Spotted Migrants Of The Forest Floor

Spotted Migrants of the Forest Floor

By Robert Windham

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While staff at the Tennessee River Gorge Trust wait for the arrival of neotropical migratory birds in spring, did you know there is evidence of an entirely separate terrestrial migration happening this winter right at our feet? Specifically, the breeding migrations of spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) is in full swing!

Spotted salamanders are found across much of the eastern United States and Canada in hardwood and mixed mesic forests near available aquatic breeding sites like seasonal, fishless wetlands. Photo Credit: NatureServe.org

Spotted salamanders on the move. Photo Credit: Jim McCormac

Like other terrestrial mole salamanders, spotted salamanders spend most of their juvenile and adult life in underground burrow systems or under moist cover objects. Data compiled from the Virginia Herpetological Society show that some burrow systems of individual adults exceed over 130 square feet of the forest floor! When environmental conditions are just right, spotted salamanders emerge from their subterranean overwintering refuge and migrate over 600 feet toaquatic breeding sites.

Spotted Salamander Crossing the Road. Photo Credit: Mackenzie Hall

The timing of this migration entirely depends on precipitation and temperature cues and thus varies greatly throughout their range, with migration occurring as early as December in the south and as late as April in the north. The trigger for this migration occurs on rainy nights of the following days once soil temperatures at a depth of 12 inches surpass 40°F.” Sexton et al. found that 98% of all migration occurred when there was at least one tenth of an inch of rainfall and an average 3-day temperature of 42°F for a spotted salamander population studied in Missouri over 10 years. Often referred to as a “Big Night,”  mass spotted salamander migrations can involve up to 100 individuals visiting a single breeding pool overnight. Volunteers of the Salamander Crossing Brigade with the Harris Center for Conservation Education in New Hampshire provided safe passage for 1,066 spotted salamanders at 35 different road crossing sites for the 2024 spring season. These volunteers counted 59 spotted salamanders crossing the road in just one night!

Example of a cloudy white egg mass and spermatophores in a Tennessee River Gorge vernal pool. Photo Credit: Rob Richie (TRGT volunteer herpetologist).

For more northerly populations, the breeding season can be restricted to a few days with the right conditions. Here in the south, spotted salamanders can have up to 3 major bouts of breeding migration over the course of 2 months. Once at the breeding pool, males use submerged vegetation to deposit spermatophores that are eventually picked up by females. Females will often gather multiple spermatophores making multiple paternity common in these salamanders. Females can deposit multiple egg masses, each containing upwards of 100 eggs. Egg masses are either clear, milky white, or green. A milky white coloration occurs when females deposit a protein in the outer layer of the egg mass while a green coloration comes from a much more unexpected culprit.

Green egg mass with the presence of C. amblysomatis. Photo Credit: Mark Chao.

Green egg masses are an example of mutualistic endosymbiosis. Endosymbiosis is a relationship where one organism lives within the cells of another organism. A well-known example of this relationship can be seen between single celled algae, zooxanthellae, living inside the cells of reef building coral. The algae supply nutrients to the coral, aiding their growth and reproduction, while the coral provides algae with both a protected environment and the carbon dioxide and water needed for photosynthesis. For spotted salamander eggs, Chlorococcum amblystomatis, previously Oophila amblysomatis, is a single-celled green algae that invades and grows inside salamander host tissues and cells, eventually disappearing during the final larval stages of development. As explained in Kerney’s research, the algae support salamander embryo growth and hatchling survival by increasing available oxygen while the salamander’s embryo’s waste supports algae population growth. Spotted salamander clutches raised with the presence of this algae have decreased embryonic mortality and reach a later developmental stage at hatching.

Spotted salamander life cycle with Chlorococcum amblysomatis (previously Oophila amblysomatis). Photo Credit: Don Adams.

A collection of spotted salamanders found during a “Big Night” survey to determine breeding usage of a protected wetland. Photo Credit: Rob Richie (TRGT volunteer herpetologist)

Throughout the Tennessee River Gorge, we already have evidence of spotted salamander breeding activity in the scattered vernal pools on our landscape. As obligate users of seasonally available ponds like vernal pools, spotted salamanders rely on these habitat types for breeding and reproduction. Because of their seasonality, vernal pools are devoid of fish, thus protecting salamander eggs from predation. Other obligate users of vernal pools in our region include wood frogs, marbled salamanders, and eastern fairy shrimp. While the presence of vernal pools is influenced by soil type, underlying geology, and local hydrology, they are commonly found across the Cumberland Plateau and throughout north facing forested slopes of the Tennessee River Gorge. If you come across a vernal pool while exploring our region, the best course of action is to leave it undisturbed because you never know what critters might be using it. Take time to enjoy some herping (biologist slang for searching for amphibians) this winter and spring, and if the conditions are right, you might just encounter a party of spotted salamanders marching to their breeding grounds!

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If you’re interested in learning more about vernal pools and their importance to spotted salamanders, check out this Riverwatch blog from our partners at the Tennessee Aquarium. And, if you’d like to see videos of a breeding pool full of spotted salamanders, check out this blog by Lang Elliott.

Recap of the 2024 Bird Banding Season

Recap of 2024 Bird Banding Season

By Austin Young

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Measuring Bird Use of the Tennessee River Gorge

For decades, TRGT staff and volunteers have employed mist netting surveys in the Tennessee River Gorge, hereafter Gorge, in order to measure bird species diversity, community composition, and bird behavior at specific sites of interest on TRGT protected conservation lands. Those terms are scientific language for what birds are here, how many are there, and what does their behavior tell us about how they are using a particular area. Are they using the area to nest? To replace feathers between when they nest and spend the winter? Or to briefly stop and rest and restore fat reserves during migration? Are these birds able to get the food they need from this site?

Catching and banding birds allows researchers to answer these specific questions and get other specific data about birds that they could otherwise not obtain without having the bird in the hand. Furthermore, using mist nets and banding birds allows researchers to “follow” individual birds that use the same area consistently. Using mist nets also increases the likelihood that researchers will capture species that are secretive and hard to find. In other words, mist netting can sometimes be the only way to see what secretive species are using a site. Researchers communicate their mist netting survey results with land managers, who then use the information to guide the management of the habitat.

