By Terrence “T.J.” Johnson
MSNHA program coordinator
My introduction to the Tennessee River came on my first evening in the Shoals (and the South).
Driving along the Natchez Trace, I passed over the Tennessee River by Colbert’s Ferry at sunset. I had never seen so much water outside of along the Pacific coast. The river’s centrality to life in the Shoals was immediately apparent, and that assessment has proven true now that I’ve lived in the Shoals for a little over two years. Additionally, my understanding of the river’s importance to the region’s past, present & future has grown. Along with its national historic significance in sustaining the region and its current functionality for commerce & recreation, the river holds opportunities for improved public health, ecological stewardship & economic development. This potential is what makes the Tennessee RiverLine Partnership so important.
A diverse & growing collection of communities & river advocates who envision the Tennessee River as regional trail system, the RiverLine Partnership held its first in-person summit last month, in Guntersville. Partnership members reviewed the first stage of the Tennessee RiverTowns Program and focused on building a culture of river stewardship & informed future planning. The summit also highlighted last year’s accomplishments, including the Shoals’ award-winning efforts — Individual Partner of the Year, J.E.D.I. Path & Extra Mile awards — to break down barriers faced by those historically underserved in the outdoor industry. In addition, RiverLine recognized MSNHA’s Rollin’ on the River program, held with Common Ground Shoals this past October to engage underserved youth in river recreation and education, and work with the Shoals Diversity Center to democratize river access for the LGBTQIA+ community through a D.E.I. grant.
Summit participants also explored the Tennessee RiverTowns program’s second stage of development: Connect. In this Stage 2, communities will build on established momentum from Stage 1 to develop local water trail resources that enhance the relationships between communities& the river.
For me, connection through the Partnership at the Summit was immediate. I built upon pre-existing relationships, swapping stories of my journey last year on the river with other thru-paddlers and sharing program ideas with other leadership teams.
For the Shoals, the Partnership provides vision & technical expertise through the Tennessee RiverLine’s Community Planning Initiative. MSNHA & local leaders will work with RiverLine staff to plan & develop infrastructure that supports increased access to the river for all, connectivity in the Quad Cities, shared habitat for wildlife, riverbank stability & other ecosystem services to the community. Our shared vision with the Tennessee RiverLine supports a focus that spurs public health & equity of access improvements indirectly through other local efforts.
For the region, the Partnership means opportunity to improve quality of life for residents, conserve heritage & increase tourism in every Tennessee River community. It means transformation of the landscape & our most vital resource to catalyze economic opportunity, ecological wellbeing & public health. It means stewardship of what can be a dynamic 1.2-million-acre park.
You can help shape the vision for this park space in the Shoals community by sharing your thoughts on local infrastructure development in this survey, which takes about seven minutes to complete. Thank you for your input on making the Tennessee RiverLine vision reality.
