June 2023

Located near the Alabama/Tennessee border is what’s known to be the Grand Canyon of the South. The 12,510 acres of mountainous and wooded terrain hosts caves, springs, steep, rocky bluffs and portions of the headwaters of the Paint Rock River.  Read more. Amanda Mills – Tennessee River Valley Geotourism (Photo: Amanda Mills)

Motus is an international collaborative network that uses radio telemetry towers to track bird movements. The towers receive signals from radio tags placed on birds, bats, and even insects whenever they fly within a certain proximity of a tower. The Tennessee River Gorge Trust bird research team has installed the first Motus tower in the

Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and the Parks and Outdoors Department have released the 2023 Parks and Outdoors Plan  — the first one in 25 years. The plan will be guided by the vision of turning Chattanooga into a “city in a park,” where residents and tourists have access to green spaces and recreational facilities that are

TennGreen Land Conservancy has reached a historic milestone: protecting over 50,000 acres of land across Tennessee and the Mid-South! This includes the creation or expansion some of Tennessee’s most famous parks and natural areas, including Virgin Falls State Natural Area, Rock Island State Park, South Cumberland State Park, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Justin P.

The Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors Department has sourced out a different method for landscaping with the help of goats. The department announced the goats would be used to restore the area known as the “Pump Track” on Spears Avenue at the Stringers Ridge trailhead. The area is used for mountain biking with trails, and the city hopes

A total of 48 volunteers helped to remove 8,430 lbs. of trash over the weekend of June 9 and 10 in Soddy Daisy in a two-part cleanup series that Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful hosted, called “Chickamauga Lake Cleanup Weekend presented by iSustain.” The totals pulled at this cleanup series have now put KTNRB at

In Chattanooga, the 12-mile South Chickamauga Creek Greenway gives thousands of residents a sustainable way to commute to work, as well as new recreational access. Trust for Public Land led the effort for more than 20 years to secure the lands to create this critical pathway that connects multiple communities. Have a look. Lisa W.

Join the Tennessee River Gorge Trust for an opportunity to tour the new Aetna Mountain Trails! Participants get to walk the trail and talk with the trail crew about the trail design. Come see the progress and share your vision for the trail’s features with the team! Learn more. Tennessee River Gorge Trust (Image: TRGT)

Projects featured in the report include the Piney River Bluffs on the Cumberland Trail, Thrive Regional Partnerships’ Resilient Communities Initiative, and more. As you read this annual report, OSI hopes you see yourself in its people and stories. Each story reflects the power of smart, committed people working together to protect our environment—power that YOU share with

After a few years away due to COVID, the Land Trust Alliance’s Southeast Land Conservation Conference returned in 2023 to energize and educate the conservation community across the region once again. Staff and board members from land trusts and other conservation organizations converged on Chattanooga, Tenn., April 26-28 to share knowledge and reconnect with friends and colleagues.