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Working to improve the Clinch, Holston, and Powell rivers in Virginia.
UTRR awards outstanding work
UTRR presented 2022 awards at the fall membership meeting October 13.
Local Group Award:
Sustain Abingdon coordinates community events that inspire people toward a greener lifestyle. Earth Day Celebration, America Recycles Day, and more. Our director collaborates with this group and assists with the events which draw an incredible number of people.
Soil & Water Conservation Districts:
The Tazewell Soil and Water Conservation District partners with the Roundtable on grants, projects, events, education, and outreach. The district's Mike Horne completed agriculture best management practices through a grant the Roundtable manages with a significant improvement in water quality. The district's Elizabeth Bennett organized a new event for the same grant just mentioned. The event, called Creek Critter Camp, focused on stream monitoring and critters that live in and near the water. This first time event was a huge success and we plan to partner with Elizabeth to host the camp again. The Roundtable partnered with the district on a recycling day collecting 700 tires.
The Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District accomplished many goals this year, including planning and hosting a successful regional Envirothon competition. The district invited our director to be a part of the event and she agreed to write the test for the solid waste and recycling section.
The district also implemented a pet waste program and uses the Roundtable's pet waste brochure as part of the program. The district also agreed to help our director plan our first Fix-It Fair with director Siobhan Nishida and education coordinator Hannah Rexrode assisting. The event went really well with seven vendors who repaired all sorts of items for citizens. Two of the vendors work for the district, Jader Wise, and Brandon Blevins, who went above and beyond what was expected of them by taking the items needing repair home with them. The district also helps with the stream monitoring work led by the Clinch Water Watch. We do not have the capacity to help with the monitoring and are grateful for the district's assistance.
Outstanding Agency:
Corey Kanuckel of the Partners Program for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Abingdon received this award. Corey provides so much assistance for Roundtable grant projects. He helps prepare grant applications, and then when funded, he plans the work for all stream restoration, stream bank stabilization and riparian buffer planting projects and guides our contractors as they implement these projects together. Corey also takes responsibility for permits, surveys, plans, and construction. We are very grateful for Corey's partnership.
Outstanding Educator:
Our director approached Janet Lester many years ago about the idea of having a Conservation Camp for Washington County Schools. Janet agreed and was instrumental in making sure the schools participated in the event each year. After her retirement, Janet continues to work on environmental education. Most recently, she organized a mini conservation camp for kids' day at the Washington County fair. Janet asked out director to recruit the speakers. The event turned out really well reaching hundreds of students and parents.
Outstanding Citizen:
Taysha DeVaughn was responsible for securing funds for our Adopt-A-Stream program as we launched this endeavor. She served as our Clinch River Valley Initiative VISTA for a year and accomplished many goals for CRVI and assisted the Roundtable in many ways.
Outstanding Regional Collaborator: A new category this year
Southwest Virginia Regional Recycling & Solid Waste Working Group receives the first award in this category that was created because of the group's accomplishments. Our director, in her work as executive director for Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful, initially led the meetings of this group that was formed to address recycling challenges after losing plastics and paper markets. The group began informally and later decided to form a working group, write bylaws, and elect officers. The group's networking through monthly meetings has made a difference and some recycling has resumed in the region as a result.
Outstanding Businesses:
The Spring House in Abingdon hosted our Three Rivers Art Auction this fall, allowing us to utilize the space at no charge. Two of the businesses at the Spring House, Tumbling Creek Cider Co. and Wolf Hills Coffee, are also recognized for their contributions to the auction. Additionally, Tumbling Creek Cider hosted the Roundtable's Three Cheers for Three Rivers fundraiser at their cider barn this year and last year. These fundraising events were successful.
Sustain Abingdon coordinates community events that inspire people toward a greener lifestyle. Earth Day Celebration, America Recycles Day, and more. Our director collaborates with this group and assists with the events which draw an incredible number of people.
Soil & Water Conservation Districts:
The Tazewell Soil and Water Conservation District partners with the Roundtable on grants, projects, events, education, and outreach. The district's Mike Horne completed agriculture best management practices through a grant the Roundtable manages with a significant improvement in water quality. The district's Elizabeth Bennett organized a new event for the same grant just mentioned. The event, called Creek Critter Camp, focused on stream monitoring and critters that live in and near the water. This first time event was a huge success and we plan to partner with Elizabeth to host the camp again. The Roundtable partnered with the district on a recycling day collecting 700 tires.
The Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District accomplished many goals this year, including planning and hosting a successful regional Envirothon competition. The district invited our director to be a part of the event and she agreed to write the test for the solid waste and recycling section.
The district also implemented a pet waste program and uses the Roundtable's pet waste brochure as part of the program. The district also agreed to help our director plan our first Fix-It Fair with director Siobhan Nishida and education coordinator Hannah Rexrode assisting. The event went really well with seven vendors who repaired all sorts of items for citizens. Two of the vendors work for the district, Jader Wise, and Brandon Blevins, who went above and beyond what was expected of them by taking the items needing repair home with them. The district also helps with the stream monitoring work led by the Clinch Water Watch. We do not have the capacity to help with the monitoring and are grateful for the district's assistance.
Outstanding Agency:
Corey Kanuckel of the Partners Program for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Abingdon received this award. Corey provides so much assistance for Roundtable grant projects. He helps prepare grant applications, and then when funded, he plans the work for all stream restoration, stream bank stabilization and riparian buffer planting projects and guides our contractors as they implement these projects together. Corey also takes responsibility for permits, surveys, plans, and construction. We are very grateful for Corey's partnership.
Outstanding Educator:
Our director approached Janet Lester many years ago about the idea of having a Conservation Camp for Washington County Schools. Janet agreed and was instrumental in making sure the schools participated in the event each year. After her retirement, Janet continues to work on environmental education. Most recently, she organized a mini conservation camp for kids' day at the Washington County fair. Janet asked out director to recruit the speakers. The event turned out really well reaching hundreds of students and parents.
