Seven UC State Parks Earn Highest Status For Sustainability And Programs

Seven Upper Cumberland State Parks have received the highest honor from TDEC for their efforts in environmental sustainability.

Burgess Falls, Cordell Hull, Cummins Falls, Pickett CCC Memorial, Rock Island, Sgt. Alvin C. York and Standing Stone State Parks all received platinum status in the, “Go Green With Us,” program.

Pickett CCC Memorial State Park Ranger Camron Martin said this is the first time the state park has earned the distinction.

“We were very excited, because we started out on the lowest level at bronze a few years ago and finally reached platinum status, which of course is the highest status,” Martin said. “All the staff was real excited, because it’s a true team effort all the way from the park a manager all the way down to seasonal employees.”

Martin said several efforts lead to the distinction for the state park in Jamestown. Martin said staff installed water bottle filling stations and increased pollination by adding honey bee hives.

“Go Green with Us is a partnership between Tennessee State Park staff and visitors to become better stewards of natural and financial resources through the implementation of common sense sustainability practices, park management and operations,” Martin said.

Martin said the park also decreased water and energy use by implementing timed water faucets and motion censored lighting. Martin said all the outdoor lights are also dark sky certified which reduces light pollution to better see the night sky.

“Also all the rangers in the park usually focus on various Go Green programs and opportunities, so we do interpretative programs as well so the public can go green,” Martin said.

28 of the 56 Tennessee State Parks have attained Platinum status. It is the highest number of Platinum parks in the history of the program.