CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Our locals and visitors alike take pride in the quality of the water here in Haywood County NC. The agriculture, flora/fauna, wildlife, breweries and more all rely on the quality of our water. Haywood County holds something very precious and rare - water that comes directly from our mountains and nowhere else. We are the only county east of the Mississippi River with headwaters that originate within our county lines. The activity of our community impacts other regions downstream and as award winning author Wendell Berry once said, “Do unto those downstream as you would have those upstream do unto you.” I feel it is our responsibility and duty to safeguard our waterways.

This is why the Tennessee River Gorge Trust's work is necessary. WAYS TO SUPPORT THE TRUST: Join us at our "Not JUST Another Gorgeous Evening" Dinner on June 5th. More info here: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e972cxu8ed8551ed&llr=9gky79cab Find all the ways to explore the Gorge here: http://www.trgt.org/explore If you'd like to volunteer, fill out this form: http://trgt.org/www/docs/136/volunteer And, of course, we always greatly appreciate your donations: http://www.trgt.org/donate (A huge thanks to the guys at http://www.jaopro.com for donating their time and talents to produce this video!)

If you don’t know what a riparian zone is, you’re not alone. Come along with the crew of Tennessee Uncharted and host Erick Baker as we learn about this vital buffer and filter for our natural waterways, and how TWRA and other state agencies work with private landowners to improve the health of their riparian zones. Erick does a little shovel work while we learn about measures to protect saplings while refurbishing bare riparian zones, which can allow sediment, fertilizers and animal waste to run directly into our streams with rain runoff. TWRA, TVA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency and The Nature Conservancy come together to help incentivize the repair of riparian zones for private landowners with grant programs and management plans. Then, it’s off to class for Erick and the crew as they visit students of The University of Tennessee’s Institute of Agriculture in their watery, outdoor classroom, where we learn more about the reliance of stream ecology on robust riparian zones. We make one more stop to view the devastation left behind by arsons in a series of wildfires. TWRA helps maintain the health and growth of our national forests with revenue from hunting licenses. They plan to use this spring as a time to start fresh, regenerate and replant. It’s the first step to regaining the beauty and lush ecology of our area’s vast forests. Like our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tnvalleyuncharted/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tnvalleyuncharted/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tvuncharted Head over to the TVU website: https://www.tnuncharted.com/

Kids in the Creek was created by the Tennessee Valley Authority and brought to Haywood County in 1997. The purpose is to expose 8th grade students to hands-on activities that raise awareness of the importance of clean water and the issues that could degrade water quality. The students rotate among four stations: the EnviroScape watershed model, water chemistry, fish, and benthic macroinvertebrates. At the fish station, the students collect data for a classroom exercise that ties everything together. Approximately 700 students participate each year and it is consistently rates as one of their most memorable experiences of the school year. The teachers also find it to be a valuable teaching tool.

This video was produced and edited by Eric Turner. Videographer, Lynn Turner. Associate Producer Brian Ivey, Director of Photography, Chris Bartol. Motion Graphics, Caio Caldas. Music, Benji Jackson, Aerial Videography, Decker Campbell