Bird banding not only provides high quality information about how birds use a site but uniquely provides opportunity for visitors to observe wildlife at close range and observe birds in ways most people have never experienced. Thank you to all who visited our bird banding station this year. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to our newsletter so you can get a heads up on our public bird banding days in 2025!

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It’s great to band birds and all, but what do we do with the information we get from mist netting surveys?

Knowing what birds are in an area and what they are doing informs us about the state of the protected lands that TRGT is in charge of stewarding. We then use what we learned to guide what we should do to maintain or increase the land’s “ecological health” so-to-speak. In other words, how the birds are using the site give us an insight into the ability of a location to sustain healthy, flourishing bird populations. We use the mist netting survey data to guide our management actions and goals.

Close-up photo of a bird’s wing, specifically a Tennessee Warbler. Looking closely at features of a bird in the hand provides incredibly specific data, such as feather condition, for example and provides information that a researcher could not measure without having the bird in the hand.

TRGT is not alone in using this method. Using mist nets and bird banding to measure bird use of an area is a well-established method of information gathering that informs land and wildlife managers both about the birds themselves and the vegetation and insects that these birds use in order to survive and reproduce. Recapturing specific individual birds is a great example of one way that we get this information. We often recapture the same individuals over time and by recording the same data over and over again on the same birds, we can document if that bird’s physical state or behavior changes or remains the same over time or as we undergo habitat restoration efforts. In this way, mist netting provides high quality information about how those birds are using the site as we intentionally restore the habitat.

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Summary of the 2024 Mist Netting/Bird Banding Effort

In 2024, TRGT staff and volunteers mist netted during autumn and spring migration at our Bird Observatory research site and did a couple of late summer surveys in between the spring and autumn migration periods in order to measure what locally breeding birds were doing before migration. Before going further, let’s briefly mention the habitat and context of the research site. The Bird Observatory site sits along the Tennessee River in the bottom of the gorge. It’s a closed-canopy forest (wherein little sunlight reaches the forest floor). The primary vegetative components are oak-hickory woodlands with mature white oak and shortleaf pine stands. Beech trees and maples are mixed in as well with patches of Chinese privet and other woody shrub species. In this habitat type, we captured primarily birds that use woodlands and shrubs, as opposed to other groups of birds that use grasslands, marshes, or other habitat types.

An adult male Scarlet Tanager replacing its breeding season feathers (red) with its winter season feathers (green). Replacing feathers is known as molting. Molting is necessary for birds because they need to replace old and worn out feathers with new, fresh feathers!

In total, we captured 128 unique individuals comprising 32 species at the Bird Lab site in 2024 (See Table 1 below). We mostly captured Hooded Warblers, Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmouse, and Northern Cardinals. Most of the Hooded Warblers were early in autumn migration or just before migration was in full swing. Therefore, most of the Hooded Warblers were likely individuals that nested in the area or were born in the area and were preparing for migration. We also captured two Scarlet Tanagers, one of which was an adult male replacing its feathers before autumn migration southward.

The other three species we caught most of (Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, and Northern Cardinal) are considered resident species. Meaning, they tend to stick around in the same area for most of their lives. We often captured these resident birds in pairs or singles throughout the year. We often caught young of the year during late spring and early autumn! During migration periods, we also captured a small number of migratory warbler species that were a fun addition to the daily totals! Further, capturing these species showed that the Bird Observatory serves as a stopover site for birds that do not nest here or spend the winter here.

An adult female Northern Cardinal facing head-on! Their massive beaks are unique among birds in southeastern Tennessee, with only two other species showing similarly sized beaks (the Blue Grosbeak and Rose-breasted Grosbeak).

The same Northern Cardinal as pictured on the left, but with a side-profile. Birds with crests, like Cardinals, are fun to watch because you can discern much of their behavior based on the position of their crest!

Magnolia Warbler! A common migrant during autumn migration that uses the Bird Lab to rest and restore fat reserves before continuing on with migration.

Unfortunately, we were unable to mist net during the second half of September as a function of the tropical storm weather that affected much of the southeastern United States. If we had been able to, it is likely we would have captured more thrushes (i.e., Gray-cheeked, Veery, and Swainson’s) and more warbler species. As expected, we captured very few sparrows and no flycatcher species (e.g. phoebes, kingbirds, pewee, flycatchers). This speaks to the closed-canopy forest habitat since sparrows and flycatchers usually prefer open habitats on the edges of woodlands. We did, however, capture one Eastern Towhee! Indicating that it’s possible birds preferring open-canopy habitats likely use the site but in small numbers.

During migration periods, we also captured a small number of migratory warbler species that were a fun addition to the daily totals! Further, capturing these species showed that the Bird Observatory serves as a stopover site for birds that do not nest here or spend the winter here. One of these species was a locally rare Swainson’s Warbler!

Swainson’s Warbler! A locally rare and very secretive species during migration that has a very restricted range in the southeastern United States. The fact that Swainson’s Warblers are possibly using the Tennessee River Gorge as a fall migration stopover site is excellent news that serves to show the importance of the Gorge to species we often see and to species are very rarely encounter.

Black-throated Blue Warbler! An uncommon migrant during autumn migration that tends to migrate through a little later in autumn than other warbler species.

Unfortunately, we were unable to mist net during the second half of September as a function of the tropical storm weather that affected much of the southeastern United States. If we had been able to, it is likely we would have captured more thrushes (i.e., Gray-cheeked, Veery, and Swainson’s) and more warbler species. As expected, we captured very few sparrows and no flycatcher species (e.g., phoebes, kingbirds, pewee, flycatchers). This speaks to the closed-canopy forest habitat since sparrows and flycatchers usually prefer open habitats on the edges of woodlands. We did, however, capture one Eastern Towhee! Indicating that it is possible birds preferring open-canopy habitats still use the site in small numbers.

A pair of Golden-crowned Kinglets in the hand are worth more than two in the bush! This species is not often captured and these birds were in different nets but on the same day in mid-October. The left bird is a male (note the orange in the crown) and the right bird is a female. Photo Credit: Eliot Berz.

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Summary Table of the 2024 Mist Netting Survey Season

Table 1. A list of species and the total number captured during mist netting surveys in 2024 at the TRGT Bird Lab Site. Highlights include a Swainson’s Warbler and a pair of Scarlet Tanagers! The tanagers were an adult male and a juvenile caught together in the same net on the same day.

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SEE you out there next spring!

Please visit our Gorgeous Adventures page to learn about opportunities to join us in the field and see the birds yourselves.

Conservation in Action: Restoring an Imperiled Ecological Community of the Tennessee River Gorge

Conservation in Action: Restoring an Imperiled Ecological Community of the Tennessee River Gorge

By Austin Young

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September 23, 2024 officially marked a new era of TRGT conservation efforts of the Tennessee River Gorge, hereafter Gorge. Since 1981, TRGT and its partners have accomplished a great deal. We have acquired conservation land, provided quality public access opportunities, spearheaded rigorous bird research combined public education and outreach opportunities, and brought together a diverse group of partners. As a result, TRGT’s resources and capabilities have grown substantially! Over the past years, we have arrived at an excellent position to begin undertaking active land management activities. These activities include habitat restoration, forest management, and more. So what? Why does this matter? Active land management is very important to our mission because we value conserving a healthy Gorge for the community and the generations that follow us.

Yes, it is vitally important to acquire and preserve land in the Gorge to retain culturally and ecologically important wilderness areas and provide public access to that land. BUT we are not stopping there. We strive to take it another big step and actively manage the protected land and habitats in Gorge in order to conserve rare ecological communities, provide high quality wildlife habitat, and ensure the Gorge is healthy and flourishing.

The Tennessee River Gorge Hosts Rare and Imperiled Habitat Types that Need Management to Persist!

One of the Aetna Mountain Bogs pictured with TRGT staff and others for scale. These bogs are each ~1 acre in size and create a very unique habitat type in a homogeneous landscape of eastern woodlands. It's no surprise that these woodland bogs provide habitat for rare plants, amphibians, and other wildlife that need standing water to survive.

The Gorge has several clearly imperiled and rare habitat types that for years have been at the forefront of TRGT’s mind to actively restore and manage. For example, TRGT acquired a property on Aetna Mountain in 2021 that reportedly had two wetland habitats. The following year, TRGT staff visited these sites with biologists from the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation, the Southeastern Grasslands Institute, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of what exactly these wetlands in the woods were all about. To the surprise of TRGT, the “wetlands” were, in fact, a rare ecological woodland bog community! Rare plant and wildlife species of conservation concern were flourishing in these environments, including Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica), sharp-scaled manna grass (Glyceria acutiflora), barking tree frog (Dryophytes gratiosus), and others. Furthermore, it’s clear that these bogs play an essential role in the local hydrology by absorbing large amounts of precipitation. These bogs are also important because they provide surface water to vegetation and wildlife in an otherwise water-limited environment. In other words, there are very few other water sources available in the area outside of the bogs.

A Few Plants and Wildlife That Utilize the Woodland Bog Habitat!

Barking Tree Frog (Photo Credit: Eliot Berz)

Common Snapping Turtle (Photo Credit: Eliot Berz)

Spotted Salamander eggs (Photo Credit: Austin Young)

Virginia Chain Fern (Photo Credit: Thismia.com)

However, not all is good in the Aetna Mountain Bogs…

Unfortunately, the same biologists who documented the spectacular wildlife and plants back in 2021 also had a somber undertone intermixed with their joy. As the scientists surveyed the plant species, they discovered a great abundance of invasive species that were effectively “choking out” or overwhelming the native woodland bog ecological community. These invasive woody plants included red maples (Acer rubrum), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and black gum (Nyssa sylvatica). In fact, the invasive plants were so dense that it appears to have changed the woodland in recent decades to become a “closed-canopy forest,” in which the forest canopy becomes dense enough to prevent necessary amounts of sunlight to reach the forest floor.

It’s important to recognize this phenomenon is occurring in many bogs all over the southeastern U.S., according to Zach Irick of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute. And the reason is fairly simple. In recent history, human society in the southeastern U.S. has chosen to avoid and suppress wildland fire, which paves the way for plant and wildlife species that are not tolerant of fire to reproduce and survive in abundances that were not possible before. At the same time people have also brought non-native, exotic plant species into the region that have proliferated in their novel environments as well. Lastly, unsustainable logging practices over the past centuries have exacerbated the issue. Fast-forward only a matter of decades and the habitats that were historically woodland bogs are now drastically different in many cases because the invasive, shade-loving, fire-intolerant species have become increasingly common.

So what now? Is that it? Are we stuck with these conditions? Are the bogs going to disappear? Can we restore these imperiled habitat types that have changed so much in recent decades? Thankfully there are very effective habitat restoration methods in the conservationist’s tool belt that we can use restore these habitats. And we must!

“It would be a serious failure if these rare habitat types, such as the Aetna Mountain Bogs, were to disappear under our watch.”

- Eliot Berz, TRGT Executive Director

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Restore the Bogs!

In the years since we acquired the Aetna Mountain Bogs tract in 2021, we have been preparing to restore the native ecological communities that exists within the bogs. That goal came to fruition this autumn. Beginning on September 23, 2024, TRGT staff with a team of volunteers took on the “all hands on deck” approach to remove as many individual invasive plants as possible that are growing into and around the woodland bogs in high densities. Through ol’ fashioned elbow grease and hard work, we were able to clear invasive plants from approximately half of the bog in only two days! We employed well-established forestry methods to remove or kill invading plants and we drug the cut trees out of the restoration zone.

It’s important to think long-term for what we can do to stabilize the Aetna Mountain Bog plant community and its ecological function. It’s not really sustainable to cut and drag trees every year. So to keep the invasive species at bay and provide optimal conditions for native plants to thrive, we are following up on the tree removal effort with a prescribed fire under the supervision of certified burn bosses at the Southeastern Grasslands Institute. The use of fire in habitat management is very common in the region and is likely necessary to stabilize the ecological community at the Aetna Mountain Bogs.

From Green to Gold: What's Behind Our Fall Foliage?

From Green to Gold: What’s Behind Our Fall Foliage?

By Robert Windham

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As our days get shorter and nights get cooler throughout October in the Tennessee River Gorge, forests lining the mountain tops, ridgelines, and valley bottoms begin to shine with their magnificent fall foliage. Not only is it breathtaking to see an ocean of oranges, yellows, reds, and browns blanket our once entirely green forests, but the science behind why this change in color occurs is also just as intriguing! Before we delve into this color change, let’s explore what makes leaves green in the first place.

