Several groups of TVA employees are extending their professional commitment to environmental stewardship by volunteering their personal time this weekend to work on trail enhancement projects to celebrate National Trail Day, officially commemorated on Saturday.
As part of the 293,000 acres of public land it manages, TVA is responsible for 137 miles of trails. Covering a variety of terrains and difficulty levels, details about each trail can be found on TVA’s website at http://www.tva.gov/river/recreation/dispersed/trail-table_hold.htm
“Maintaining our trail systems is part of the TVA’s daily operations, but many of our team members have a personal passion about ensuring that our natural areas are not only available but easily accessed by the public,” said Tiffany Foster, outreach specialist with TVA’s Natural Resources group. “Our active participation in National Trails Day allows us to combine our efforts with other volunteers across the Valley to encourage everyone to take the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of our area.”
The public is welcome to join any of the five activities planned this weekend:
TVA Whites Creek Small Wild Area Trail, Watts Bar Reservoir
Friday, June 6, 9 a.m. to Noon EDT
TVA Songbird Trail, Norris Dam Reservoir
Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT
TVA Emmitt Tailwater Trail, South Holston Reservoir
Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. to Noon EDT
Leeman Field, Pennington Gap, Virginia
Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT
Raccoon Mountain at the Laurel Point parking area, Nickajack Reservoir Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT
Volunteers are encouraged to bring water, snacks, insect repellent, sun protection, gloves, closed-toe shoes and long pants. Work will be performed over a variety of terrain.
National Trails Day, a registered trademark of the American Hiking Society, is a nationally recognized trail awareness program that occurs annually on the first Saturday of June and inspires the public to discover, learn about, and celebrate trails while participating in outdoor activities, clinics and trail stewardship projects.