The Nickajack Naturalist

The Naturalist Afield - 10-31-2021

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

                                            (Photo: Dogwood Alliance)

• 5 Alternatives to Logging for Landowners   Sam Davis - Dogwood Alliance

Forests play a vital role in protecting us and our environment, especially against global warming. In the US South, around 90% of forests are privately owned. Encouraging land retention and conservation is one way to stop climate change. Here are 5 alternatives to logging that help landowners keep their trees standing while still generating revenue.

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• Birds Flocked to Cities During COVID   Scott Nueman - NPR

"Anthropause" is a word scientists have coined to describe the scaling back of human activity since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While it's probably safe to say most people have found it uncomfortably restrictive, a newly published study suggests the pandemic has allowed many bird species to stretch their wings.

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• Help Wanted: New Outdoor Industry Job Board Launches in North Carolina   Shannon McGowan - Blue Ridge Outdoors 

This month the Outdoor Gear Builders of WNC announced the launch of their new WNC Outdoor Industry Job Board. The goal of the site is to help regional companies in the outdoor industry connect with qualified potential employees.

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• White Oak Trees Need Your Help  Wayne Clatterbuck, UT Extension forester - The Chattanoogan

The white oak is a keystone tree species in Tennessee for both wildlife and wood products, but experts are concerned about the long-term sustainability of white oak considering the regeneration difficulties associated with the species. The White Oak Initiative in Tennessee is a joint project of the Tennessee Division of Forestry, the Tennessee Forestry Association and University of Tennessee Extension.

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                                                            (Image: US DOI)

• Bat Week 2021: Celebrating the Role of Bats in Nature   US Dept. of Interior

October 24-31 is Bat Week 2021, our annual celebration of the role of bats in nature and all that these amazing creatures do for us. Just like birds and butterflies, bats are great pollinators, but where they really excel is pest control...our unsung heroes of the night can eat their body weight or more in insects, thus protecting our crops.  

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Compiled by Bob Butters

 

Driving Tips for Preventing Deer Car Collisions

Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources

                                                                                        (Photo: Bill Thompson/USFWS)

Watch out for deer on and near roads during the fall season. Why during fall? This time of year is peak deer activity season, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

“Motorists should be alert and pay close attention to roadsides as we are nearing the annual peak time of year for deer movement,” said Charlie Killmaster, state deer biologist with DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division.

Read more.

A Report from the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy

North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy

                                                                                                                  (Photo: NCCC)

For an update of the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy’s efforts during the course of 2021, read the NCCC Fall 2021 Newsletter.

Tennessee RiverLine - One Million Strong and Growing

Tennessee RiverLine

 

(Oct. 22, 2021)  We’re excited to announce the 2022 cohort of the Tennessee RiverTowns Program. We will welcome Chattanooga, Meigs County, Perry County and Spring City, TN, and Jackson County, AL, to the Tennessee RiverTowns Program.

 

Their enrollment represents sustained momentum and shared belief in the Tennessee RiverLine vision and the benefits it promises, bringing the total number of communities enrolled in the program to 20. These 20 communities include 46 cities and counties, home to more than 1 million people in four states. Together, they are beating heart of the Tennessee RiverLine: centers of energy, enthusiasm and aspiration that will help make this transformative vision a reality. 

 

This milestone would not be possible without the vision, confidence and support of our principal partners, UT Knoxville and Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee RiverLine Partnership, our staff and YOU! For your support and enthusiasm, we are beyond grateful. The Tennessee RiverLine is indeed a demonstration of what we can accomplish together that no one can do alone.  

 

Today, let us pause to celebrate. Tomorrow, we continue our shared journey to realize North America’s next great regional trail system.

 

Brad Collett

Director, Tennessee RiverLine

Associate Professor, UT Department of Plant Sciences

Faculty, UT School of Landscape Architecture

 

Read more about the 2022 Tennessee RiverTowns Cohort

 

Learn about Tennessee RiverTowns Program

Attend an upcoming Tennessee RiverTowns Program event

Read about our Principal Partners, UT and TVA

Learn more about the Tennessee RiverLine, North America's Next Great Regional Trail.

 

 

Tennessee River Gorge Trust: On the Move

Day Fire Podcast

                                         (Image: Day Fire Podcast)

Recently, the Day Fire Podcast crew talked with Rick Huffines and Eliot Berz of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust. The Trust, founded in 1981 —later incorporated in 1986 — is the perfect example of what can happen when a small group of thoughtful citizens come together to change their community for the better. 

Read more and listen in.

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What is the Tennessee River Gorge Trust?   Brianna Williams - NOOGAtoday

You’ve likely heard of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, but have you ever wondered what the trust does, exactly?

