| For immediate release June 23,
2006
2006 GOVERNOR’S ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
AWARDS PRESENTED
INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND PROJECTS HONORED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Nashville, Tenn. – Environment and Conservation Commissioner
Jim Fyke presented the 2006 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship
Awards to 14 recipients today, including individuals, community organizations
and government agencies whose achievements were recognized for their
positive impact on the state’s natural resources. The awards ceremony
was held at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tenn.
“Taking care of our land, air and water is essential to preserving
Tennessee’s outdoor tradition,” said Governor Phil Bredesen.
“I want to express my congratulations to each of the individuals,
organizations and groups honored today whose stewardship accomplishments
are helping us protect and improve Tennessee’s natural resources.”
The Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards program recognizes
exemplary voluntary actions that improve or protect our environment
and natural resources with projects or initiatives that are not required
by law or regulations. This was the twentieth year for the awards program,
and a record number of nominations were received. Thirty-four professionals
from various public and private organizations judged more than 100 nominations
to determine the 14 award recipients.
“Our environment impacts everything from recreation activities
to the health of our communities, and I believe it is important to recognize
the people and organizations that work so hard to protect it,”
said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke. “I am
pleased to acknowledge and celebrate these Tennesseans who go above
and beyond to enhance the condition of our shared environment.”
The 2006 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award winners are:
East Tennessee:
Excellence in Agriculture/Forestry: University of Tennessee
Forest Resources Center’s Horneyhead Creek Restoration, Morgan
County, Tenn.
University of Tennessee Forest Research Center Director Richard Evans
and University of Tennessee Agricultural Experimentation Manager Martin
Schubert represented the University of Tennessee at today’s ceremony.
The restoration of Horneyhead Creek in Morgan County utilized six different
streambank stabilization methods, including traditional and innovative
approaches, that improved the water quality and habitat for 3,100 feet
of creek bank while also providing better access to forestry operations.
Project improvements have not only raised the water quality of this
key tributary to Crooked Fork Creek but serve as an effective demonstration,
training and outreach tool for forest managers.
Excellence in Environmental Education and Outreach: Great Smoky
Mountains Institute at Tremont, Townsend, Tenn.
Executive Director Ken Voorhis represented the The Great Smoky Mountains
Institute at Tremont at today’s ceremony. The Great Smoky Mountains
Institute at Tremont is a residential environmental learning center
located within the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
This non-profit organization provides educational programs that increase
the awareness, appreciation, and understanding of our natural and cultural
resources. The Institute also promotes environmental stewardship by
utilizing more than twenty miles of trails intersecting diverse forest
types, streams, and geologic formations. In 2005 the learning center
hosted 122 groups with more than 5,000 residential participants throughout
the year.
Excellence in Energy Leadership: Panther Creek State Park’s
Energy Conservation program, Morristown, Tenn.
Park Ranger Jason Chadwell and Sherry Johnson represented Panther Creek
State Park at today’s ceremony. Panther Creek State Park implemented
an energy management project that reduced power consumption by converting
to compact fluorescent light bulbs then installing electronic ballasts
and automatic light shut-offs as part of park updates. Panther Creek
also implemented system measures enabling the park to track energy consumption
levels and demonstrate a 26 percent reduction in energy use at the park
for first year of the program. From the use of biodiesel fuel in park
vehicles to purchasing power from TVA’s Green Power Switch program,
Panther Creek is an example of state government modeling the way in
energy leadership.
Excellence in Hazardous Waste Management - Small Quantity Generator:
Hamilton County School Chemical Cleanout Campaign, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Safety and Compliance Director Frank Bilbrey represented Hamilton County
Schools at today’s ceremony. Hamilton County took decisive action
to protect student’s health and the environment when they realized
the threat presented by a legacy of old laboratory chemicals in their
schools. With matching funding from two U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency grants and technical support from Environment and Conservation’s
School Chemical Cleanout Campaign program, Hamilton County undertook
the daunting task of removing outdated, unwanted, and unstable chemicals
from the entire school system. Eighty-one schools were inventoried and
3,662 pounds of chemicals, including 90 pounds of mercury, were removed
from 15 Hamilton County schools.
