Volunteer organizations, Norris Lake Project and the Hancock
Biological Center in partnership with the Kentucky Waterways
Alliance have scheduled clean-up events for September to help clear
trash from the lakes shorelines and to educate volunteers about
sustainability principles for the waterways.
NORRIS,
Tenn., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With
hundreds of thousands of acres of land and water, stewarding the
Tennessee River Valley takes the intentional cooperation of
agencies such as non-profit organizations, TVA, visitors, and
communities along the waterways. Visitors are finding beauty and
serenity in isolated and less trafficked destinations, but with the
increased visitations, human trash, and trail damage has also
increased, spoiling these previously pristine locations. The remote
nature of the trails, waterfalls, and vistas means that "trail
fairies" cannot keep up with careless people who leave bottles,
cans, food wrappers, and human waste along the trails. Not only
does trash contaminate the beauty of the scenery, but it also has a
destructive impact on native habits. Going off-trail, damages trail
pathways and increases potential erosion and run-off.
If every hiker, biker, and boater would
step up as waterway stewards, then the Tennessee River Valley
watershed would be building towards a sustainable destination for
recreation, community drinking water, and animal habitat.
The TRV Stewardship Council routinely practices and promotes the
principles of Outdoor Ethics and Leave No Trace. We ask people to
practice the R's of "Tread Lightly" while hiking, biking, or
hunting. Always pack out what you pack in.
In the upcoming weeks, trail partners and waterway stewards will
be volunteering at scheduled events across the Valley. Two of these
are volunteer groups that have made significant contributions to
their respective watersheds.
On September 14, 2024, the Hancock
Biological Center teams up with the Kentucky Waterways Alliance for
a clean-up day on Kentucky Lake shorelines. The event will include
a fish fry lunch sponsored by long-time river volunteer and
champion, Captain Bob Cherry. In
2022, Captain Bob made a generous donation to Hancock Biological to
help them continue their work with protecting and conserving the
river. Kentucky Lake not only serves as a main transportation
route, but is home to protected cultural areas and sensitive
aquatic habitats. The center serves as a base for research and
field learning opportunities.
On the eastern side of the Valley, the Norris Lake Project will
be hosting a volunteer service day on September 21. The Norris Lake Project team, an
all-volunteer organization has been hosting events for almost
twenty consecutive years and has removed over one million pounds of
debris from the shorelines. Each year, the group hosts a fall
clean-up to pick up litter from camping islands and the debris
blown into the water from roadways, private docks, and boats. A
special clean-up is held annually in August for incoming
University of Tennessee students to
learn about sustainable practices on the lake and the dam's
history. Norris Lake is one of the
most popular recreational lakes on the Tennessee River system. It
is also the first dam built for purpose by the newly formed
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The dam's history covers some of
the most significant historical events in America.
Norris Lake Project organizer Julie
Graham said "If every hiker, biker, and boater would step up
as waterway stewards, then the Tennessee River Valley watershed
would be building towards a sustainable destination for recreation,
community drinking water, and animal habitat. Join our cause in
stewarding the Valley."
The TRV Stewardship Council is the largest regionally focused
nonprofit in the American South promoting community-driven resource
conservation, locally sourced business development and the
principles of geotourism.
Media Contact
Julie
Graham, TRV Stewardship Council, 8655850811,
exploretrv@gmail.com, https://www.trvstewardshipcouncil.org/
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/stewarding-the-tennessee-river-valley--it-takes-all-hands-on-deck-302222190.html
SOURCE TRV Stewardship Council