Plants making their own food and producing the oxygen we breathe through the process of photosynthesis need an especially important pigment called chlorophyll to do so. Chlorophyll’s job in a plant cell is to absorb sunlight, however, they also reflect green wavelengths of light, giving them their green appearance. The enormous amount of chlorophyll in a single plant cell and the tens of millions of plant cells present in a single leaf give leaves their green coloration.

Photo Credit: Peyman Ebrahimi

While chlorophyll is the predominant pigment in leaves during spring and summer months, carotenoid pigments are also present and responsible for the yellow-orange coloration of things like carrots or persimmons. In response to a decrease in daylight length and cooling temperatures, leaves slow down their food making processes in the fall and chlorophyll eventually breaks down. Once the chlorophyll is gone, the yellow to orange colors from remaining carotenoids shine through, as evident in the bright fall yellows of tulip poplars, sycamores, and hickory trees.

Similar to carotenoids, tannins are another compound always present in tree leaves that only express their brown hues once most the chlorophyll is gone. Tannins protect plants from infection by bacteria or fungi and also cause the bitter flavor of unripened fruit. The copper to golden leaf tones of species like beech and oak can thank tannins for their splendor.

Another group of pigments, anthocyanins, are responsible for the stunning pinks, reds, and purples and come about from a chemical reaction in the leaves themselves. As the flow of nutrients in and out of a leaf slows down and more chlorophyll degrades, sugars can build up in the leaf and react with proteins to form these anthocyanins, the same pigments giving coloration to fruits like apples and grapes. Brilliant bright reds and purples seen in sourwoods, dogwoods, and red maples can be attributed to this sugar driven reaction!

You can already see our fall colors expanding through the Tennessee River Gorge by scanning the sides of Signal, Aetna, Raccoon, or Elder Mountain. Horizontal bands of yellows, oranges, and reds along the sides of these mountains are evidence that even the slightest change in altitudinal temperature can have an effect on the breakdown of chlorophyll. Our fall colors are predicted to peak around October 28th, so we hope you make time to get out, crunch some leaves along the way, and enjoy the beautiful autumn palette. Check out our Scenic Overlooks blog for some striking spots to view fall colors in the gorge. For more information regarding fall foliage throughout Tennessee, visit this TN state parks blog or view an interactive fall foliage prediction map on Smoky Mountains website. For more detailed information on leaf color change, check out The Chemistry Behind the Color by the U.S. Forest Service.

Photo Credit: TN State Parks

Buzzing Abounds in the Tennessee River Gorge

By Robert Windham

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Periodical Cicada. Photo Credit: Austin Young.

If you’ve ever experienced a summer in the southeast, you’ve likely heard the distinctive buzz of a male Cicada attempting to attract a mate. Halfway through the spring of 2024, this buzz amplified 10-fold after the Tennessee River Gorge welcomed millions of periodical Cicadas ready to complete their last month of life. Although our region experiences annual cicadas marked by their black eyes and green body parts, the periodical Brood XIX emerged in Hamilton County for the first time since 2011. Brood XIX is 1 of 3 Cicada broods in the Eastern United States that experience a 13-year life cycle, and they are distinguished from annual Cicadas by their orange wings and red eyes.

Map of active periodical Cicada broods. Photo Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Annual Cicada.

Photo Credit: Timothy Reichard

Periodical Cicada.

Photo Credit: Austin Young

Cicada emergence holes on Williams Island, Chattanooga, TN.

Most of the 13-year life cycle for these periodical Cicadas is spent underground in development as they drink the sap from the roots of trees. Once the soil temperature reaches at least 65°F and there is adequate rainfall to soften the ground in a designated brood’s year, Cicada nymphs exit the surface through constructed tunnels to eventually shed their exoskeleton and emerge as adults. After emerging, male Cicadas use vibrating abdominal membranes called tymbals to create their distinguished buzzing noise in search for a female mate. The buzz from multiple Cicadas at once can exceed 100 decibels, louder than a gas-powered lawnmower. Adult Cicadas die around a month after emerging, and females can lay hundreds of eggs before their departure. Cicada nymphs hatch from their eggs after 1-3 months to make their journey back into the ground for 13 long years.

Cicada exoskeleton on Aetna Mountain, Chattanooga, TN.

While the lifespan of periodical broods above ground is relatively short, their sheer numbers create a resource pulse with significant environmental impacts both on land and in water. With certain areas experiencing more than 1 million Cicadas per acre, this influx provides an extra feeding opportunity for insect eating species like the American Robin, Wood Thrush, Raccoon, Bass, Eastern Copperhead, and even Orb-weaver spiders. Using data from 37 years of North American Breeding Bird Surveys, Walter Koenig and Andrew Liebhold found a distinctive ebb and flow pattern to bird populations in association with periodical Cicada emergences in the eastern United States in their 2005 study: https://wkoenig.cornell.media3.us/K127TA_05.pdf.

 Species such as Gray Catbird and Brown Thrasher substantially increased following emergence years before their populations stabilized. Others like the Yellow-billed Cuckoo were recorded in high numbers during emergence years and ultimately declined in abundance over subsequent years.

Periodical Cicadas not only impact our insect predators, but they also play a key role in nutrient cycling. Emergence holes alter the water infiltration and microbial activity of the soil. After tunneling through the surface, Cicadas uproot below ground nutrients like nitrogen and deposit those to shallow rooted plants once their carcasses decompose on the forest floor. Years following, forest growth can increase as a result. Cicadas also provide a similar nutrient transfer in aquatic environments where emergence years can be indirectly linked to the status of aquatic predators.

Cicada Lifecycle. Photo Credit: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

The influence on demographics and nutrient cycling from periodical Cicada broods highlight their ecological importance both in the short and long term. At TRGT, understanding the role Cicadas play in our environment helps our interpretation of long-term ecological trends, especially in relation to the conservation and management of some of our most common imperiled bird species. We hope you all enjoyed 2024’s Cicada frenzy or are enjoying the newfound silence across our landscape now that most of Brood XIX is underground until their eventual return in 2037.

To learn more about our periodical Cicadas, visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History website: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/education/teaching-resources/life-science/periodical-cicadas

Cicadas buzzing at Williams Island, Chattanooga, TN.

Conservation in Action: Motus Tracking of a Secretive Songbird

By Austin Young

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The Call to Action

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) is one among many North American bird species expressing substantial population declines in recent decades. We are in urgent need of ways to understand their migratory pathway, survival across years, and the relative importance of the habitats that these birds use throughout the calendar year, i.e. during the breeding season, migration period, and overwintering months.

