The Nickajack Naturalist

Prater's Mill Nature Loop Gets Grant for Two Viewing Decks

The Chattanoogan

Prater's Mill.                                (Photo: GA Dept. of Economic Development)

Along the banks of Coahulla Creek between 166-year-old Prater’s Mill and Coahulla Creek High School, you never know what kind of wildlife you might see. 

To help visitors enjoy seeing the variety of animals and plants that populate the area, the Prater’s Mill Foundation recently received a $2,938 grant from the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division to build two wildlife viewing platforms along an expanded Coahulla Creek nature loop.

Read more.

Tour the River Towns

TVA news release

                                                                    (Photo: TVA)

Imagine a trail network that captures the natural beauty and unique history of the Tennessee River. A trail that puts you on the water, on a bike, hiking through the shoreline woods and stopping in riverfront communities for a meal at the places the locals frequent.

Welcome to the 652-mile Tennessee RiverLine. From a day trip to a multi-week adventure, the Tennessee RiverLine is an ambitious new campaign with the goal of drawing people to the beauty of the Tennessee Valley region and its river towns, while expanding the many types of activities that can be enjoyed there.  

Read more.

Learn more about the Tennessee RiverTowns Program.

See the Pilot Community Program Report for Bridgeport, AL, one of the 15 currently designated RiverTown communities.   

The Naturalist Afield - 4-11-2021

A weekly roundup of nature-related odds and ends from the region and beyond.

• Celebrate Earth Day on April 22   EarthDay.org

Many important environmental events have happened on Earth Day since 1970, including the recent signing of the Paris Agreement, as Earth Day continues to be a momentous and unifying day each and every year.

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• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Acres for America Seeks Proposals   National Fish & Wildlife Foundation

Acres for America is the NFWF's premier land conservation program and was established to provide urgently needed funding for projects that conserve important large-scale habitats for fish, wildlife, and plants through land acquisitions and perpetual conservation easements.

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• TN's Forest Legacy Program Accepting Applications   TN Dept. of Agriculture

The program currently conserves more than 53,000 acres across Tennessee and is growing. Its mission is to protect environmentally important, working private forestlands at risk of conversion to non-forest uses. 

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• Thrive Regional Partnership Issues 2020 Annual Report   Thrive Regional Partnership

Thrive Regional Partnership inspires responsible growth through conversation, connection, and collaboration across the tri-state greater Chattanooga region.

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• Interior Department Announces National Park Week Celebrating Nation’s Parks and American Heritage   U.S. Dept. of Interior

The Department of the Interior has announced that National Park Week – an annual weeklong celebration of America’s national parks – will run from April 17 to April 25. National Park Week encourages the public to explore the vast network of our national parks, sacred sites, and historical landmarks, as well as our shared heritage contained within them.  

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                                                              (Image: TRCP)

• The Outdoor Industry's Path Forward on Climate   Fred Ferguson - Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Hunting- and fishing-related businesses have helped drive some of the nation's most successful conservation wins, from 2019's reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund to the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts. That's why it should come as no surprise that the outdoor industry stands ready to step up in addressing one of the most pressing challenges we face today: climate change. Towards that end, TRCP shares a guest blog from Vista Outdoor, Inc., a strong corporate partner, on the vision and leadership required to break through partisan gridlock and deliver on the solutions that will make a difference.

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Compiled by Bob Butters

 

 

What to Do When You Find a Baby Animal

By Bess Turner - Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center

A white-tailed deer fawn.                                      (Photo: Tom Stehn/USFWS)

This is one of the busiest times of the year for wildlife rehabilitators, as many well-meaning people find animal babies that they think need help. Most animal babies do not need human intervention and do not benefit from our intrusions. Wild animal mothers are the best caregivers! The most commonly found babies in our neighborhoods are songbirds, eastern gray squirrels, cottontail rabbits, opossums, raccoons, and deer.

What should you do if you find one of these animal babies? 

Read more.

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For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue

For Fox Sake is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center with a special focus on underserved animals, like skunks, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, reptiles, and amphibians. 

NOOGAtoday

 

Lula Lake Land Trust Announces New Trails, New Positions, and the Return of the Lula Laker Race.

Lula Lake Land Trust

                                          (Map: Lula Lake Land Trust)

Learn about new trails being developed, hiring for three new summer positions, the return of the Lula Laker "Mountain Miler" Race, May 15 & 16, and more in the latest Lula Lake Outlook.

The Cumberland Trail, Where Splendor Never Plateaus

By Mark Engler - TRV Stewardship Council

Signal Point marks the southern terminus of the Cumberland Trail.  (Photo: Bob Butters) 

Intrepid hiker and blogger, Mark Engler reflects in his latest blog about the progress of the Cumberland Trail State Park, a planned 300 miles linear footpath. “An indomitable wilderness spirit prevails endlessly along the Cumberland Plateau’s immense, elevated span of jagged cliffs, stone shelves, sheer crags, cascading water and primeval woodlands.” 

