Gov. Bill Lee has issued a proclamation declaring September as Conservation Month.
Through Tennessee Serves, each month the Bill and Maria Lee invite Tennesseans to join her efforts to transform the state through service, and the initiative this month will run from September 19-29 as a focus with Tennessee State Parks to join volunteer work events at parks across the state. The volunteer opportunities coincide with National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 28.
Maria Lee will serve in person at events on September 19 at Roane Mountain State Park and September 26 at Johnsonville State Historic Park. At Roane Mountain, volunteers will perform native garden restoration at the historic Miller Farmstead, removing invasive plants along the Doe River and Moonshiners Run Trail.
At Johnsonville, volunteers will board boats and buses to clear trash from the shores of Trace Creek, which was severely impacted by debris from the 2021 Humphreys County Flood.
Tennessee Serves activities at other parks include trail cleanup, garbage pickup and removing invasive species. View all Tennessee Serves and National Public Lands Day events: here.
“From Mountain City to Memphis, Tennessee is blessed with unmatched beauty and rich natural resources, and that’s why we’ve developed a conservation strategy that balances our state’s economic growth with a plan to protect our environment,” Governor Lee said. “Tennesseans are always willing to step up and serve, and this is an excellent opportunity to invest in Tennessee State Parks.”
Volunteers are encouraged to wear clothes suitable for getting dirty or wet and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes. They should also bring work gloves and a reusable water bottle.
National Public Lands Day joins people across the nation in the care and celebration of public lands. From beginnings with one federal agency, two sites and 700 volunteers, National Public Lands Day has grown into the largest single-day volunteer event for public lands. More information on National Public Lands Day here.
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