Check out the following link to watch a really cool interactive map of GPS-tagged Wood Thrushes migrating thousands of miles between breeding and overwintering locations.

In fact, simply knowing where populations go and how the birds use habitats across a broad landscape remains one of the primary constraints to successful bird conservation. Without knowledge of where individual birds go and how individuals use habitats in different places throughout the year, we cannot address the issues that are driving the declines of many species.

From late May through June 2024, we deployed 10 radio transmitters on Wood Thrushes breeding in the Tennessee River Gorge. This effort is part of an international, collaborative Wood Thrush tracking project that seeks to increase our knowledge of this secretive songbird. Tracking these birds could guide the conservation and management of this still common, but declining species as well as guide our management of the forests that these birds are using, both locally in the river gorge and beyond.

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Capturing Wood Thrushes

It’s June and the early summer air is warm and humid as we hike up the side of the Tennessee River Gorge in the predawn hours. As we ascend the canyon with our gear, we hear several Wood Thrushes singing from the forest canopy a few hundred yards ahead. By the way, every spring and summer male Wood Thrushes, and hundreds of other North American passerines, sing loudly and proudly from a comfortable perch in order to attract prospective females that are in search of a mate and to defend their breeding territories from other males. As a result of this behavior, this is also the time of the year that secretive woodland species, like the Wood Thrush, are most readily found and captured.

Fast forward a half hour, we have now identified the specific territory of one of the singing thrushes. Using headlamps, we set up a mist net and a pair of Bluetooth speakers. We play a few Wood Thrush songs from the speakers and within minutes, a male Wood Thrush has come down from his canopy-level perch to check out the sounds from the speakers. In doing so, he has flown into the net!

As an important aside, we do not recommend using playback often for birding or photography. Here is a helpful article outlining the responsible use of audio playback in the field.

With the bird in hand, we unload our backpacks and set up a temporary bird banding station on the forest floor. One of the bird banders on the team attaches a lightweight, aluminum leg band to the bird that comprises a unique alpha-numeric code that functions as a “name” for that individual Wood Thrush. Next, we record a series of measurements, including the age and sex of the bird. In this case, we have a second-year male Wood Thrush. Meaning that this is a male in it’s second-calendar year. This individual was born in the summer of 2023, and during the subsequent autumn he migrated south to Central America or southeastern Mexico, and has now migrated back north to breed the spring of 2024.

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Attaching the Transmitter

The bird is now ready to be fitted with a radio transmitter tag. This tag is less than 3% of the total body weight, and itself weighs 1.2 grams, on average. The tag is attached to the bird using a well-known method called the leg-loop harness. The leg-loop harness is similar to a rock-climbing harness worn around a climber’s thighs and waist. The tag itself sits on the rump of the bird in fanny-pack fashion. Once the tag is appropriately attached to the bird, we admire the bird one last time before it silently flies back into the dense, dark forest from where we captured it.

A tagged Wood Thrush (left) perched in thick woodlands of a predawn forest. The radio transmitter tag is the white blob on the bird’s back. The antenna noticeably extends down the back along the center of the tail.

The radio transmitter (right) comprises a battery-powered unit that emits radio waves with a long antenna flowing out the back. The two loops on either side of the transmitter go around the legs of the bird. This method ultimately positions the transmitter on the lower back of the Wood Thrush.

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Tracking the Wood Thrush

Finally, we pack up the gear and make our way back to the office. The bird we tagged earlier this morning can be seen on the Motus project website along with the other Wood Thrushes tagged in Tennessee. Now we sit and wait! The tag emits a radio frequency that can be detected by Motus towers around the globe. This includes our tower, as pictured here. By using our local tower, we can assess when the tagged birds leave their breeding sites and how many come back to the same area next year! In general, however, when a tagged bird is detected by a tower, that is a data point. Collectively, the data points tell a story that explains to us the extensive movement and survival information about Wood Thrushes in addition to some details regarding the forests they use. It is also important to recognize that if a bird is not detected by an existing Motus tower, this is also a data point because it tells us where Wood Thrushes are not.

Click here for a map of all Motus towers to see the extensive network of towers across the globe!

Importantly, you can track our locally tagged Wood Thrushes, and others from around the state in Tennessee, by visiting this link to the Motus project.

A trained and licensed bird bander holding a tagged Wood Thrush.

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What We Hope to Learn

We hope to discover where our local Wood Thrushes migrate to in the winter and the routes they take. We have a general idea of where they go during the migration periods and winter months, but in reality we do not know specifically where most Wood Thrushes go and what habitat they use during that time frame. We also don’t know how long they stay in those parts of the world and how many of them survive into the next year.

By collecting movement data from these birds, we are informing global conservation of the forests they use and our local forests on Tennessee River Gorge Trust lands. Here at TRGT, we seek to conserve a healthy forest for generations. Learning more about the iconic, but declining, Wood Thrush may provide insights we need to manage the forest to be healthy and sustainable for the current generations of our community and all who use it.

Photo Credit: Kevin Livingood

Tracking a Secretive Songbird in the Tennessee River Gorge and Beyond

Tracking a Secretive Songbird in the Tennessee River Gorge and Beyond

By Austin Young

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Singing Wood Thrush. Photo Credit: John Petruzzi.

What is Migration?

Migration is a cyclical, annual movement where an animal makes a two-way, round-trip movement between the breeding grounds and overwintering grounds. Many migratory birds use the forests of the Tennessee River Gorge that migrate there to breed or to briefly stopover en route to their breeding locations to the north or their overwintering locations to the south. They migrate because they cannot sustain year-round living in their breeding areas due to the seasonal availability of food resources, i.e. cold winters reduce the abundance of insects and seeds.

The Wood Thrush

One migratory species that has also experienced drastic declines in recent years and is considered an icon of eastern North American forests is the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). For reasons known and unknown, they have declined by nearly 60% in the last half-century. The declines in their population sizes have unanimously brought to our attention its need for conservation across its entire breeding range in the U.S. and Canada. Wood Thrushes breed throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, migrating south to overwinter in far Central America and northwestern South America. They primarily forage quietly on the forest floor and eat insects, snails, and small salamanders but also enjoy their fruits and veggies. A fun fact is that female Wood Thrushes will hone in on snail shells, which can litter the forest floor, and are ultimately used during egg development before the female lays her eggs!

