Information Of Interest
Tennessee is a beautiful green garden: a rich and varied place with mile-high mountains in the east, the grand Mississippi River in the West and 19,000 miles of sparkling rivers in between. Tennessee is dotted with bountiful farms, crisscrossed with scenic back roads and blessed with rolling hills and abundant wildlife. Across our state, Tennessee citizens are wrapping a gift . . . for future generations . . . and tying it in beautiful green, and sometimes blue ribbons . . . called greenways.
Tennessee greenways and trails will help celebrate and preserve the splendid character of our state.
What is a greenway?
Greenways are linear parks or corridors of protected open space. They follow natural features such as rivers, streams, ridgelines or mountain-tops. They may also be established along abandoned railroad lines, utility rights-of-way, scenic roads or other man-made features.
Greenways provide connections. They link nature preserves, parks, historic sites, schools and neighborhoods. Greenways connect communities to each other, and all of us to the natural world. Greenways may provide pathways for people and wildlife.
And they can protect the most important places in our natural world. Greenways preserve the beauty of places that we know and cherish. And Greenways provide new beauty spots, yet to be discovered.
What is a trail?
Greenways and trails are not synonymous. Trails are paths. Greenways are corridors of open space. Some of these corridors include trails; others do not. Greenways can be scenic corridors, wildlife corridors or corridors established to protect farmland or a riparian area. Often, however, greenways do offer public access with trails.
Trails provide opportunities to view scenic vistas, plants and wildlife, natural treasures, historic places and much more. Trails can get us across town or to the top of the tallest mountain. Trails can test our physical limits or soothe us by providing an easy walkway for quiet reflection.
According to Webster's, a trail is a rough path made across country. Trails that exist in Tennessee may make Webster add to that definition. In Tennessee, there are handicapped-accessible trails, barrier-free and sloped correctly for wheelchairs; there are trails that accommodate roller-blading, cycling, hiking, strollers, off-road vehicles and horseback riding.
Greenway trails can be mulched foot-paths or 10-foot wide multiple-use bikeways.
What are the benefits of a greenways and trails system?
Greenways vary in width and function, depending on opportunity and community interests. In urban areas, limited space often dictates that greenways primarily support recreation and non-motorized transportation. In rural areas, large corridors may be established strictly for wildlife or water quality protection.
Greenways provide many benefits. They can:
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Enhance our quality of life by providing scenic places for us to enjoy.
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Provide close to home outdoor recreation opportunities. Because greenways are typically long and narrow, they provide more access to more people.
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Improve water quality and lessen the impact of flooding. Trees and other vegetation along river greenways filter surface runoff (pollutants) and prevent erosion by anchoring the soil along the banks. Also streamside vegetation acts as a sponge to help absorb swollen rivers.
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Enhance or protect forests. Forests filter air pollutants and improve air quality. Forests also provide food and shelter for wildlife and lower summertime city temperatures by providing natural air conditioning.
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Improve wildlife habitat by providing migration corridors that allow wildlife populations to move from one isolated natural area to another. This improves the overall health of some species of wildlife and allows for the survival of others. Greenways also provide shade keeping water temperatures cool for aquatic life, birds and animals.
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Benefit the economy by increasing adjacent property values, attracting new industry, stimulating re-investment in once blighted urban areas and encouraging tourism. (The top 3 tourist attractions in Tennessee are parks, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee National Forest, and TVA's Land Between the Lakes.)
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Provide trails for recreation and for transportation routes that connect people, communities, and the countryside.
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Encourage growth while protecting the green landscape for which our state is famous. Greenways can protect the very character of Tennessee.