District Digest News Stories

Nashville District celebrates Earth Day

Nashville District
Published April 23, 2016
Russ Rote (Right), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Planning Branch chief, talks about Corps of Engineers missions, environmental awareness, and water safety with the public during Earth Day 2016 festivities at Town Square in Murphreesboro, Tenn., April 16, 2016. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

Russ Rote (Right), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Planning Branch chief, talks about Corps of Engineers missions, environmental awareness, and water safety with the public during Earth Day 2016 festivities at Town Square in Murphreesboro, Tenn., April 16, 2016. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

This young lad is very happy to receive a water safety frisbee at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District booth during Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 23, 2016. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

This young lad is very happy to receive a water safety frisbee at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District booth during Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 23, 2016. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

Craig Carrington, chief Plan Formulation Section and Park Ranger, Brent Sewell from Old Hickory Lake, talks to a visitor about water safety and the recreation opportunities at nearby lakes during an Earth Day Festival on April 23, 2016 in Nashville, Tenn.

Craig Carrington, chief Plan Formulation Section and Park Ranger, Brent Sewell from Old Hickory Lake, talks to a visitor about water safety and the recreation opportunities at nearby lakes during an Earth Day Festival on April 23, 2016 in Nashville, Tenn.

(Right) Craig Carrington, chief Plan Formulation Section and (Left) Park Ranger, Brent Sewell from Old Hickory Lake, talk to a family about fishing and recreating at nearby lakes during an Earth Day Festival on April 23, 2016 in Nashville, Tenn.

(Right) Craig Carrington, chief Plan Formulation Section and (Left) Park Ranger, Brent Sewell from Old Hickory Lake, talk to a family about fishing and recreating at nearby lakes during an Earth Day Festival on April 23, 2016 in Nashville, Tenn.

A mother helps a young environmentalist during an Earth Day festival celebration in Centennial Park.

A mother helps a young environmentalist during an Earth Day festival celebration in Centennial Park.

Zoe Roberts (Left), volunteer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, provides a goody bag with lake maps and water safety information to Murfreesboro resident John Cortez during Earth Day festivities in Town Square April 23, 2016. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

Zoe Roberts (Left), volunteer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, provides a goody bag with lake maps and water safety information to Murfreesboro resident John Cortez during Earth Day festivities in Town Square April 23, 2016. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

This girl poses with a water safety frisbee she received at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District booth during Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 23, 2016.

This girl poses with a water safety frisbee she received at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District booth during Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 23, 2016.

This little girl poses with a Corps of Engineers water safety frisbee she received from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District booth during Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 23, 2016.  Her mouth was blue from eating a snow cone.

This little girl poses with a Corps of Engineers water safety frisbee she received from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District booth during Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 23, 2016. Her mouth was blue from eating a snow cone.

Zoe Roberts, a volunteer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, hands out frisbees with water safety messages to kids as part of Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 23, 2016. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

Zoe Roberts, a volunteer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, hands out frisbees with water safety messages to kids as part of Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn., April 23, 2016. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

Park Ranger, Jacob Albers, discusses the importance of water safety and the recreation opportunities at nearby lakes during an Earth Day Festival on April 23, 2016.
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Park Ranger, Jacob Albers, discusses the importance of water safety and the recreation opportunities at nearby lakes during an Earth Day Festival on April 23, 2016.

A little girl learns about environmental stewardship, water quality and water management April 23, 2016 at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District display during Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)
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A little girl learns about environmental stewardship, water quality and water management April 23, 2016 at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District display during Earth Day festivities at Town Square in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (USACE photo by Leon Roberts)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 23, 2016) –The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District educated members of the public today about clean power, sustainability, water quality and environmental stewardship.

Earth Day was celebrated with thousands of people visiting the Corps of Engineers booths during the 15th annual Earth Day celebrations at Centennial Park in Nashville and the historic downtown square in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Russ Rote, Nashville District Project Planning Branch chief, said this is the first year the Corps of Engineers got invited to participate in the Murfreesboro Earth Day event.  They requested the Corps of Engineers stress water safety awareness along with the agency’s involvement in the ecosystem and environment.

During the 2015 recreation season there were 15 fatalities at Nashville District’s 10 lakes, which explains why the Corps emphasized water and boating safety at both Earth Day festivals.

The Cumberland and Tennessee rivers are vital to surrounding communities.  The Corps of Engineers believe if they educate the public on the rivers’ roles it can help preserve today’s resources for future generations.

“Water quality is very important, we are very cognitive of the water temperature and dissolved oxygen levels to maintain a healthy level for the aquatic environment,” said Rote. “The Corps of Engineers have a great number of acres of federal land we manage. We take care of the land and make sure the environment is protected.”

The Corps of Engineers booth was one of 123 booths spread out across Nashville’s Centennial Park.  The event featured family orientated exhibits, activities, a stage with live music and a “Kidsville” area.

Mother nature cooperated for Earth Day which brought out a large crowd said Craig Carrington, chief of plan formulation section. “We had a lot of people come by our booth, many members of the public approached did not know anything about the Corps of Engineers and when they left they took some new information about our agency with them,” said Carrington. 

“It is a great event, its Earth Day, so we are reaching out to a group of people who encourage the protection of our natural resources,” said Carrington.  “It’s good for us to be here and show some of the ecosystem restoration projects we have done.”

Other locations across the Nashville District celebrated Earth Day through several lake cleans ups, half a dozen interpretive programs, and several booths.

In addition to Earth Day events, park rangers at the 10 Nashville District lakes support environmental stewardship throughout the year with National Public Lands Day annually in September and ongoing interpretive programs in local schools. Contact your local Natural Resource Management Office to schedule a water safety or environmental program.

(For more news, updates and information follow the Nashville District on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps)