Tennessee River Valley Celebrates Earth Day
The 50th anniversary of Earth Day is April 22, 2020, and the Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council encourages everyone to appreciate and take care of the environment.
Along with many other organizations and people across the world, the Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council will honor the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020. This annual event marks a calendar date for mankind to reaffirm its commitment to respecting the interconnected systems of the world and to have the resolve to help protect the earth for future generations.
To mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council will:
Reaffirm its mission to further the goals of geotourism by educating travelers, communities and decision makers on the benefits of geotourism principles,
Reaffirm its partnerships with agencies that work to preserve and protect the waterways and public lands through their projects and research,
Continue to showcase the natural, cultural and historic attractions that are authentic to the Tennessee River and encourage people to be geotourists.
Today, mankind is challenged with unpredictable and widely fluctuating weather patterns amid an interconnected world that has led to a global pandemic and deepening recession. The Tennessee River Valley was a witness to the destructive forces of nature during April 2020. Violent spring storms brought flooding and tornadoes across portions of Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and North Georgia. The destruction left behind is an indelible reminder that mankind must be stewards of the lands and waters that they are entrusted with, and that climate has a profound effect on human life.
Less than one hundred years ago, the Tennessee River Valley and the Nation were facing similar human suffering. The Great Depression was taking a toll on the lives of families, small businesses and farmers. The land was scarred with erosion caused by over logging, poor farming practices and repeated flooding. Unemployment was rampant and people struggled to secure basic human needs such as food and housing. It would only be forty years later that pollution of rivers and streams from industrial run-off and inattention were causing health issues for many communities. For many, water was unsafe to drink. Earth Day was launched to raise awareness of how the condition of the environment negatively impacts people’s lives.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council is excited to share this video clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veXTxl0Moy4 with the world, to not only celebrate the beauty of the Tennessee River Valley but to remind of what can be lost without an affirmation to steward the lands and waters that so many call home.
ExploreTRV Mapguide Migration to Elebase Platform Completed
The TRV Stewardship Council leadership has announced that the planned system migration to the Elebase platform was completed on March 26, 2020. The new platform is a cloud based system with greater geospatial mapping and end user applications.
For current contributors, passwords will need to be updated during the login process. If you need assistance, please contact Angie: angiepierce2@charter.net
Additional features in the system will be rolled out over the next six months. These include the ability to package trips, and to offer discounts, and blogging.
Great American Clean-Up on the Tennessee River
Communities and organizations up and down the Tennessee River will be hosting river events during the 2020 Great American Clean-Up, which runs from March 19 through the end of June. This event is the largest organized community improvement event in the nation, serving towns, parks, and now rivers. We are proud that our river has the first river based KAB affiliate, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful in the US.
The Tennessee River Valley watershed is made up of forty six reservoirs and thousands of miles of shorelines, streams, and rivers. From headwaters to tailwaters, keeping the waterways healthy and free of unsightly litter takes a huge volunteer effort. The net impact of these efforts is protecting the habitats of native species, while enhancing recreational opportunities on the river for locals and visitors.
Want to get involved in a waterway clean-up? There are many events already scheduled needing volunteers:
Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful: Each year, the non-profit organization partners with Living Lands and Waters to host a “Grand Slam Clean Up.” This year, events are scheduled for Pickwick Lake, Kentucky Lake at Land Between the Lakes, Chickamauga Lake in Dayton, TN and the Clinch River in Oak Ridge.
Keep Athens-Limestone (AL) Beautiful annually hosts a Trash Attack and Waterway Clean-up to help keep the shorelines of the Tennessee and Elk Rivers clean, along with the roadways. Blowing trash from roadways is one of the largest contributors to waterway trash issues. Athens-Limestone litter coordinator, Lynne invites paddlers to experience the beauty of their blueways and to help the organization by practicing Leave No Trace principles while on the river and at the boat launches.
Keep Cocke County (TN) Beautiful was well represented at the State of Tennessee kick-off for the Great American Clean-up. Cocke County’s Sheriff Armando Fontes provided the keynote speech to the Tennessee KAB affiliates. Sheriff Fontes’s presentation included the 3 “e’s” of litter prevention- Engage, Educate, and Enforce. Keep Cocke County Beautiful will be working on both Douglas Lake and the Pigeon River in March and April respectively.
Sometimes groups come together organically. Two examples are the Cherokee Lake Users Group and the Norris Lake Project. Both of these organizations are grass roots organizations that bring together volunteers who are invested in caring for their lakes. Each group have events scheduled in March.
Of course, the other hero of the Tennessee River is TVA. Charged with a mission in 1933 to be good stewards of the lands and waters entrusted to them, TVA has been a tireless partner with grassroots organizations such as the above listed projects across the Valley. Without their generous support, the capacity of these groups would be lessened.
If you live, play, or work along the river, you already know that trash has a negative impact on the beauty of that community. Be a voluntourist. Explore, Engage, Act. #DoBeautifulThings. #TVAFun.
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