Tennessee State Parks Host Tennessee Promise Service Events
NASHVILLE – Tennessee State Parks are offering volunteer events at all 56 state parks and two state natural areas, most on Saturday, June 27, for Tennessee Promise scholars to fulfill their community service hours.
“We are pleased once again to be involved in the Tennessee Promise program,” Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), said. “This is an excellent way for students to perform their community service requirements in the outdoors. We also want everyone to know the activities will be conducted under social distancing guidelines as we continue to use precaution for COVID-19.”
Tennessee Promise Saturday includes a variety of work projects at the parks, including landscaping, invasive plant removal, litter pickup and trail maintenance. Participants are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing for the work and bring items such as water, snacks and sunscreen. Students should check with each park on the activities planned and details on what they will need.
Space is limited at each site due to COVID-19. Participants are asked to bring masks or face coverings, not attend if they are sick and to volunteer at a site close to their home. Everyone will be asked to remain six feet apart.
The state natural areas participating are Flat Rock Cedar Glades and Barrens in Rutherford County and the Rugby scenic-recreational site in Morgan County.
Radnor Lake State Park will hold two sessions on June 26.
Students are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Details about service hours can be found at https://tnstateparks.com/about/special-events/tn-promise-saturday.
Tennessee Promise provides students the chance to attend tuition-free any of the state’s community colleges, colleges of applied technology or other eligible institutions offering an associate degree program. One of the requirements to maintain eligibility is to complete eight hours of community service. The parks also accept help on Tennessee Promise Saturday from any volunteers who wish to participate.
For more information on the Tennessee Promise program please visit https://www.tn.gov/tnpromise.
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TFWC Sets Hunting and Trapping Regulations;
Retiring TWRA Director Ed Carter Honored
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission has established the state’s 2020-21 and 2021-22 hunting and trapping regulations at its May meeting which concluded Friday. The commission and others also honored retiring Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Executive Director Ed Carter who is retiring after 48 years of service, including serving since 2009 in the top leadership position.
The commission sets the hunting and fishing regulations in two-year intervals. The approval of the seasons completes a lengthy process.
Director Carter was praised for his many contributions, highlighted by the TFWC voting unanimously to rename the Tackett Creek Unit in North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, the Ed Carter Unit. The unit is comprised of 43,050 acres in Campbell and Claiborne counties.
Among the new regulations, the CWD unit for deer hunting is expanded to include Crockett, Gibson, and Lauderdale counties. The addition brings the number to 11 counties in Unit CWD.
Also, in Unit CWD, guns will be allowed in the unit throughout all of deer season, except during the traditional archery-only segment in September and October. The commission also voted to approve unlimited Earn-a-Bucks, and allow replacement bucks to be harvested in Unit CWD or the same county as the CWD-positive deer qualifying for a replacement. The mandatory physical check station requirement has been discontinued in the unit.
The commission made some changes to turkey hunting regulations. The statewide spring turkey season bag limit has been reduced from four to three and bonus turkeys on WMAs have been discontinued. A two-week season delay from the opening of the statewide spring turkey season and a bag limit reduction to two will go into effect for the five Mississippi River adjacent counties of Dyer, Lake, Lauderdale, Shelby, and Tipton.
The two-week opening delay will also be effective in four southern Middle Tennessee counties to include Giles, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Wayne. The Young Sportsman Hunt would be held the weekend prior to the delayed opener for both the Mississippi River and the five southern Middle Tennessee counties. The fall turkey hunting season was eliminated for Lincoln County.
Bear hunting regulations included shifts in some hunt segments in Bear Hunt Zones 1, 2, and 3 to minimize conflicts with deer hunters, to hunt during times when the U.S. Forest Service roads on South Cherokee are open, and to allow rest periods prior to party-dog hunts. The total number of hunting days is not affected.
A change in elk regulations now allows the incidental take of one either sex elk by licensed deer hunters in non-elk restoration counties. Incidental harvest of elk is only allowed outside of Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan and Scott counties.
Changes in Manner and Means pertained to sizes allowed for foothold traps.
The commission also approved numerous regulations regarding wildlife management areas. There are 110 WMAs in the state which encompasses more than 1.5 million across the state.
In addition, the TFWC funded the Asian Carp Incentive Program for 2020-21 at $1 million, including a new funding for industry grants. The commission also approved four new Agency positions to work on carp monitoring and control and 10 new positions to combat CWD.
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One Boating-Related Fatality Reported
By TWRA Over Memorial Day Weekend
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reported one boating-related fatality over the three-day 2020 Memorial Day holiday weekend.
The Sunday morning, May 24 incident occurred below Fort Loudoun Dam on the Tennessee River.
Anglers Michael Hopkins (39) of Oliver Spring and David Morris of Clinton (50) were in a boat when the engine failed to start, and the boat was pulled into the spillway. Both men, who were wearing life jackets, went into the river at different times before the boat sank. Mr. Hopkins was rescued by bystanders and Mr. Morris did not survive. His body was later recovered less than a mile downstream by the Loudoun County dive team.
The incident was the first boating fatality in Tennessee on the Memorial Day holiday weekend in five years.
Statewide, there were four serious injury incidents and five others involving property damage. TWRA boating officers made 13 BUI (boating under the influence arrests).
The Memorial Day boating report was presented at the May meeting of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission.
