Latest news with #TennesseeStateParks
Axios
29-07-2025
- General
- Axios
Tennessee parks expand accessibility with all-terrain wheelchairs, changing tables
Welcome to Day 2 of Tennessee Trailheads: This week, each edition of Axios Nashville will explore a different aspect of the parks where we picnic and play. Subscribe to Axios Nashville here for the next installment. It's not unusual for Chrissy Hood to walk into a bathroom and cry when she sees an adult changing table mounted on the wall. Why it matters: Hood's 22-year-old daughter Alaina has autism, cerebral palsy and other conditions caused by a rare genetic syndrome. Adult changing tables are a necessity for her, and for the Hood family, they have become symbols of independence and dignity. "Everyone deserves dignity," Hood says. When Hood sees a changing table, she says, she knows "I'm not having to lay my daughter down on that dirty, filthy restroom floor and change her." The big picture: Parks officials are working on parallel tracks to boost accessibility under the Access 2030 initiative, which aims to make Tennessee's parks the most accessible in the country. Changes are rolling out quickly. Earlier this year, Tennessee State Parks hired Ryan Jolley as its first-ever accessibility coordinator to oversee the ongoing projects. What she's saying: Hood works for the advocacy group Family Voices of Tennessee and serves on the state's Council on Developmental Disabilities, giving her a bird's-eye view of efforts to improve access to state parks. "What we are doing with our state parks and accessibility has really put Tennessee on the map in a very positive way," she says. "Tennessee is leading the way." State of play: Tennessee state parks have added adult changing tables at a rapid clip. Each new location represents a new opportunity for Alaina and her family. "We're getting to get out and see parts of our state we've never seen, and we're getting to experience our parks and nature," Hood tells Axios. "She's out getting to experience life." Zoom out: Also new at multiple state parks are all-terrain wheelchairs that can navigate trails and give people access to vistas they might have otherwise missed. Some parks have also added wheelchair-accessible canoe and kayak launches. Others have installed special viewfinders that can help people who are colorblind experience the vibrance of fall leaves. By the numbers: The state's fleet now includes more than 60 all-terrain wheelchairs. Hood remembers seeing one of the wheelchairs charging during a recent visit to Red Clay State Historic Park. "I was so excited, because the tires were dirty, and that means it's being used," she says. Reality check: Thirty-five years after the Americans with Disabilities Act passed, barriers are common. Inclusive playgrounds that accommodate children of different abilities, for instance, can be hard to find. "There's no rose-colored glasses on, that's for sure," Jolley says of the work that still needs to be done. He notes that plenty of older buildings and infrastructure across the state's park system are not up to date. Teams conduct assessments to prioritize needs and create improvement schedules. The bottom line: Jolley, who is legally blind, tells Axios his job is to listen to Tennessee residents, identify persisting parks problems and push new measures to solve them.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Some Kingston Springs boat ramps still closed on Harpeth River ahead of Memorial Day weekend
KINGSTON SPRINGS, Tenn. (WKRN) — Some boat ramps along the Harpeth River in Kingston Springs are still closed after severe storms this week. Tennessee State Parks officials are working hard to get them back open before Memorial Day. The National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes touched down in Middle Tennessee during the storms, including two EF0 tornadoes in Clarksville and an EF1 twister in Cumberland County. Those storms dumped several inches of rain on the Volunteer State while powerful wind gusts downed trees and power lines. Bellevue residents report plant pilfering As a result of the rainfall, the Harpeth River crested at 17.02 feet Tuesday, May 20. Now the river is filled with debris, and the water is still too high for safe boating this holiday weekend. Harpeth River State Park managers have put a chain up to block some of the boat ramps off until water falls back below 5 feet. Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More They're also watching the weather over the weekend, as more storms could shut some ramps back down. Park managers say they will continue to monitor the water levels, you can also gauge them yourself, click here. Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Survey opens for future of David Crockett Birthplace State Park
GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Tennessee State Parks officials are asking the public to help shape the future of the David Crockett Birthplace State Park. 'We want Tennesseans to tell us what they would like to see in the rebirth of David Crockett Birthplace, a beloved state park that holds many memories of the beautiful Tennessee outdoors and is a treasured historical site,' Greer Tidwell, deputy commissioner of Conservation at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said in a news release. 'We need visitor feedback on how to best honor the legacy of David Crockett and the park that bears his name.' The online survey will help inform park leadership on the future of the park. According to the release, a master plan for the park has started and the survey is a key step in the process. The survey is open until May 18. The park, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene, has been temporarily closed since September 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
22-04-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
On Earth Day and Every Day The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes Celebrates Youth who are Protecting the Planet
'With all that nature gives us — wisdom, inspiration, connection — it's only right that we give something back,' says T.A. Barron. 