NASHVILLE (AP) — More than 4,500 acres of open space in Nashville has been preserved over the past eight years.

This week, Mayor Karl Dean's office announced that 568 acres of open space was added to Beaman Park Nature Center, ensuring that the park will remain the second-largest in Nashville, behind only Warner Parks.

Dean has increased parkland in Davidson County by more than 25 percent since taking office. He has increased greenways in Nashville by 50 percent by adding 40 new miles of trails.

He also has added 14 new parks and undertaken six park expansions.

The recent Beaman Park acquisition expands it from more than 1,600 acres to about 2,200 acres.