Protecting Native Habitats
The principles of Geotourism seek to protect and enhance destination appeal, which sometimes seem to be contrary goals. As more people explore the region, the waterways and forest lands face the risk of infestation from nonnative plants or species that can be introduced by boaters and hikers from their tents, shoes, and gear that may be carrying seeds or other organisms. Well-meaning businesses, homeowners, and agencies also contribute by planting nonnative ornamentals that can choke out the native species which serve as important habitat for wildlife.
Sometimes these nonnative plantings date back hundreds of years. It is not uncommon while hiking backcountry trails to see flowering bulbs or Yucca plants signifying the location of pioneer homesteads. European settlers often brought plantings from their homelands to the frontier. While these plants add to the heritage interpretation of the land, other plants such as honeysuckle, privet, and stiltgrass spread rapidly and can overtake native tree survival; a potential threat to the future of the forests.
Recreational boating and fishing are also impacted by the spread nonnative species. The Tennessee River system has experienced areas clogged with hydrilla or infested with zebra mussels. Most recently, portions of the Tennessee River have been invaded by several species of carp including the infamous “jumping” Asian Carp. The pressure to keep these invaders from crowding out spawning areas and food sources is an ongoing battle being managed by private and public agencies.
The appeal of the Tennessee River Valley is the incredible beauty, recreation, and heritage of the region. Managing the ecosystem is an ongoing effort. We applaud the work of the businesses and public agencies that educate visitors about simple ways to protect the watershed from spreading invasives.
Partnering to Keep Cigarette Butts out of the River
Cigarette butts are one of the most common types of litter found tossed alongside shorelines and roadways, ultimately ending up in the waterways. TRVSC is an engaged partner with the Keep America affiliates across the Valley in educating visitors and users of the river about conservation and good stewardship practices. One such project that TRVSC is involved with is a partnership with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful (KTRB) in promoting the installation of cigarette receptacles at marinas and boat ramps. These receptacles are not only useful for reminding smokers to properly dispose of butts, but also serve as a PSA of the consequences of cigarette litter in river with the colorful wrap art on each unit. KTRB offers free receptacles at no cost to owners of public spaces (marinas, restaurants, campgrounds, parks on the waterways). This is also part of a free recycling program, in which packaging is provided for the cigarette butts to be recycled for their plastic fibers. All is required is for property owners to install and maintain the receptacles. Anyone interested may submit a request for the receptacles at www.KeepTNRiverBeautiful.org/cigarettelitter
National Recreation and Park Association recently hosted a podcast featuring Missy Marshall, Executive Director of Keep TN Beautiful, KAB Training Director, Edmund McDavis III, and Kathleen Gibi, Executive Director KTRB as they discuss the program. To listen and learn more about this program, click here.
Recollecting the Awe of Apollo 11
For most of us watching Neil Armstrong take those first steps on the moon, the awe of safely sending a man to the moon and back was mind boggling. Those first steps were mostly seen by the public in grainy shades of grey on cathode ray tube televisions. It was unimaginable that men could be traveling through space to explore another frontier. It was also unimaginable that the technology that brought the Saturn V to the moon would be adapted for consumer use in a short span of five decades.
Marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing on July 20, 2019 is a reminder that great moments in history are made up of a rich tapestry of people working together for a collective goal. For two decades, the Space Race dominated popular culture. For the City of Huntsville, the event had a personal face of neighbors who worked at the George Marshall C Space Flight Center and Redstone Arsenal where the Saturn V rocket was designed and built.
For TVA, it was the responsibility of overcoming a failed lock on Wheeler Dam to build a one mile bypass for the 363 foot, 75 ton rocket’s delivery to Cape Canaveral in time for fall testing. The original plan had been to ship the rocket on barge along the river systems on the 2200 mile journey, but with damage to the lock, an alternative plan was needed. With expediency, the TVA partnered with local agencies to design and build a road that had terminals to park transfer barges to load and reload the rocket. The urgency was to keep the space mission on schedule for testing and the ultimate launch date.
While the Apollo mission was born out of the Space Race and Cold War, this author prefers to remember a moment when the whole world was collectively holding their breath in wonder and awe at this achievement of mankind.
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