Burgess Falls Awarded Gold-Level from Go Green With Us Program

Burgess Falls was awarded the gold -level status in the new Go Green With Us Program.

Bill Summers manages Burgess Falls.

“The green program came about in the efforts of our department to be more environmentally conscious and use less resources,” Summers said.

The Go Green With Us Program encourages Tennessee State Parks to be “green,” Summers said.

“It’s based upon points. Every park is a little different and they are rated on different point levels, like Burgess Falls is a state natural area and some parks a state historic areas, so their requirements are a little different,” Summers said. “They have many things, including switching over to led lighting, or recycling,  or composting, our educational program, using less resources, solar power. Its a wide variety of things throughout a year.”

The parks are awarded specific levels based on the points, gold being the highest level.

Throughout the past year, Burgess Falls implemented various green and efficient practices, Summers said.

“We mow less than we used to. We have moved some of the grass areas and changed them over to natural landscapes. We have a recycling program,” Summers said. “We teach composting and gardening as part of our junior ranger day camps. We have switched most of the lighting in the park to LED or lighting that is more efficient. We have done a wide variety of things throughout the past year.”

Burgess falls also incorporated a pollinator garden, water aerators on all faucets and low-flow toilets.

The Go Green With Us Program started its first year and runs on a voluntary basis, Summer said. The program was created by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

“Though this first year was a voluntary program, the park rangers, the park secretary and the friends of burgess falls and naturally other volunteers helped with a lot of different projects on this,” Summers said. “It was a group effort.”

Summer said Burgess Falls hopes to add to the green effort in the coming years.

“Someday we would like to have tied to grid solar power for Burgess Falls but that is long-term plans,” Summers said. “That would entail a large solar array that the park office the maintenance shop and our other outbuildings would be attached to and generate power to power those buildings as well as the park restrooms. “