'TN Stream Team' starts search for volunteers

JONESBOROUGH — Organizations are banding together to fix destroyed riverbanks along the Nolichucky. But they need one thing: manpower. The "Tennessee Stream Team" is being formed by public and private, local and regional organizations to address the riverbanks Hurricane Helene destroyed along the Nolichucky River. Those leading the team hosted an information session in Jonesborough Thursday for interested volunteers. Staff from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture or UTIA gave presentations on post-Helene riverbank restoration in Northeast Tennessee. "When we're talking about these river systems, these aquatic systems, why do they matter? They really matter because they're a water source for millions of people, and people utilize them for recreation and their livelihoods," said Tennessee Urban and Community Forestry Engagement Specialist Alex Bremner. Helene's flooding created gullies and steep cliffs of land along the Nolichucky that are eroding. "You could stand right here and hear the sand just falling into the river," said Andrea Ludwig, UTIA researcher and stormwater management expert, referencing a steep cliff of soil along the river. Ludwig and her colleagues at UTIA have found success in grading back some of those steep banks and planting native vegetation at the Runion Farm in Washington County. With funding from the state and the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council or ARCD and UTIA are putting together a team to replicate that restoration along the rest of the Nolichucky. Volunteers who work as part of the stream team commit to one day a month that includes about five to six hours of work. There will be mileage reimbursement and food and beverages provided on workdays. The team will have branded clothing and other social events. "We need you guys. We need the community to help be part of our Tennessee Stream Teams. As you can see, these projects can be labor intensive, so we need help with sorting seed, straw, mulch, installing matting, livestaking and planting," said Ludwig. "This is not just dumping rip rap and using machines. This is very much out there working with your hands." {{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="da410944-6125-46ba-9e51-beed000625c1"}} Those who can't make the once a month commitment as part of the team can volunteer for at least one day a year. Andy Brown, ARCD executive director, said he used to take part in a similar program with conservation group Trout Unlimited in Western North Carolina. "We ended up having 10, 15, 20 people that were just gung ho about it. And we had a good time together," he said. The group will host three more information sessions for interested volunteers. "We're going to take care of our volunteers… We want you to be out in the field and feeling good about what you're doing," Brown said.