Nancy Manning<\/span> Environmental impacts following a hurricane (1)<\/p>\n Hurricanes can lead to the release of hazardous materials from sewage treatment plants and agricultural runoff, contaminating water, soil, and air.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/media-video><\/div>\n Sept. 5-6 at\u00a0the\u00a0Lilly Pad\u00a0in Lancing, TN<\/em><\/p>\n “Reclaim the Ridge,” a weekend of music, nature, and action to raise awareness and funds in opposition to\u00a0Enbridge’s\u00a0proposed Ridgeline\u00a0gas pipeline \u2212 set to slice across 122 miles of Tennessee and make 162 waterway cuts through tributaries of the Obed Wild and Scenic River. Gather at the\u00a0Lilly Pad\u00a0Hopyard Brewery<\/a>\u00a0for live music by The Local Honeys, camping, hiking, swimming, and even art-making! It all kicks off Friday evening and\u00a0runs into Saturday. More details and music lineup coming soon. The Festival is organized by\u00a0Ridgeline Voices<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0SAGE TN<\/a>,\u00a0two grassroots community groups working to protect Tennessee from the proposed Ridgeline gas pipeline,\u00a0along with TCWP and other partner organizations. For additional information, contact Nancy Manning at nancymanning@twp.org<\/a> or 605-863-0619.\u00a0<\/p>\n Get free tickets here: https:\/\/tcwp.org\/event\/reclaim-the-ridge-music-nature-action-tennessee\/<\/a><\/p>\n Saturday, Sept. 6<\/em><\/p>\n This joint outing for Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning (TCWP) and the Tennessee Native Plant Society (TNPS) will be a rerun of the best powerline fall wildflower show. Hopefully some of the bog orchids will still be in flower, but mostly it will be goldenrods and asters. Meet for carpooling in Oak Ridge at the Gold\u2019s Gym\/Books-A-Million parking lot (at the end close to S. Illinois Avenue, near Salsarita\u2019s) in time to leave at 8:45 a.m. Eastern, or meet the group at the Shell station on the south side of the I-40 Peavine Road exit in Crossville at 9 a.m. Central, 10 a.m. Eastern.<\/p>\n We will walk on flattish ATV roads, with a short outing into a boggy area. Total walking distance will be about 2 miles. The road in is a little rough, but quite drivable for most vehicles. Heat may be a problem, but we will be close to our cars and thus air conditioning. Bring water, a lunch, and bug spray.<\/p>\n To sign up:\u00a0 https:\/\/tcwp.org\/event\/fall-wildflower-outing-tcwp-tnps\/<\/a><\/p>\n Larry Pounds will lead the outing. If you RSVP, it helps with planning and allows contacting in case of cancellation. Contact Larry at 865-705-8516 or PoundsL471@aol.com.<\/p>\n Saturday, Sept. 13<\/em><\/p>\n This is another joint outing for TCWP and TNPS. The trail runs along the top of bluffs that lead to the confluence of the Obed River and Clear Creek. There are a lot of fun wildflowers out on the bluffs, as well as beautiful views of the river.<\/p>\n We will meet for carpooling in Oak Ridge at the Gold\u2019s Gym\/Books-A-Million parking lot (at the end close to S. Illinois Avenue, near Salsarita\u2019s) in time to leave at 8:45 a.m. Eastern, or you can meet the group in the parking lot at the trailhead for Lilly Bluff Overlook and The Point (920 Ridge Road, Lancing, TN 37770) at 10 a.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. Central. The trail (3.8 miles round trip) is moderate, with some strenuous spots. Bring water, a lunch, and bug spray.<\/p>\n To Sign up: <\/strong>https:\/\/tcwp.org\/event\/obed-river-bluff-trail-outing-nature-oakridge\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Margaret Cumberland will lead the outing. If you RSVP, it helps with planning and allows contacting in case of cancellation. Contact Margaret at 919-339-0072 or meshearin@gmail.com.<\/p>\n Saturday, Sept. 20\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n This will be the second of our three annual workdays at the Oak Ridge Cedar Barrens. Located next to Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, the barrens is a joint project of the City of Oak Ridge, the State Natural Areas Division, and TCWP. One of just a few cedar barrens in East Tennessee, the area is subject to invasion by Chinese lespedeza, Japanese privet, autumn olive, mimosa, Nepal grass, multiflora rose, and woody plants that threaten the system\u2019s prairie grasses. Our spring, summer, and fall cleanups help to eliminate invasives and other shade-producing plants that prevent the prairie grasses from getting needed sun. The late-summer workday is optimum for viewing prairie wildflowers that flourish at the barrens.<\/p>\n To Sign up: <\/strong>https:\/\/tcwp.org\/event\/oak-ridge-cedar-barrens-workday\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Volunteers should meet in the Jefferson Middle School parking lot at 9 a.m.; wear sturdy shoes, and bring loppers, gloves, and water. A pizza lunch will be provided. For additional information, contact Jimmy Groton at 865-805-9908 or groton87@comcast.net.<\/p>\n Saturday, Sept. 27\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n TCWP and TVA will partner again for the annual National Public Lands Day celebration, to be held at TVA\u2019s Worthington Cemetery Cedar Barrens Ecological Study Area on Melton Hill Reservoir in Oak Ridge. TCWP has for many years partnered with TVA to enhance and protect natural resources at Worthington Cemetery and other TVA lands throughout East Tennessee as part of their mutual stewardship efforts. Their yearly efforts in this area are helping to eradicate wisteria from the cemetery, and privet and other invasive exotics from the ESA.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Meet for the cleanup at 9 a.m. at the Elza Gate Park picnic area near the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Melton Lake Drive. At the completion of work (around noon), TCWP will provide a pizza lunch. Participants should wear sturdy shoes and weather-appropriate clothes, and bring water, gloves, and clippers, loppers, or bow or pruning saws, if possible. Other tools and equipment will also be available at the worksite.<\/p>\n To Sign up: <\/strong>https:\/\/tcwp.org\/event\/national-public-lands-day-worthington-cleanup-oakridge\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n For more information, contact Jimmy Groton at 865-805-9908 or groton87@comcast.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n Monday, Sept. 29 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n TCWP will join with the UT Arboretum Society to host a screening of \u201cHidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia.\u201d This one-hour film, to be presented at the Grove Theater in Oak Ridge, explores the most biologically rich waters in North America.\u00a0 For more information, see: https:\/\/tcwp.org\/event\/hidden-rivers-film-screening-oakridge\/<\/a><\/p>\n Nancy Manning is the Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning executive director.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nTCWP is based in Oak Ridge<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
\n\u00a0|\u00a0 Special to The Oak Ridger<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"play\"](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/appservices\/universal-web\/universal\/icons\/icon-play-alt-white.svg\"){kind=icon}
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Reclaim the Ridge’ Rally & Music\u00a0Festival\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Van Buren County Power Line Outing<\/h2>\n
Point Trail Outing at Obed Wild & Scenic River<\/h2>\n
Summer Cedar Barrens Cleanup\/Weed Wrangle<\/h2>\n
National Public Lands Day<\/h2>\n
\u201cHidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia\u201d Screening<\/h2>\n