Read more.

Trails & Trilliums Opens April 9

Friends of South Cumberland

                                                                             (Image: Friends of South Cumberland)

The 17th Trails & Trilliums on April 9-11, brought to you by the Friends of South Cumberland State Park, offers a chance to enjoy the magnificent beauty of the plateau in its spring glory. Adults can choose from a slate of hikes and presentations on subjects from bats to gardening, from bee keeping to wildflowers. Register online or pay at the door at the DuBose Conference Center. The event will follow the CDC guidelines for masks and social distancing. 

Learn more.

14 Water Trails to Paddle in 2021

By Mark Engler - TRV Stewardship Council

                                                                             (Image: TRV Stewardship Council)

The Tennessee River Valley's sprawling system of "great lakes" is fed not by one, but by numerous great rivers that gather in the rugged highlands of the Appalachian Mountains and Cumberland Plateau. Waterways throughout the region offer ample opportunity for flat water and smooth‐current paddlers to enjoy some of the best scenery, wildlife watching, and multi‐species angling the Eastern United States has to offer.  

 

These fourteen trails are notable day‐floats and extended‐trip paddle courses worth investigating. To plan your trips, always know before you go.

The Naturalist Afield - 4-4-2021

A weekly roundup of nature-related odds and ends from the region and beyond.

                                                                                                               (Image: TRCP)

• The 101 on Nature-Based Solutions   Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

You've heard the term here before, but what exactly is "natural infrastructure?" And how can these projects keep our communities safe, improve climate resilience, and benefit fish and wildlife, all while putting Americans back to work? Check out TRCP's new web resource on this conservation priority.

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• Open Space Institute Hits the Virtual Road to Promote Land Protection   Open Space Institute news release

In a slate of virtual presentations this spring, OSI staff is sharing their knowledge and educating local land trusts, community leaders, and other decision makers on the versatility and cost-effectiveness of land protection as a tool to fight climate change and protect water sources. By translating scientific research into practical guidance, OSI is promoting strategic conservation for carbon absorption, to buffer the impacts of storms on flood-prone communities, and safeguard water quality. 

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• Why Wall Street is Acting on the Climate Crisis   Dominic Rushe - The Guardian

The industry has backed polluters for decades. Now, amid growing pressure, Wall Street says it’s going green.

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• The Facts About the Wood Products Industry, Jobs, and the Rural Economy   Dogwood Alliance

If your community is considering a new wood products company, here are some things to consider
before moving forward.

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• Luxury Treehouses Coming to the Tennessee Valley   Caroline Corrigan - WRCBtv 

South Carolina-based company Bolt Farm Treehouse has purchased a mountaintop property near Whitwell in Marion County to build their signature treehouses and domes. 

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• Chattanooga Gardening Resources and Hacks for Your Home's Garden   Jennifer Bardoner -  Chattanooga Times Free Press

A recent survey reports that 55% of American adults are gardening during the pandemic as a way to stay busy, relieve stress and get closer to their food source.

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Compiled by Bob Butters

Robins and Spring - Plus Bald Eagle News

By Terry W. Johnson - Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources 

American robin.                                                   (Photo: Lee Karney/USFWS)

As far as Georgia winters go, 2020-2021 hasn’t been too bad. But combined with the pandemic, it seemed long and bleak and left us all longing for signs of spring.

Many Americans believe that seeing a flock of robins descend on their backyard is one of those signs. However, those of us who have lived most of our lives in the Peach State realize that’s not the case.

In truth, we are far more likely to see more robins in winter than in spring, summer and fall combined. …

Read Terry’s column to learn more about these seemingly familiar birds.

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American Bald Eagle Population Quadruples Since 2009   U.S. Dept. of the Interior 

View video.

Good news this week for an American icon; a new report from the Fish and Wildlife Service shows the population of the American bald eagle has quadrupled since 2009. Bald eagles once teetered on the brink of extinction, but new estimates show their population in the lower-48 states has increased to well over 300-thousand, with more than 71-thousand nesting pairs. Secretary Haaland applauded the news and said Interior will use all of the tools at its disposal, including key provisions of the Endangered Species Act, to conserve America's natural heritage and strengthen the economy.

Read more.

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Berry College Nest Failure   Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources

The death of an eaglet and a second egg that did not hatch ended the nesting season for eagles followed on Berry College’s popular nest cam.

The adult female, new to the nest and apparently inexperienced at raising young, did not feed the chick regularly and left it uncovered during wet, cold weather. The other egg likely wasn’t viable.

The good news for Berry cam fans: Inexperienced eagles learn from their mistakes raising young. Moms do a better job tearing food into small pieces for eaglets (which can't feed themselves until 5-6 weeks old), balling their feet so talons don’t puncture the eggs and gently maneuvering their feet and bodies around eggs during brooding.

Video: Berry College's Dr. Renee Carleton discusses the live-streamed eagles.