The Nickajack Naturalist

Neighborhood Nature News -- 6-27-2012

Headlines from around the South Cumberland region.

$2.3 Million Grant Awarded for Tennessee Riverwalk Extension

  The Tennessee Riverwalk is on the list of projects chosen by the United States Department of the Interior's Great Outdoors Initiative to receive federal funds aimed at "reconnecting Americans to the natural world".      Read more.

Update on Falcon Released at Rock City

  A peregrine falcon released at Rock City June 18 remains in the area as handlers work to wean the rare bird from food they provide as it learns to hunt food on its own.      Read more. 

Neighborhood Nature News -- 6-19-2012

Headlines from around the South Cumberland region.

 

State Extends Public Cave Closures Into 4th Year to Protect Bats in Southeast

  Caves located on state lands in Tennessee will remain closed in an effort to slow the spread of White Nose Syndrome among the state's bat population.    Read more.

Rare Peregrine Falcon Released at Rock city

  A male peregrine falcon was rescued from a nest in Atlanta and released into the wild at Rock City.

  Read more. 

TDOT Forms New Environmental Advisory Council

  Tennessee  Dept. of Transportation Commissioner John Shroer announced the formation of a new Environmental Advisory Council for the department.    Read more.

Chattanooga Trail Race Inspired by Swiss Adventure

  Randy and Kris Whorton, of Wild Trails, founded the Mountain Stage Race, which took place last weekend on trails in the Chattanooga area.    Read more.

Wildlife Rehabilitator Offers Critical Care to Birds of Prey

  Alix Parks, a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator and raptor specialist, cares for birds of prey at her home on Signal Mountain.    Read more.    

Cave Divers Explore Jasper Blue Hole

  The town of Jasper, TN draws water from a spring at the foot of Jasper Mountain known as the Jasper Blue Hole.  Recently, cave divers have explored a distance of 6,000 feet back under the mountain, leading to speculation that this may be the longest underwater cave in Tennessee. The team has sent off specimens of several cave dwelling species, such as amphipods, to experts for identification.

  Click here to see a couple of short videos of the cave.

  Click here to read about earlier dives at the Blue Hole in the January issue of Underwater Speleology.  Scroll down to page 12 for Notes From the Field: Fall 2011 by Jason Richards.

  This is all quite exciting.  I'm very curious as to what the implications, if any, of this discovery might be, and hope to learn more soon.

Bob Butters