TRV Stewardship Council

In 2010, Geotourism became a new vocabulary word for many of us across the Tennessee River Valley.  While it seemed that the individual partners were  working in disparate silos- conservation, historic preservation,  tourism promotion, agriculture,  and water/land stewardship, but under the definition of tourism……  the collective group was actually working towards a common vision. National Geographic published 13 geotourism principles that have been slightly modified and adopted by our Council as the foundation for the work we do educating our partner agencies, communities, governments, and businesses across the Valley.

1. Integrity of a Place Enhance the geographical character of the destination by developing and improving it in ways distinctive to the locale. Encourage market differentiation and cultural pride in ways that are reflective of natural and cultural heritage.

2. International Codes Adhere to the principles embodied in the World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the principles of the Cultural Tourism Charter established by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

3. Community Involvement Base tourism on community resources to the extent possible, encouraging local small businesses and civic groups to build partnerships to promote and provide a distinctive, honest visitor experience and market their locales effectively. Help businesses develop approaches to tourism that build on the area’s nature, history, and culture, including food and drink, artisanship, performance arts, and the like.

4. Community Benefit Encourage micro- to medium-size enterprises and tourism business strategies that emphasize economic and social benefits to involved communities, especially poverty alleviation, with clear communication of the destination stewardship policies required to maintain those benefits.

5. Tourist Satisfaction Ensure that satisfied, excited geotravelers bring new vacation stories home and send friends off to experience the same thing, thus providing continuing demand for the destination.

6. Conservation of Resources Encourage businesses to minimize water pollution, solid waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and overly bright nighttime lighting. Advertise these measures in a way that attracts the large, environmentally sympathetic tourist market.

7. Protection and Enhancement of Destination Appeal: Encourage the destination to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, aesthetic appeal, and local culture. Prevent degradation by keeping the volume of tourists within maximum acceptable limits. Seek business models that can operate profitably within those limits. Use persuasion, incentives, and legal enforcement as needed.

8. Planning: Recognize and respect immediate economic need without sacrificing long-term character and the geotourism potential of the destination. Adopt public strategies for mitigating practices that are incompatible with geotourism and damaging to the image of the destination.

9. Land Use: Anticipate development pressures and apply techniques to prevent undesired overdevelopment and degradation so as to retain a diversity of natural and scenic environments and ensure continued resident access to waterfronts.

10. Market Diversity: Encourage a full range of appropriate food and lodging facilities, so as to appeal to the entire demographic spectrum of the geotourism market and so maximize economic resiliency over both the short and long term.

11. Interactive Interpretation: Engage both visitors and hosts in learning about the place. Encourage residents to show off the natural and cultural heritage of their communities, so that tourists gain a richer experience and residents develop pride in their locales.

12. Market Selectivity: Encourage growth in tourism market segments most likely to appreciate, respect, and disseminate information about the distinctive assets of the locale.

13. Evaluation: Establish an evaluation process to be conducted on a regular basis by an independent panel representing all stakeholders’ interests, and publicize evaluation results.

SUMMARY:
Explore the soothing waters of the Tennessee River in a canoe, kayak or boat and take in the scenery and unlimited water recreation in the seven-state region.

Knoxville, Tenn. – The Tennessee River Valley Geotourism Mapguide invites visitors to explore the seven-state region and all of its beauty and attractions by traveling the waterways in a canoe, kayak or boat. Lining the waterways are hundreds of scenic areas, wildlife viewing areas and trails to explore, and plenty of marinas, picnic areas, camp sites and other accommodations provide needed services and conveniences. Whether the mode of transportation is human power or fueled by motor, exploring the region on water offers a different view and experience like no other.

Land Between the Lakes , a 170,000-acre playground located in the heart of the Tennessee River Valley, has launched a new regional water trail. Land Between the Lakes Regional Water Trails provide paddlers an opportunity to enjoy an easy float on secluded and pristine waters with views of birds and other wildlife in their natural habitat, interesting rock bluffs and other scenic areas on Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake in Kentucky and Tennessee. On Lake Barkley, this will include water trails from the dam, upstream to, and including, Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge. On Kentucky Lake, this will include water trails from the dam, upstream to, and including the Duck River unit of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. The project will be completed in phases. Phase 1 includes the 300-mile shoreline of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Phases 2 and 3 will encompass approximately 186 miles of Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River and 118 miles of Lake Barkley/Cumberland River. A map and descriptions of water trail access points is available at www.landbetweenthelakes.us/watertrails/.

In Chattanooga, the Tennessee River Blueway starts downstream of the Chickamauga Dam and ends at the Nickajack Dam. This water trail is a 45-mile river journey with multiple access points for flat water canoeing and kayaking and camping sites along the way. The Blueway travels through downtown Chattanooga and the Tennessee River Gorge and is a great day trip or a multi-day expedition.

Tucked into the Cherokee National Forest, the Tellico Blueway is an easy-going float trip that starts in Madisonville, Tenn., and goes for about 11 miles to Vonore, Tenn. The trip consists mostly of flat water and is short enough to paddle in one day. Along the banks of this scenic river, visitors will find the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum and the reconstruction of the original British Fort Loudoun and wildlife enthusiasts will want to keep an eye out for eagle and osprey nests in the trees.

The French Broad River, the third oldest river in the world, begins in North Carolina and flows in Tennessee offering 228 miles of secluded and pristine waters. The French Broad River Blueway is popular among experienced and novice paddlers as well as anglers because of its diverse intensity and scenic beauty throughout the seasons. Whitewater rafting is especially popular through the Cherokee National Forest. There are several camping sites along the French Broad River for those who want to plan a multi-day expedition.

The Alabama Scenic River Trail, suitable for every kind of craft from canoes and kayaks to powerboats, begins in the mountainous terrain of northeastern Alabama, flows through beautiful scenery in nine lakes, through the serenity of the second largest river delta in the United States, through Mobile Bay, ending at historic Ft. Morgan. With 5,300 miles of accessible waterways, it is the longest and most diverse river trail in America where water enthusiasts can experience everything from mountain streams to multi-class whitewater to river delta and the salty waves of the Gulf of Mexico.

Recreational mariners looking for a thrill should check out the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway. Often called the Tenn-Tom, the waterway boasts 10 locks and dams, 17 public ports and terminals, a 175-foot deep cut between the Tombigbee River watershed and the Tennessee River watershed and 234 miles of navigable channel that extends from the Tennessee River to the Tombigbee River connecting major inland ports from Paducah, Ky. to Knoxville, Tenn. It is also part of the Great Loop, a continuous waterway that allows boaters to explore Eastern North America. According to Loopers (those who have experienced the Great Loop), it is the best route to the Gulf of Mexico. Fishing, boating and water activities, camping, hiking picnicking, sightseeing and hunting, the Tenn-Tom Waterway is an outdoor enthusiasts’ paradise with plenty to do and see along the route.

For more information or to discover additional water recreation in the Tennessee River Valley, visit www.exploreTRV.com.