Tennessee RiverLine 101: a Vision for North America’s Next Great Regional Trail System

The Tennessee RiverLine is a vision for North America’s next great regional trail system. Join this session for an introductory-level overview of the vision for this historic, multi-generational initiative, including its origins and the “River as Park” concept, the purpose and composition of the Tennessee RiverLine Partnership, and an overview of the community outreach programming that informs its current priorities and future trajectory

Tennessee RiverTowns 101: your Community’s Journey as Part of the Tennessee RiverLine

Tennessee River communities are the beating heart of the Tennessee RiverLine. Launched in 2020, Tennessee RiverTowns is your community’s opportunity to become a part of this historic initiative. Join this session for an introductory-level overview of this innovative program, its origins, purpose and multi-stage framework. Together we will build a common language by introducing program stages, the process of earning the Tennessee RiverTowns designation by satisfying activity and reporting requirements of its benchmark and overlay categories, and share insights into future program stages.

Welcome Address - The Year Behind, the Year Ahead

Welcome to the 2021 Tennessee RiverLine Virtual Summit! Together in this session we will share an overview of the Summit agenda’s live and asynchronous content, as well as share insights to the features and many ways to engage Summit content and attendees through our interactive online meeting platform. This will be followed by a summary of our shared progress toward realizing the Tennessee RiverLine vision in 2020, and our plans for the year(s) ahead.

How to be a J.E.D.I Master & Create Inclusive River Communities

In order to fulfill the Tennessee RiverLine vision of Tennessee River experiences for all who seek them for generations to come, real barriers to outdoor recreation must be overcome. These barriers do not affect all members of our communities equally. Gerry Seavo James, founder of the Explore Kentucky Initiative and Co-Organizer of the American Canoe Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group will lead this session to explore a foundational framework designed to help make river recreation and communities safe, fun and accessible for all. Gerry’s remarks will be followed by small group discussions to identify barriers to equitable river access in our communities, and identify practical opportunities to authentically exercise the Tennessee RiverLine’s guiding principles of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Trail Towns Programs – Benefits, Challenges and Lessons Learned

Tennessee RiverTowns is an innovative program designed to empower community partners to discover, implement and continuously improve their local visions for the Tennessee RiverLine. It was designed following the study of successful models of Trail Towns programs around the country with proven records of building collaborative networks to realize the benefits of trails to trail communities. As we embark on our shared journey, join this session to be inspired by program success, challenges and lessons learned from representatives of the Appalachian Trail Community program and Kentucky Trail Towns, and their community partners.

Tennessee RiverTowns Stage 2 - Connect - Charrette

Tennessee RiverTowns is an innovative program designed to empower community partners to discover, implement and continuously improve their local visions for the Tennessee RiverLine. It was designed following the study of successful models of Trail Towns programs around the country with proven records of building collaborative networks to realize the benefits of trails to trail communities. As we embark on our shared journey, join this session to be inspired by program success, challenges and lessons learned from representatives of the Appalachian Trail Community program and Kentucky Trail Towns, and their community partners.

TVA and the Tennessee RiverLine; Partnership, Protection and Progress

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a dedicated federal steward of the Tennessee River valley’s natural and cultural resources, and invested in the success of the Tennessee RiverLine as one of its principal partners. This session provides an overview of the mission and guiding priorities (2020 NRP) of TVA, its roles, responsibilities and processes as they relate to the delivery of the Tennessee RiverLine vision, and opportunities for local-level partnerships with the agency through existing programs, TVA lands and staff capacity.

Recognizing – and Overcoming – Barriers to River Experience

Observations and research from the 2019 Pilot Community Program identified many and varied barriers that prevent all who desire to experience the Tennessee River from doing so. These include barriers posed by a lack of physical infrastructures of access or information about existing experience opportunities, real or perceived river water quality, concerns around safety or technical expertise, the cost of participation and other considerations that asymmetrically impact minority populations and those less physically-abled. This session is a participant-driven round table discussion about these common barriers, and an opportunity to share or develop creative ideas to overcome them. Following a session introduction with all attendees, individuals will enter topically-based discussion rooms based on individual interest and expertise.  

• Gear access/affordability

• Physical disabilities

• Skill level/Technical confidence

• ‘Cultural Considerations,’ such as recreation preferences, swimming ability, limited discretionary time or income, etc.