Middle Tennessee:
Excellence in Aquatic Resource Preservation: Red River Watershed
Association’s Visual Stream Assessments of Impaired Streams in
Montgomery, Robertson and Sumner Counties
Executive Director Lindsay Bland represented the Red River Watershed
Association (RRWA) at today’s ceremony. The Red River Watershed
Association (RRWA) and its volunteers conducted numerous visual surveys
along impaired streams in order to identify specific sources of pollutants
in these waters. Their work has fostered the implementation of best
management practices with an overall impact of improving the water quality
of these stream segments in Montgomery, Robertson and Sumner counties.
Local landowners and area communities living in proximity to these streams
have also benefited from their education and outreach efforts.
Excellence in Building Green: Cumberland River Compact’s
Building Outside the Box (BOB) Project, Nashville, Tenn.
Project Director Gwen Griffith represented Cumberland River Compact
at today’s ceremony. Building Outside the Box (BOB) is a program
of the Cumberland River Compact’s Land Committee demonstrating
cost-effective green building methods that protect water quality and
quantity. Beginning with a series of outreach conferences for builders,
developers, local officials and homebuyers, this program has become
a comprehensive public-private partnership demonstrating sustainable
building practices at four different sites. Partners in this project
have adopted and promoted best management practices that are now helping
lessen the sediment load impacting three key watersheds in Middle Tennessee.
Excellence in Greenways and Trails: City of Cookeville’s
Tennessee Central Heritage Trail through Putnam County, Cookeville,
Tenn.
Mayor Chuck Womack was joined by Councilmen Sam Sallee and Ricky Shelton
to represent the City of Cookeville at today’s ceremony. The Tennessee
Central Heritage Trail will be a rail-with-trail greenway that will
link recreational, cultural, and natural amenities from Cookeville to
Monterey. Once completed, the 19-mile trail will begin in the downtown
Cookeville area, continue through Algood, and end in Monterey. This
innovative project will connect three distinct communities and create
a multi-use, non-motorized trail for walkers, bicyclists, and equestrians.
Excellence in Hazardous Waste Management – Large Quantity
Generator: Fort Campbell’s Pollution Prevention Operation Center;
Fort Campbell
Pollution Prevention Branch Chief Mike Davis represented Fort Campbell
at today’s ceremony. Fort Campbell’s Pollution Prevention
Operation Center has achieved greater environmental responsibility,
improved mission readiness and deployment capability, and reduced overall
expenses. The center manages hazardous materials for 135 units supporting
20,000 Fort Campbell soldiers during day-to-day operations and deployment
situations. By combining education, source reduction techniques, and
recycling, Fort Campbell has reduced the amount of hazardous waste disposed
at the base by 84.6% during the past decade; a 90.1% disposal cost reduction
since 1992.
Excellence in Natural Heritage Conservation: Stones River National
Battlefield Restoration, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Superintendent Stuart Johnson, Operations Chief Gib Backlund and Ecologist
Terri Hogan represented Stones River National Battlefield at today’s
ceremony. Stones River National Battlefield developed and executed a
comprehensive effort to restore nearly all of the 650 park acres through
innovative natural resource techniques. Park staff and volunteers spent
thousands of hours not only removing invasive exotic species but also
planting native species and building fences to replicate the original
battlefield appearance. The end result is a diverse mix of native natural
species to reinforce this significant cultural landscape.
Excellence in Parks and Recreation: Native Butterfly Garden
at Burgess Falls State Natural Area, Sparta, Tenn.
