Conservation on the Ground –
Franklin County Hosts TVA Wildlife Walk
by Sharon Andress, District Conservationist, Russellville Field Office, AL
The students and
teachers in Franklin
County have always
recognized the
importance of
environmental
education. A recent
Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA) wildlife
walk is an example of a
hands-on educational
opportunity offered to
several students in the
county.
The Franklin County
Soil and Water
Conservation District
partnered with TVA to
sponsor its first annual wild
Schools visited the TVA pre
Environmental Alliance hav
introduce native plants. Th
species, a native warm sea
a Civil War embattlement a
this twice a year to make n
species, to provide informa
the control of invasive spec
Knowledge about invasive
is important for people of a
educate and share informa
species to promote biodive
information needed to mak
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USD
national origin, gender, religion, age, dis
bases apply to all programs.) Persons w
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) shou
To file a complaint of discrimination, writ
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington
provider and employer.
Franklin County students learn how invasive plants impact
native plant and animal communities by displacing native
vegetation and disrupting habitats as the invasive plants
become established and spread over time.
life walk. One-hundred students from the Franklin County
servation to see the work that TVA and the Shoals
e done to remove non-native invasive plant species a
e tour consisted of a three-hour hike identifying native plant
son grass plot, Civilian Conservation Core (CCC) work, and
rea. The tour was a huge success. The teachers want to
umerous students aware of the significance of native pla
tion on invasive plants, their impact on native species, an
nd re-
do
nt
d
ies with the use of native plants.
plants and how they influence our lives and the environment
ll ages. One of the purposes of the TVA wildlife walk is to
tion a