• Lack of river access infrastructure

• Information about river access, advertising/marketing

• Water quality perception

• Safety concerns

Tennessee RiverTowns Benchmark - Leadership and Volunteer Engagement

The Tennessee RiverTowns Program aligns community effort with the Tennessee RiverLine vision and its guiding principles through its framework of five Benchmark categories. Activity and reporting requirements for each benchmark promote incremental progress toward vision realization. During this session, Tennessee RiverLine staff will provide an overview of Stage 1 - Celebrate benchmark intent and requirements, resources and staff support available to achieve them. Prepared remarks will be followed by Q&A and a discussion among session attendees regarding related experiences, anticipated challenges and ideas to overcome them.

This session is a discussion about, recruiting and engaging a team of local leaders and volunteers to support local initiatives

Tennessee RiverTowns Benchmark - River Animation 

The Tennessee RiverTowns Program aligns community effort with the Tennessee RiverLine vision and its guiding principles through its framework of five Benchmark categories.  Activity and reporting requirements for each benchmark promote incremental progress toward vision realization.  During this session, Tennessee RiverLine staff will provide an overview of Stage 1 - Celebrate benchmark intent and requirements, resources and staff support available to achieve them. Prepared remarks will be followed by Q&A and a discussion among session attendees regarding related experiences, anticipated challenges and ideas to overcome them.

This session is a discussion about, the planning and execution of community paddle events on the Tennessee River. 

Tennessee RiverTowns Benchmark - Local Tennessee RiverLine Development

The Tennessee RiverTowns Program aligns community effort with the Tennessee RiverLine vision and its guiding principles through its framework of five Benchmark categories.  Activity and reporting requirements for each benchmark promote incremental progress toward vision realization.  During this session, Tennessee RiverLine staff will provide an overview of Stage 1 - Celebrate benchmark intent and requirements, resources and staff support available to achieve them. Prepared remarks will be followed by Q&A and a discussion among session attendees regarding related experiences, anticipated challenges and ideas to overcome them.

This session is a discussion about, taking an inventory of recreation, eco- and heritage-tourism amenities and attractions, water trail development.

Tennessee RiverTowns Benchmark - Advocacy

The Tennessee RiverTowns Program aligns community effort with the Tennessee RiverLine vision and its guiding principles through its framework of five Benchmark categories.  Activity and reporting requirements for each benchmark promote incremental progress toward vision realization.  During this session, Tennessee RiverLine staff will provide an overview of Stage 1 - Celebrate benchmark intent and requirements, resources and staff support available to achieve them. Prepared remarks will be followed by Q&A and a discussion among session attendees regarding related experiences, anticipated challenges and ideas to overcome them.

This session is a discussion about, elevating the visibility of the Tennessee RiverLine to local, state and federal leadership.

Tennessee RiverTowns Benchmark - River Stewardship

The Tennessee RiverTowns Program aligns community effort with the Tennessee RiverLine vision and its guiding principles through its framework of five Benchmark categories.  Activity and reporting requirements for each benchmark promote incremental progress toward vision realization.  During this session, Tennessee RiverLine staff will provide an overview of Stage 1 - Celebrate benchmark intent and requirements, resources and staff support available to achieve them. Prepared remarks will be followed by Q&A and a discussion among session attendees regarding related experiences, anticipated challenges and ideas to overcome them.

This session is a discussion about, planning and execution of environmental stewardship activities along the Tennessee River.

Collaboration in Action

The Tennessee RiverLine is powered by partnerships and the idea that we can do something together that none of us can accomplish by ourselves. This session creates an open forum for neighboring communities and organizations with shared missions to build a dialogue around opportunities for new collaboration through the Tennessee RiverLine and the Tennessee RiverTowns program. All participants will begin in the same session as we establish collaboration as a guiding principle of the Tennessee RiverLine, and will then be assigned to separate breakout rooms to identify specific ways that principle can be put into action in the coming year.

Concluding Remarks and Next Steps

The Tennessee RiverLine is a journey, not a destination. Join us as we reflect and offer concluding remarks on the 2021 Tennessee RiverLine Summit and a look to the year ahead as we begin our shared journey to realize the vision for North America’s next great regional trail system! Oh, and we will give recognition and prizes to our most engaged Summit attendees!