If you are out and about hiking in the Gorge during the spring and summer breeding seasons, you can hear the males performing a memorable song that serves to loudly defend their breeding territories and to attract mates. Females are known to sing as well but their song is noticeably different and softer than a male’s song.

Where do Wood Thrushes Live?

Here is a map showing the relative abundance of Wood Thrushes during breeding, migration, and wintering stages of their annual life cycle. The darker red areas show where high densities of Wood Thrushes occur during the summer months. The darker blue areas show where high densities are during the winter months. Map Credit: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: State of the Birds 2016.

Wood Thrushes in the River Gorge and Beyond

Importantly, Wood Thrushes are still a relatively common bird on the landscape and we want to keep them that way. However, the information needed to understand why Wood Thrushes, and other common species, are declining is exceedingly difficult to obtain because they are small in size, inhabit dense forest, and migrate thousands of kilometers. Recent advancements in tracking technology have created the opportunity to learn more about these charismatic birds! In the spring and summer of 2024, TRGT will be deploying 10 tags on Wood Thrushes that will be tracked using our motus tower and others across the hemisphere. Click here to view our recent article describing more about our motus station.

How do we track them?

Here is a photo of a bird bander holding a Wood Thrush that is fitted with a lightweight motus tag that sends signals to a motus tower with the bird’s location. The tower stores the location information of the tag that is ultimately used by biologists.The transmitter comprises a GPS unit and an antenna to communicate with a tower. The GPS unit is contained in the white apparatus on the back of the bird. The antenna extends down the back toward the tail of the bird. Photo Credit: Paz Irola.

Ultimately, tagging Wood Thrushes will inform future conservation and management for this Species of Greatest Conservation Need and help us at TRGT better understand the role of our lands in the big picture of passerine migration while simultaneously providing insights about our forests to ensure a healthy river gorge for generations. This project will forge and strengthen TRGT partnerships and broader state, national, and international bird conservation partnerships resulting in a healthier Tennessee River Gorge for generations and a broader impact of hemispheric-level bird conservation action.

To learn more about North American bird migration, check out this interactive map from the National Audubon Society: https://explorer.audubon.org/home?legend=collapse&layersPanel=expand

Empowering Tomorrow's Conservation Leaders – Reflections on the TRGT Summer Internship

Empowering Tomorrow's Conservation Leaders – Reflections on the TRGT Summer Internship 

By Quentin Miller

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As the Spring season looms closer and closer, TRGT is excited to open our 2024 Internship Program for applicants! TRGT is proud to support a robust internship program since the 1990s. Over the years, the program has evolved to support students looking to break into the conservation field and gain valuable insight on the day-to-day operations of a nonprofit organization.   

Past Internship Projects  

The past few internship seasons have been a massive success with our interns playing a pivotal role in our organization. TRGT strives to make the internship program a unique and dynamic one with ample opportunities of hands-on experience and mentorship for undergraduate and graduate students. TRGT operates on 3 distinct principles: stewardship/research, land protection, community access and engagement. It is our goal to immerse the interns in each of these foundations to not only understand the dynamics of working for a non-profit land conservation organization but also learn critical skills that can be applicable to future professions as they develop their early careers. Recent internship projects include:  

• Set up a MOTUS wildlife tracking system to obtain critical bird migration data for the TN River Gorge. 

• Completed boundary patrols along our protected properties by boat, road and foot. 

• Assisted with a scientific vegetation survey on the rare Aetna Mountain Bogs with the Southeast Grasslands Initiative. 

• Provided necessary monitoring and maintenance of our trail systems, campsites, and other recreational areas. 

• Provided coordination and leadership during conservation events such as public bird banding days, field trips with the Promoting Ethnic Diversity in Zoos program, trail maintenance volunteer days, Sunset kayak paddle tours etc.  

• Learned and assisted in the methodological process of capturing native and migratory birds for target netting research and our bird banding station.  

• Created 3D models of Wood Thrush decoys for an upcoming avian research project. 

• Designed and implemented construction, paint and welding projects for trail systems, campsites, and bird observatory renovations.  

Training the Next Generation 

One of the first questions we ask each intern during the onboarding process is what their interests are and what they would like to achieve in this internship. We believe curating an individual’s career interests is critical for a successful and meaningful internship. TRGT has the privilege of having a conservation network across the State of Tennessee and beyond. Connecting our interns with as many organizations as possible remains a core objective. While we love to showcase all the great projects and work here at the Trust, it is also necessary for our interns to build relationships and network with other environmental organizations.  For example, last year our interns were able to learn and connect with organizations such as the Chattanooga Zoo, Tennessee Aquarium, UTC GIS Lab, SkyTech Monitoring, TN Aquarium Conservation Institute and more. Depending on what the specific interests are of the intern whether it is avian research, botany, GIS etc., we aim to provide as much experience as possible related within TRGT and allow them to gain further experience with our incredible partners.  

An Inclusive Experience  

TRGT recognizes that there are many barriers to entry within the field of conservation and environmental science. While we continue to learn about these barriers, we focus our efforts on providing opportunities for a wide array of future conservation professionals. It is our core effort to create a diverse and equitable conservation community where all voices can be heard and valued. It is also our intention that the internship posting can be shared across wide ranging communities who seek hands-on conservation experience. Applications for the 2024 internship are due March 20, 2024. More information can be found here!

The Threats of White-Nose Syndrome on the Tennessee River Gorge Bat Communities

The Threats of White-Nose Syndrome on the Tennessee River Gorge Bat Communities  

By Quentin Miller

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Credit: Amber Hart  

 
The Tennessee River Gorge is home to a rich cave system that formed over 300 million years ago when water seeped into the cracks of the Earth and dissolved limestone rock, forming underground pipelines for gravity and water to play its part. These caves are incredibly fragile, providing a unique ecosystem for a variety of species such as the Tennessee cave salamander, Barr’s cave spider, southern crayfish etc.  

 
Meet the Tricolored Bat 

One species that is of high interest here at TRGT is the Tricolored bat. These furry natives are one of the smallest bat species in North America, coming in at the same weight as a quarter! The name comes from their fur’s physical attributes in that each specific hair has three components: a dark base, a lighter middle, and a yellow/brown tip. Tricolored bats seek “hibernaculums” or hibernation dwellings during the winter season. One such hibernaculum is Hugden Cave. Hugden Cave has been under the protection of TRGT since 1987 and is home to a colony of Tricolored bats. In 2018, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) recorded 48 Tricolored bats hibernating in Hugden Cave with some displaying diagnostic symptoms of White Nose Syndrome. As of September 2022, a proposal was submitted for this species to be listed as an endangered species in large part due to the deleterious effects of White-Nose Syndrome. 