Outstanding Citizen:
Taysha DeVaughn was responsible for securing funds for our Adopt-A-Stream program as we launched this endeavor. She served as our Clinch River Valley Initiative VISTA for a year and accomplished many goals for CRVI and assisted the Roundtable in many ways.
Outstanding Regional Collaborator: A new category this year
Southwest Virginia Regional Recycling & Solid Waste Working Group receives the first award in this category that was created because of the group's accomplishments. Our director, in her work as executive director for Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful, initially led the meetings of this group that was formed to address recycling challenges after losing plastics and paper markets. The group began informally and later decided to form a working group, write bylaws, and elect officers. The group's networking through monthly meetings has made a difference and some recycling has resumed in the region as a result.
Outstanding Businesses:
The Spring House in Abingdon hosted our Three Rivers Art Auction this fall, allowing us to utilize the space at no charge. Two of the businesses at the Spring House, Tumbling Creek Cider Co. and Wolf Hills Coffee, are also recognized for their contributions to the auction. Additionally, Tumbling Creek Cider hosted the Roundtable's Three Cheers for Three Rivers fundraiser at their cider barn this year and last year. These fundraising events were successful.
UTRR accomplishments in 2022
Education and Outreach:
Stream Restoration:
Conservation:
Pollution Prevention:
- Revived our Conservation Camp for Washington County third graders, reaching 315 students with conservation lessons.
- Assisted Washington County Fair by recruiting seven conservation partners to set up booths for kids' day, reaching about 250 students and 200 parents.
- Initiated new Creek Critter Camp with the Tazewell Soil & Water Conservation District and Tazewell Library, reaching approximately 95.
- Organized Clinch River Youth Summit and assisted Environmental Education Action Team with Clinch River Environmental Education Symposium, reaching a total of 79, including volunteers. Awarded mini grants to three schools that implemented projects on their campuses.
- Taught lessons for Kids in the Creek events and Expo hosted by conservation districts, manned a booth at the Norton Best Friends Festival, and coordinated nine trash treasures workshops, reaching total of 321.
Stream Restoration:
- Completed stream restoration, stream bank stabilization, and riparian buffer plantings with Partners for U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Canaan Valley Institute, Tazewell Soil & Water Conservation District and funding from the VA Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
- With TVA funds, restored 6,135 linear feet of stream corridor and established 11 acres of riparian buffer along the Little River in Tazewell County, reducing sedimentation, which is beneficial to freshwater mussels. This site has the federally listed Slabside pearly mussell and priority at-risk mussels, Tennessee Clubshell and Cumberland moccasinshell.
- With DEQ funds, restored 1,700 linear feet of stream at the Moose Lodge in Tazewell and restored 245 linear feet in an agriculture best management practice project.
Conservation:
- Coordinated four rain barrel workshops, sharing water conservation information with citizens and helping them build 350 rain barrels.
- Co-hosted Tazewell County Recycling Day with Tazewell Soil & Water Conservation District, recycling over 700 tires.
- Launched the region's first "Fix-It Fair" with 28 participants, including volunteers, and repaired dozens of items from broken chairs to nonworking lamps to torn clothing and much more.
- Partnered with Tazewell Soil & Water Conservation District on installation of permeable pavers behind their building.
- Built pollinator garden at Clear Creek Outdoor Classroom & Park in Norton with Master Gardeners, city crew, & All Indoor Farm Store leading the project with us.
Pollution Prevention:
- Recruited volunteer Quinn Price to write a recycling skit for the Abingdon Earth Day Celebration to coincide with the festival theme and to recruit friends to perform that skit and our "Pearly & Friends" skit. Our booth featured reuse activities and rain barrels.
- Recruited four new groups for our Adopt-A-Stream program and conducted Save Our Streams training sessions for the volunteers.
- Coordinated booth for VA Highlands Festival to promote our Save Our Streams/Adopt-A-Stream Program, reaching more than 300.
- Created and printed new Adopt-A-Stream brochures and flyers.
- Developed traditional and social media announcements and email newsletters about conservation, pollution prevention, and more.
Welcome to our watershed
The Upper Tennessee River Roundtable is a non-profit organization with an overall interest in improving water quality in the Upper Tennessee River Watershed. Don’t let the name confuse you: the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable is based in Southwest Virginia and covers from the very tip of Virginia, Lee County, toward Wythe County. The Roundtable represents a total of seven counties and two cities. Our major rivers include the Clinch, Holston (pictured at left), and Powell. (Left image: USDA, top image: CRVI)
The Upper Tennessee River watershed covers three rivers in Virginia: the Clinch, Holston, and Powell rivers. The Roundtable is active in water quality improvement efforts in all three of these rivers. The greater watershed is host to numerous species of fish, mussel, and other aquatic life species. In fact, according to the Nature Conservancy, the Upper Tennessee River watershed greatly exceeds all other watersheds in the lower 48 states in terms of species richness and diversity!
At last count, our watershed had 48 imperiled and vulnerable fish and mussel species. This includes 21 federally endangered or threatened species! The Roundtable has been active in efforts to improve the numbers of individuals of threatened and endangered species in our region. Most recently, following a localized project undertaken by the Roundtable, the Lee County Isopod (pictured at left), at the time in danger of extinction, rebounded in greater numbers. (Image: Shane Hanlon, US Fish and Wildlife)
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Physical Address:
330 Cummings St
Abingdon, VA 24210 |
Mailing Address:
PO Box 2359
Abingdon, VA 24210 |
Phone/Fax:
Phone: 276-628-1600
Fax: 276-623-1185 |