'Our Barron Prize young heroes remind me that each of us has the power to be a steward of this Earth, whether by planting a tree, reducing waste, or simply sharing our love of nature with others.' The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, an award that honors inspiring youth across the U.S. and Canada, celebrates young conservationists on Earth Day and all year long. Established in 2001 by author T. A. Barron, the Barron Prize honors outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people or the environment. Barron believes passionately that each of us can and should play a part in protecting the natural world. The Barron Prize celebrates these recent winners who are deeply committed to protecting the planet: Artash Nath created to investigate how human activities affect underwater ocean noise and marine mammals, particularly whales. His system uses data from hydrophones (underwater microphones) to estimate human-caused ocean noise, which disrupts whales' communication and navigation. He aims to aid whale conservation, such as the design of policies to reduce collisions between whales and the world's 80,000 commercial ships. Arya Gurumukhi invented a novel catalyst to improve upon the Bionic Leaf technology, a solar-powered device that mimics photosynthesis to create a highly efficient, alcohol-based fuel from just water, sunlight, and bacteria. She envisions her clean, sustainable energy source as a way to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, mitigate climate change, and reduce energy insecurity. Cash Daniels protects freshwater ecosystems and has removed more than 35,000 pounds of trash from the Tennessee River, the world's most microplastics-polluted river. He has partnered with Tennessee State Parks to place more than 150 fishing line collection bins across the state, protecting waterways and the animals who easily become entangled in the line. Cash funds his collection bins with money earned by recycling aluminum cans – more than three tons of them to date. Elizabeth Djajalie works passionately to protect Alaska's ecosystems and way of life by conducting research to help conserve Pacific salmon. She also leads the student arm of the Alaska Science and Engineering Fair (ASEF), a statewide nonprofit that supports STEM education for Alaska youth. Esther Bonney founded Nurture Natives to protect native plant species. Her nonprofit educates adults and children about the increasing problems non-natives pose to agriculture, pollinators, and homeowners. Her youth-led group hosts plant giveaways across Maryland and has distributed more than 47,000 native seedlings. The group has also planted 2.2 million seeds and donated $24,000 worth of native plants to underprivileged communities. Genshu Price created Bottles4College to recycle cans and bottles, using the proceeds to help students in Hawaii attend college. Over the past three years, his nonprofit has recycled more than 1.5 million cans and bottles, diverting 100,000 pounds of trash from landfills. In 2023, Genshu awarded Hawaii high school seniors his first round of scholarships – nearly $22,000, raised five cents at a time. Nirbhuy Arun & Alexis Nicholson co-founded Kids for Urban Trees and have planted more than 300 trees at schools, parks, and low-income housing complexes in their community. The two friends started their club to address the urban heat effect and to develop young environmental stewards. Varin Sikka invented AirCat, a Direct Air Capture system that removes carbon dioxide from the air on a large scale and holds the potential to significantly mitigate climate change. Varin's system makes use of the world's 300,000 wind turbines that provide renewable energy. For more info visit About the Barron Prize Established in 2001 by author T. A. Barron, the Barron Prize is a national award that annually honors 25 outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment. Fifteen top winners each receive $10,000 to support their service work or higher education. These young people are as diverse as their service projects. They are female and male, urban and rural, and from a wide variety of backgrounds across the U.S. and Canada. All of them demonstrate heroic character qualities like courage, compassion, and perseverance. Through the years, the Barron Prize has earned the support of Girl Scouts of the USA, The Wilderness Society, Youth Service America, and Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots, among other organizations. To learn more about the Barron Prize, visit Media Contact Company Name: CATHY CALLEGARI PUBLIC RELATIONS INC Contact Person: Liz Ammirato Email: Send Email Phone: 914-299-3882 Address:159 Madison Avenue, Apt. 5J City: New York State: NY Country: United States Website: Press Release Distributed by To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: On Earth Day and Every Day The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes Celebrates Youth who are Protecting the Planet
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
David Crockett State Park trail reopening Saturday
LIMESTONE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Nature fans and those alike are gearing up for a big weekend as the Crockett Shoals Overlook Trail opens. David Crockett Birthplace State Park remains closed nearly seven months after Hurricane Helene destroyed much of the park. But that's set to change this weekend with the Crockett Shoals Overlook Trail opening on Saturday. 'I think it's just a sign of hope,' said park ranger Jonathan Chinouth. 'It's a step in the right direction. You know, we're working tirelessly trying to get this park back up and operating again. It's going to be a marathon, not a race. But to just re-open a trail and give a sense of normalcy back to the community, I think it's very important.' Water levels from Helene reached as high as the trail, but there's also a new sign of new life now that the water has receded. 'We are starting to see some regrowth of things like native rivercane,' Chinouth said. 'So we want people to be mindful of that too, you know, watch where they're stepping. Because that kind of plant that's coming back is also hopeful. It's nice that it's native and it will help with bank stabilization. So that's also nice to have.' The 'road to rebirth' as Chinouth called it wasn't done by just the rangers. Community members volunteered their help as well, such as June McQueen who says it was a rewarding experience. 'My first day of volunteering was on this trail as a matter of fact. We scraped all the mud off the trail and the little building down there. Unbelievably, the mud made it that high, incredible,' McQueen said. The trail will have normal operation times from dawn to dusk, but visitors of the park will notice a few different changes. Chinouth says parking will be limited to one hour and there will only be space for five vehicles. 'We feel like, you know, that gives everybody locally here a chance to come out for their daily hikes, for walking their dogs, just getting a workout in or just having a picnic at our two picnic tables here for lunch,' Chinouth said. The park has also partnered with Tennessee Brew Works out of Nashville and Johnson City Brewing Company to release a limited-editiong beer: the David Crockett Birthplace Pilsner. The beer will be in select stores across the state soon and will help benefit the Go Ahead Fund. That fund will help fuel the rebuilding of the park. 'Since this region was impacted, Tennessee Brew Works, which is out of Nashville, they're a brewery that has been working with Tennessee State Parks for a while now,' Chinouth said. 'They created a collaboration beer with Johnson City Brewing and, so, you know, a brewery who knows us and worked with us in the past gets to collaborate with another brewery who's worked with Tennessee State Parks as a whole. So it was it was just kind of the right fit.' As for the rest of the park, there is currently no timetable for reopening. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
