Management & Maintenance of the the Trail and Arboretum Area

The ongoing Management & Maintenance of the Trail and the surrounding areas is performed by volunteers from The Tuckaleechee Garden Club, Blount County Master Gardeners and community members.  Once or twice a year members of Keep Blount Beautiful and The Little River Watershed Association join us for cleanup days. The City of Townsend does some of the mowing of the weeds along parts of the paved trail area.

Invasive Management & Maintenance

Removal and control of invasive species along the trail requires ongoing maintenance.  Early on in the project invasive removal was a focal point of the project, but the removal efforts have been so effective that now maintaining control of the invasives is a normal part of the monthly maintenance routines. Initially, a team of TRWA volunteers, using the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plants in Tennessee list, identified four major species that were listed as severe threats to the ecological environment that were prevalent along the trail. These were Ligustrum vulgare, the common privet, Lonicera species, the bush honeysuckle, Albinia julibrissin, the mimosa, and Rosa multifora, the multifora rose.

During the removal of invasives, planting of native ferns and other wildflowers was started. Coneflowers and sunflowers were planted around the entry signs. Seed from native wildflowers have been sown, and plants from members’ private collections have been added to the trail. These include native columbine, Jack-in-the-pulpit, purple asters, alumroot, Solomon’s seal, native violets, ironweed, fire pinks, black-eyed Susan’s, goldenrod, phlox, cardinal flowers, Joe-Pye Weed, foamflower, butterfly milkweed, wild indigo, coneflowers, and dwarf-crested iris. Seed from native river oats have been planted as well. Native ferns have been added including maidenhair ferns and cinnamon ferns. Shrubs and trees planted include: serviceberry, beautyberry, hearts-a-busting, spicebush, sumac, fringe tree, maple leaf viburnum, golden St. John’s Wort, American holly, wild hydrangea, oak leaf hydrangea, and cranberry. The goal is to have native bushes replace the very prolific bush honeysuckle and mimosa.

Arboretum Management & Maintenance

Tree and Informational Signs, tree maintenance (replacement, plantings, identification, trail maps) and website updates are done periodically to provide updated information to Arboretum visitors.  The Arboretum is certified every three years by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council.  All work is done by volunteers as needed and follows the Townsend River Walk & Arboretum Master Plan that was laid out in 2022.  The current arboretum tree list can be found here.

Grounds Management & Maintenance

The 3+ acres of the TRWA is maintained and managed by volunteers from the Tuckaleechee Garden Club.  Assisting in the maintenance are volunteers from Blount County Master Gardeners, the City of Townsend, Keep Blount Beautiful,  Little River Watershed Assoc. and community members.  Some of the tasks include: walk maintenance, debris and litter cleanup, grass cutting & weed eating, garden maintenance, planting of flowers & trees, fencing, and all other projects based on our Master Plan.