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You’ve likely heard of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, but have you ever wondered what the trust does, exactly?
Last week, we took a boat adventure with the nonprofit — on the Tennessee River Gorge, of course — to learn a bit more about what it does + how you can get involved.
Fast Facts
- The trust was founded by Chattanoogans in 1981 with the purpose of protecting the land surrounding the river Gorge.
- While the recent Edwards’s Point acquisition was big news, the trust also acquired 2 additional tracts on Signal and Aetna Mountains — the view just before the Spaceship house + a property featuring a large wetland called a fen.
- Stringer’s Ridge, though not located on the Gorge, is also managed by TRGT.
What else does TRGT do?
- The organization has a bird banding observatory on the river Gorge that’s used for research, education + engagement. According to TGRT, bird banding research helps the trust know what’s going on with the lands, since birds are an indicator species.
- TRGT manages various campgrounds in the area — Williams Island, Pot Point Blueway, and Boulder Field.
- In the spring + summer, the trust schedules boat tours (like the one we went on), hosts various outdoor community activites, and works on conservation efforts in addition to bird banding research.
- In the fall + winter, they focus on boundary patrol, stewardship work, trail improvement, some research work and bird banding, community engagement, and running the campsites.
- The trust also has a partnership in Petén, Guatemala — where many of the river Gorge birds fly south for the winter.
What can I do with the TRGT?
While the TRGT has slowed down its community engagement due to COVID-19, the nonprofit hopes to start activities back up in the spring, including:
- Boat tours
- Public bird adventures
- Group hikes
- Sunset paddling in partnership with Outdoor Chattanooga
In the meantime, though, all of the trust’s facilities are open for use, including campsites. You can secure a permit to camp up to 10 days for free online.
The land trust also has a live Gorge cam, so you can check out the Gorge year-round from the comfort of your own home.