Park Manager Bill Summers and Park Ranger Jeremy Vaden represented Burgess
Falls State Natural Area at today’s ceremony. Burgess Falls State
Natural Area created a 20,000 square foot native butterfly garden that
reduces mowing, restores native vegetation, enhances park aesthetics
and improves interpretive programming for visitors. With support from
the Iris Fund, park staff worked with several area volunteer groups
to plant and maintain approximately 3,000 native plants representing
more than 70 native species. This partnership and butterfly garden continue
to grow as recent enhancements include the installation of a bridge,
walking path and two benches. The butterfly garden now joins the falls
to make Burgess Falls State Natural Area one of the most popular locations
on the Cumberland Plateau.
Excellence in Pollution Prevention: Vanderbilt University’s
Workplace Commuters Project, Nashville, Tenn.
Vice Chancellor Michael Schoenfeld and Associate Director for Environmental
Health and Safety Andrea George represented Vanderbilt University at
today’s ceremony. Staff from numerous departments at Vanderbilt
University worked together to develop a comprehensive commuter program
to to reduce pollution, decrease commuting costs, alleviate traffic
congestion and remove a source of employee stress. Programs to reduce
commuter impacts include a free ride program on MTA buses, a parking
cost distribution program for carpoolers, on site amenities and special
provisions for bicyclists. The “Free Ride to Work” program
saw an increase from 110 users to more than 1,300 users in its first
year.
West Tennessee:
Excellence in Green Schools – K-12: Huntingdon Primary
School “Cash for Trash” Program, Huntingdon, Tenn.
Denise Pendergrass represented Huntingdon Primary School at today’s
ceremony. Huntingdon Primary School’s 3rd Grade “Wiser Miser”
Energy Team continues to lead the way in environmental education, awareness,
outreach, action, and service in Carroll County by providing mentoring
to local schools, churches, businesses, and the citizens of Huntingdon.
The industrious eight member energy team’s “Cash for Trash”
paper drive has recycled 32,000 pounds of paper with the ongoing cooperation
of local schools, churches, businesses, and families. The group has
also generated $800 in revenue and donated $550 of this amount to PROJECT
HELP to help pay electric bills for the needy.
Excellence in Green Schools – Higher Education: Rhodes
College Bike Program, Memphis, Tenn.
Associate Director of the Rhodes College Physical Plant, Tracy Adkisson
represented Rhodes College at today’s ceremony. The Rhodes College
Environmental Planning Cooperative established the campus’ first
bicycle program allowing students or faculty to borrow bicycles for
use on and off campus free of charge. Many students live near campus,
but have traditionally relied on cars for transportation to attend class
and collegiate activities. The program accomplishes many goals, including
reducing automobile emissions, freeing parking spaces on campus, and
getting students actively involved in environmental stewardship.
Robert Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Virginia
(Happy) Birdsong
For more than fifty years the vivacious spirit, humor and love of outdoors
has made Virginia (Happy) Birdsong a benefit to Tennessee communities.
From parks in Madison to lakes at Old Hickory and Percy Priest, her
work with young people has touched lives while making our world more
fun and beautiful. For more than 50 years she impacted thousands of
young women through her leadership with Girl Scouts of America. Through
words and deeds she encouraged Girl Scout troops to care for themselves,
care for others and care for their shared environment. Along with her
lasting impact through Girl Scouts, she served the community through
membership on the Metro Beautification and Environment Commission, Keep
Tennessee Beautiful and The Friends of Metro Beautification and Environment
Commission Council. She received the highest possible honors awarded
from Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Keep America Beautiful. In her honor,
groups have celebrated her leadership and dedication with the establishment
of the Happy Birdsong Girl Scout Environmental Award, the building of
the Friendship Bridge and the naming of the “Happy Birdsong Nature
Trail” at Sycamore Girl Scout Camp. Her life’s work has
fulfilled a lifelong commitment to enhance and preserve the environment
while her incomparable generosity and infectious enthusiasm have created
an enduring legacy that benefits all Tennesseans.
For more information about the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship
Awards program, visit www.tdec.net/awards.
Editors Note: If you would like additional details regarding any of
the award winners or a photo taken at today’s awards ceremony,
please email tisha.calabrese@state.tn.us
or call 865-594-5442.
###
|