What is White-Nose Syndrome?  

Credit: Pete Pattavina

White-Nose syndrome is a complex fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) disease that affects hibernating bat species. The fungus thrives in cold, dark, damp places making caves an ideal habitat. Susceptible bats (tri-colored bat, Indiana bat, gray bat etc.) can be invaded by this fungus during hibernation as the fungus will make home on areas of bare skin such as their nose. The fungus can cause skin infections and wing degradation but more importantly, it disturbs and awakens the bat during hibernation, depleting vital fat reserves necessary for winter survival. 

 
The disease was first identified back in 2006 in New York. It has gone on to spread across North America (39 states) and many Canadian Provinces, killing millions of bats and in some areas depleting the native population by 90-100%. The disease is well established in east and midwest U.S. states but has gone on to spread to the mountain west with some confirmation in California and Washington. Scientists continue to study this fungus around the clock as its introduction has ignited one of the deadliest outbreaks in wild mammals in recent history. Molecular evidence suggests that P. destructans evolved from coexisting with Europe/Asia bat communities to becoming a specialist pathogen that seeks out living bat tissue to grow and replicate. 

Early Signs of Resistance? 

While the news may seem bleak, there is growing evidence of a resistance from this disease in bats affected early in the outbreak. Scientists have studied colonies of little brown bats located in New England and found that survivors of White Nose Syndrome exhibit unique gene sequencing not found in bats that were killed by the fungus disease. The unique genomic trait supports weight gain before hibernation and behavior during hibernation, suggesting that the influx of White Nose Syndrome within these populations has led to a rapid evolution. 

Quentin entering a room in Hugden Cave!

This year, the TRGT field team and the TWRA monitoring team conducted another bat survey count at Hugden Cave. 95 tricolored bats were observed, doubling the population size from 2018! The monitoring team did observe diagnostic evidence of White Nose Syndrome among a few bats within the cave. Even though our population has doubled over the course of five years, monitoring must remain a high priority at TRGT, and mitigation measures must be acted on. 

What can I do about White Nose Syndrome? 

From the avid cave adventurers to the urban explorers, there are many things that can be done to help mitigate the spread of White Nose Syndrome. 

1. Awareness  

Keeping citizens informed and acknowledging the threats of White Nose Syndrome is paramount. Bats play a vital role in pest control, plant pollination, and seed dispersal across the world. A study recently estimated that bats consume enough pests including those pesky mosquitoes to save more than 1 billion dollars a year in overall crop damage and pesticide control. While few people want a bat flying over their head late at night, they are still very misunderstood and deserve a great appreciation and attention, 

1. Clean Caving and Permits 

For the more adventurous, caves can be safely and responsibly explored by adhering to strict protocol before and after entering a cave. Here in Chattanooga, we have the pleasure of accessing cave information and permits from the Southeastern Cave Conservancy (SCC). SCC provides access for caving permits  

1. Reporting 

Injured or dead bats should be reported to agencies like the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. Reporting helps experts identify areas that may be seeing declines in population and warrant further investigation.  

To learn more about Tennessee’s unique caves and the impacts of White Nose Syndrome, please visit the Southastern Cave Conservancy.  

Motus Bird Tracking Tower in the Tennessee River Gorge

Motus Bird Tracking Tower in the Tennessee River Gorge

By Eliot Berz

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TRGT staff installing the Motus Tower

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            The mysteries surrounding migratory birds have stumped scientists for centuries. Although we have still only scratched the surface, technological advances have allowed researchers to better understand the movements of these far traveling animals. The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is one of these recent advances. Motus is an international collaborative network that uses radio telemetry towers to track bird movements. The towers receive signals from radio tags placed on birds, bats, and even insects whenever they fly within a certain proximity of a tower. Motus towers have been popping up all over the continent and the goal is to create an extensive network of towers that will capture as much bird movement as possible. This information is directly used by researchers to better understand certain bird species’ life cycles and to better conserve their populations.

TRGT’s interns working on the tower

            The TRGT bird research team has installed the first Motus tower in the Tennessee River Gorge and the second tower in Chattanooga. This tower was made possible by a generous grant from REI. In 2022, Dr. David Aborn with the University of Tennessee Chattanooga installed a Motus tower at Reflection Riding Nature Center and Arboretum. Tagged birds traveling through the Chattanooga area will begin to be picked up as they fly within range of these two towers. The TRGT tower sits on the bank of the river by Williams Island at the beginning of the river gorge.

Wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)

            TRGT’s first project deploying Motus tags on migratory birds will be with wood thrush in the spring and summer of 2024 in partnership with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. If you are not familiar with the wood thrush, you have likely heard its song from Hollywood. The wood thrush’s song is one of the more popular birdsongs and is often dubbed into jungle and outdoor scenes in the movies. This species spends its winter in Mexico and Central America, then spends the summer breeding and raising young in the eastern United States and southern Canada. The Tennessee River Gorge has a flourishing population of wood thrush, however the overall population is in decline. From 1966 to 2019, there was an estimated loss of over 50% of the global wood thrush population. By better understating their annual movements through technologies such as Motus, we can better conserve and protect their declining populations.

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The finished product!

Thank you to REI for making this project possible!

Understanding and Celebrating the Timber Rattlesnake

Understanding and Celebrating the Timber Rattlesnake

By Quentin Miller

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In August 2022, Sarah Buckner captured a beautiful timber rattlesnake traveling across a hiking trail near Snoopers Rock. The video quickly went viral given its size and location. While it may be quite intimidating to witness one out in nature, they are equally intimidated by your presence and have no interest in engaging with you unless they feel threatened. The snake observed in the video was an adult timber rattlesnake that appears to be ~40 inches long. Adult snakes reach an average length of 40-52 inches depending on their sex (males being larger than females). Claims of timber rattlesnakes being longer than 6-7 feet are often exaggerated and unlikely. Timber rattlesnakes can be identified by the classic triangular head, tail rattle, and Chevron or W-shaped crossbands running down the body. The physical coloration of the snake varies depending on geographic location. There are two distinct color phases (light and dark) for timber rattlesnakes, however, individual’s color can often be a combination of the two phases.  