NOOGAtoday staff recently took a boat adventure with the nonprofit — on the Tennessee River Gorge, of course — to learn a bit more about what it does and how you can get involved.

Read more.

Tennessee State Parks To Hold Job Fairs for New Lodge at Fall Creek Falls State Park

Tennessee State Parks news release

Tennessee State Parks is hosting a job fair on Friday, Oct. 29 and Friday, Nov. 5 for a variety of positions at the new Lodge Fall Creek Falls, which is nearing completion. The event will be at the lodge beginning each of those days at 9 a.m., and interviews will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Read more.

 

The Naturalist Afield - 10-24-2021

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

DeRonda Hubbard, the Aquarium’s Visitor Services Manager, presented the family with a special gift package and gave them a behind-the-scenes tour.

(Photo: Todd Stailey / Tennessee Aquarium)

• 26 Million and Counting: Visitor Milestone Arrives as Tennessee Aquarium Approaches 30th Anniversary   Thom Benson - The Chattanoogan

The Tennessee Aquarium is swimming, flapping and hopping ever closer to its 30th  anniversary, but in the meantime, there’s another important moment to celebrate in its storied history on the Chattanooga riverfront. Recently, Aquarium staff were delighted to welcome the 26-millionth guest to visit since the doors of the River Journey building opened on May 1, 1992.

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(Photo: Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center)

• American Chestnuts are Making a Comeback   Jacob Fenston - NPR

Once called “the redwood of the east,” the American chestnut was wiped out by blight a century ago. Today, modern science and dedicated volunteers are hoping to help it make a comeback. Blight killed the trees above the trunk, but the root systems live on, and some are still sprouting new growth.  Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center 

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• Wildlife Nation is here!   Defenders of Wildlife

Through the expertise of biologist and conservationist Jeff Corwin and Defenders of wildlife, this new weekly series features amazing animals and conservation heroes from across North America. Episodes air every weekend on ABC stations nationwide.

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• USDA Launches First Phase of Soil Carbon Monitoring Efforts Through CRP Initiative   USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $10 million in a new initiative to sample, measure, and monitor soil carbon on Conservation Reserve Program acres to better quantify the climate outcomes of the program. 

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• Conservation Groups Urge Biden to Boost Existing Programs for 30 by 30 Initiative   Christine Peterson - Outdoor Life

Much like the rest of the world, the U.S. is losing open spaces at an alarming rate, with some estimates showing we lose a football field-sized chunk of natural land every 30 seconds. Our nation is also rapidly losing native animals. More than 50 hunting and fishing organizations recently sent recommendations to President Joe Biden on how to turn it around, a response to Biden’s call to conserve 30 percent of the nation’s land and water by 2030 as part of his recent America the Beautiful initiative.

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Compiled by Bob Butters

Deer Gun Season

                                             (Art: Tom Kelley/USFWS)

While, if you're a hiker or other outdoor recreationalist, you probably should be aware of hunting seasons, it's especially true of deer gun season, due to the high-powered rifles used in that sport. The following deer guns seasons are scheduled in and near the South Cumberland region:

• Tennessee - November 20, 2021 - January 2, 2022. Plus, Young Sportsman hunts October, 30 & 31 and January 8 & 9.
• Alabama - November 20, 2021 - February 10, 2022.
• Georgia - October 16, 2021 - January 9, 2022.

 

• Prentice Cooper State Forest and Wildlife Management Area will be holding managed deer hunts on the following dates. [On these dates the area west of state highway 27 (Suck Creek Road) will be closed to all visitors except licensed hunters. The area east of state highway 27, Edward’s point, will remain open to visitors.] 
• October 28 - 30, 23 - 24
• November 5 - 7, 27 - 30
• December 1 - 2 

TN Div. of Forestry

Links for more information:

• Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
• Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources
• Alabama Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources

 

A Wildlife Haven For People And Pollinators, Fairy Trail Garden Opens on Lookout Mountain

The Chattanoogan

"Fairy Trail Garden is an inviting pollinator and wildlife haven that beckons to each of us to slow down, look deeply into the natural world around us and let nature work her magic," officials said. "A meandering woodland trail, peaceful seating and an airy garden of native sun, shade, meadow and woodland perennials draw residents in for a visit."

Read more. 

Four Under-the-Radar Fall Escapes in the South

Mike Bezemek - Blue Ridge Outdoors

Lula Falls.                                                                 (Photo: Lula Lake Land Trust)

Here are four under-the-radar destinations in the region worth exploring for your fall adventures:

• Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Tennessee & Kentucky
• Talladega National Forest, Alabama
• Bladen County, North Carolina
• Lookout Mountain and Chattanooga, Tennessee & Georgia

Read more.