church
"I think, if you have something this valuable and God-given, something this special, you've got to protect it. But where to begin? Meeting the folks from the Land Trust was a blessing; they came to us with ideas for protecting the water in the creek and the fish that live there. They put together a Memorandum of Understanding that will protect the fish for years to come, while making the whole area around the creek a benefit to our community. Who knew that such a small creature could cause so many great things to happen? Working with the Land Trust, we feel like we found a way for everyone to win: the church, the people in our community and the watercress darter."