NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 4, 2014) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is enlisting the support of volunteers at its lakes on the Cumberland River and its tributaries in support of National Public Lands Day Sept. 27.
It is the largest volunteer hands-on restoration activity of its kind where people do clean up, repair, construction and refurbishment in public parks, forests, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and cultural and historic sites.
Visitors at USACE sites take part in tree planting, erosion control, bank stabilization, building trails, restoring recreation areas, trash pickup, removing invasive species and non-native plants, improving wildlife habitats and rehabilitating playgrounds.
Within the Nashville District the public is encouraged to participate at one of the following NPLD volunteer activities on the dates and times indicated:
Center Hill Lake: Rain or shine, a shoreline cleanup is planned from 9 a.m. to noon (Saturday) Sept. 27. Sign-in and garbage pick-up will be located at Floating Mill Recreation Area and Ragland Bottom Recreation Area. Participants will be provided gloves and garbage bags and assigned a section of shoreline to work. Lunch is provided. For additional information, to sign up, or to get directions, contact the Resource Manager's Office at (931) 858-3125. Also, follow Center Hill Lake on Facebook for the latest updates at http://www.facebook.com/centerhilllake.
Cheatham Lake: Volunteers are working from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 to construct and paint fences around a parking lot for the new trail entrance from Cheatham Dam Road. Bulletin boards and trash can receptacles are also being placed next to the trail head. An information board is also being relocated from Lock A Campground to the trailhead. The starting location is at the bottom of the hill near the entrance to Right Bank Recreation Area. For additional information and directions, contact Park Ranger Dean Austin at (615) 792-5697. Also follow Cheatham Lake on Facebook for the latest updates at http://www.facebook.com/cheathamlake.
Cordell Hull Lake: Various beautification projects are planned from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Saturday) Sept. 27 at Defeated Creek Park. Projects being completed this year include trail work, replacement of benches, shoreline clean-up, and bridge replacement. Volunteers will meet at the shelter located in the park’s free day use area. They will be provided with all equipment to do the work and lunch is provided. To sign up or for more information call the Natural Resource Manager’s Office at (615) 735-1034. Also follow Cordell Hull Lake on Facebook for the latest updates at http://www.facebook.com/cordellhulllake.
Dale Hollow Lake: A shoreline cleanup is planned from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Saturday) Sept. 27. The check-in stations are at Pleasant Grove Recreation Area, Obey River Recreation Area and Lillydale Recreation Area. Free trash bags will be provided at each location. Volunteers are invited to enjoy a picnic cookout sponsored by the Friends of Dale Hollow Lake at the Dale Hollow Dam Recreation Area shelter at 1 p.m. Call (931) 243-3136 to preregister and to help remove litter off of the lake’s 620 miles of shoreline and 25,000 surface acres of water. Also follow Dale Hollow Lake on Facebook for the latest updates at http://www.facebook.com/dalehollowlake.
J. Percy Priest Lake: A cleanup event is planned 8 a.m. (Saturday) Sept. 13, 2014 at Anderson Road Recreation Area, which is located at 4010 Anderson Road in Nashville, Tenn. Also follow J. Percy Priest Lake on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jpercypriestlake.
Lake Barkley: A trash cleanup and trail improvement project is planned from 8 a.m. to noon (Saturday) Sept. 27. Volunteers will help pick up trash, trim trees, clear trees that have fallen over a trail, and reestablish Chestnut Oak Trail, an old walking and bike trail. This trail starts at the Eureka Campground and continues onto an old railroad bed. Everyone should meet at the Eureka Campground entrance located at 1802 State Route 1271 in Kuttawa, Ky. Lunch is provided. For additional information and directions, contact Park Ranger Rich Rice at (270) 362-4236. Also, follow Lake Barkley on Facebook for the latest updates at http://www.facebook.com/lakebarkley.
Lake Cumberland: The 25th Annual Lake Cumberland Cleanup is (Saturday) Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to Noon (Eastern Standard Time) and 9 a.m. to Noon (Central Standard Time) with an appreciation picnic at 1 p.m. The cleanup is held at locations all over the lake in an effort to remove trash, tires, appliances, and more from the shoreline. Gloves and garbage bags are furnished. Participants are asked to check-in the day of the event at one of the following locations. For EST participants, go to General Burnside Island State Park, Waitsboro Recreation Area or Conley Bottom Resort. For CST participants, go to the Lake Cumberland State Park launching ramp or Grider Hill Dock. For more information contact Park Ranger Aurora Scott at (606) 679-6337. Also follow Lake Cumberland on Facebook for the latest updates at http://www.facebook.com/lakecumberland.
Laurel River Lake: In spite of dense early morning fog and cool temps, 203 registered volunteers and others (agency and organization personnel) gathered on Saturday, April 26, 2014 to clean up Laurel Lake. Volunteers picked up and hauled in 4,000 pounds of garbage during the event. Numerous tires were also collected by cleanup crews. The race for the Cleanup Cup was a close one but Laurel County edged Whitley County by 11 people (97 to 86). The next annual Big Spring clean up is scheduled in April 2015. Be sure to follow Laurel River Lake on Facebook for the latest updates at http://www.facebook.com/laurelriverlake.
Old Hickory Lake: Volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to noon (Saturday) Sept. 6 to restore and refurbish public lands. Work projects include restriping Rockland and Shutes Branch Recreation Area parking areas, and trail maintenance and clean up at Shutes Branch Mountain Bike Trail. Volunteers should wear closed toed shoes, pants, and bring water. For more information, to register, and for directions to work locations, call Park Ranger Amy Redmond at 615-822-4846 or 615-847-2395. Also follow Old Hickory Lake on Facebook for the latest updates at http://www.facebook.com/oldhickorylake.
The Corps has been involved with National Public Lands Day since its inception in 1994 and has consistently been one of the event’s largest providers of sites and volunteers. As the nation’s leading federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation, USACE Headquarters manages 421 lakes and river projects in 43 states. With nearly 90 percent of these projects located within 50 miles of metropolitan areas, the Corps sites provide a wide range of safe, affordable outdoor recreation opportunities close to home.
To locate National Public Lands Day events near you, visit http://www.publiclandsday.org/. For more information on USACE recreation opportunities visit http://www.CorpsLakes.us and http://www.recreation.gov.
The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.