Range Map of Timber Rattlesnake

Timber rattlesnakes call the Tennessee River Gorge and the surrounding areas home. Researchers estimate that their current range spans from New York all the way to Florida and west into states such as Kansas and Texas. Historically, timber rattlesnakes were found in the states of Delaware, Rhode Island and Maine but have since been extirpated by humans through state sponsored eradication programs. Today, it is illegal to kill any rattlesnakes in Tennessee (https://www.tn.gov/twra/guide/hunting-regulations.html). Public perceptions have positively changed over time, but the species is still misunderstood. Timber rattlesnakes have been a popular symbol of American unity and freedom. Benjamin Franklin first used this snake as a media icon during the French and Indian War of 1754-1763. The snake representing the 8 colonies, weak when separated but a formidable force when unified. The snake later became the famous icon of the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag during the Revolutionary War.  

Timber rattlesnakes do not seek out or intend on striking humans. They prey on small rodents, amphibians, birds , and other similarly sized critters. They utilize unique, heat-sensing pits on their head to locate prey and envenomate them. Snakes will often forage along dry, sloped deciduous forests. Dens are often located in rocky areas or the bottoms of cliffs and slopes. The home range for males is estimated to be about 222 acres. The females’ ranges are much smaller at 1/3 of the males’ range and become even smaller during gestation periods. They are a late maturing species with females not reaching sexual maturity until 9-10 years and the males being 4-6 years of age. Females will only reproduce every two years on average in most southern states due to the high biological costs of reproduction. Breeding takes place during early summer to late fall and the females will give live birth to 5-14 individuals. The low fecundity and late sexual maturity of this species certainly puts emphasis on the protection of adult snakes. The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency has listed this species as a population in decline throughout the region citing habitat loss, road collisions, and human persecution as driving factors.  

Safe Practices for Walking on the Trail 

While you are highly unlikely to see a snake on your next hike, it is best to practice some safe hiking tips. Wear closed toed shoes and long pants while hiking. Always scan your surroundings and watch where you are stepping, especially around large rocks or logs. Do not reach or place your hands into crevices that are not entirely visible. If you must detour from the trail, avoid heavy underbrush and return to the trail as soon as possible.  

What should I do if I see a Timber Rattlesnake on the Trail? 

1. Back away from the snake. A good rule of thumb is to back away at least 10 steps from the snake.  

2. DO NOT try and move it with a stick as this will only agitate them and increase the risk of a strike. 

3. There is no need to yell or wave at the snake. Timber Rattlesnakes have internal ears that do an excellent job of sensing vibrations in the ground.  

4. Wait for the snake to continue along its path until it is safe to pass.

5. If the snake is not moving from the trail, determine a safe, alternative route around the snake.  

The Tennessee River Gorge holds a healthy population of this species. By understanding these creatures and the value they bring to the ecosystem, we can live harmoniously with them and celebrate their presence rather than their absence. For more information, visit the Orianne Society.  

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The Tennessee River Gorge Sunrise Cloud Inversion

The Tennessee River Gorg Sunrise Cloud Inversion

By Eliot Berz

On a perfect cool night in the Tennessee River Gorge, temperature and humidity work together to set the stage for an awe-inspiring scene that is revealed at daybreak. If the conditions are just right, a river of clouds form just above the water’s surface below the mountains. This mesmerizing weather event is called a cloud inversion.

The topography, river, and our regional climate provide the perfect conditions for regular cloud inversions from spring to fall in the gorge. Although they are by no means a daily occurrence, inversions can be predicted if you know what to look for and understand what causes these events. A quick look over the weather forecast can tell you if an inversion is possible the following morning.  Here is what to look for:

1) Temperatures that meet the dew point at daybreak

The dew point is “the temperature the air needs to be cooled to (at constant pressure) in order to achieve a relative humidity (RH) of 100%. At this point the air cannot hold more water in the gas form.” (weather.com).

2) Relatively high humidity

Thanks to the Tennessee River, we have an abundance of humidity within the gorge. This availability of humid air provides moisture that can condense to form clouds.

3) Calm conditions

Too much wind will disperse the clouds and not allow them to settle over the river.

4) No incoming weather fronts

Incoming weather fronts are often not favorable for cloud inversions.

5) Long, cool nights

Long and cool nights help create the conditions for an inversion. Inversions are especially common after long, cool fall nights.

We hope you get the chance to see one of these early morning inversions for yourself! Check out the video below to learn more and check out this video to see the overlooks where inversions can be viewed from.

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New Interactive Recreation Map Added to Website

 New Interactive Recreation Map Added to Website

TRGT is adding an interactive outdoor recreation map to the website! Whether it be by boat, foot, cycle etc, there are so many ways to access and enjoy the Tennessee River Gorge. This interactive map will not only provide a visual representation of the Gorge, but also contain interactive icons. The map features a variety of recreational activities that can be accessed through TRGT’s protected lands and neighboring public lands.  The map is available below or at our get outside page.

Each icon will provide pertinent information to the recreation area or activity. URL links will be made available for certain recreational features (campsite reservations, trail information). Additionally, access icons will be made available for features such as boat ramps, parking/trailhead information, marinas etc.  

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Navigating the map 

· Click and drag the map to move around.

· Zoom functions can be used with the plus/minus icons on the upper left-hand corner. Zooming in to certain areas may provide more icons to discover.

· Click on an icon you are interested in to learn more about the area.

· Words or URLs highlighted in blue can be clicked on and a new tab will open, providing more information about the activity or destination.  

Tennessee River Gorge Activities/Destinations on the Map

Photo by Micah Gentry

·       Camping (Williams Island, Lower Pot Point Campsites etc.)

·       Hiking (Ritchie Hollow, Pot Point, Cumberland Trail etc.) 

·       Rock Climbing (Lower Pot Point Boulder field, Tennessee Wall etc.)  

·       Mountain Biking (Raccoon Mountain Bike trails, Stringers Ridge) 

·       Scenic Overlooks (Edwards Point, Snoopers Rock etc.) 

·       Bird Watching (Lower Pot Point trail, William’s Island)  

·       And More! (Whitewater kayaking, swimming areas, waterfalls etc.)

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Outdoor Recreation Map