Cumberland River Compact

10/15/2026

Once upon a time, in a land not too far away, there was a school. This school had a classroom, some teachers, and a lot of farmers. Yes, indeed, this school was a Grazing School!

On September 25th, the Compact facilitated a Grazing School workshop in Brownsville with Tennessee farmers interested in learning about regenerative livestock management practices. Throughout the evening, farmers spent time in both a classroom of desks and a classroom of fields, discussing rotational grazing and other river-friendly farming practices.

In the classroom, grazing specialist Greg Brann, USDA veterinarian Dr. Jenna Jackson, and regenerative cattle farmer Ira Jones explained how managed grazing (a.k.a. rotating livestock through small paddocks and fencing them out of waterways) can improve the health of your soil, water, animals, and farm finances. After time spent in the classroom, the farmers ventured into host George West Moss’ fields to see real-life examples of these techniques.

Thank you to all who participated in the event, allowing river-friendly farming to become a reality here in the Cumberland River basin!

10/13/2026

This past Friday, seven volunteers from Smith, Seckman, and Reid put on their boots and took to West Nashville’s Boyd Park to join the Cumberland River Compact for a stream cleanup. The crew at SSR collected nearly 250 pounds of litter and two shopping carts (in a variety of sizes!).

This was SSR’s second time cleaning up at Boyd Park, and many of the volunteers noticed there was much less litter to collect this time around. The tireless efforts of volunteers like those at SSR are proof that incremental action instills real, measurable results.

Thank you to this amazing team for taking time to promote the health and prosperity of streams around Nashville, improving the local habitat and downstream water quality for all residents of the city!

10/08/2026

What’s better than cleaning up litter and preserving parts of the environment that (quite literally) keep Nashville afloat? Doing it with adorable adoptable dogs by your side, of course!

This past Saturday, over 20 volunteers joined the Cumberland River Compact and Metro Animal Care and Control for a litter cleanup along the Mill Creek Greenway in South Nashville. Volunteers and their new furry friends gathered to collect litter along the stream’s banks and nearby tree buffer.

A huge shout out (or bark!) goes out to all who contributed to this amazing event. Over 1,021 pounds of trash were collected and removed from the stream, protecting local wildlife and water quality in the Cumberland River just downstream. Thank you to the volunteers and to Metro Animal Care and Control for making this event happen!

10/06/2026

Don’t miss out on another chance to pick up free trees! This Friday, October 9th, Cumberland River Compact staff from the Root Nashville team will be giving away free trees at the 48th Annual Fall Tennessee Craft Fair, with funds made available by the Arbor Day Foundation and Kroger Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation. The event will take place on Centennial Park’s iconic Great Lawn, next to the Parthenon.

So, if you missed the window to order free trees from Root Nashville this summer, or you live outside of Davidson County and want a new tree of your own, have no fear - your chance is here!

This event is free and open to the public. Trees will be in 1-3-gallon containers, and available species will include redbud, oak, and tulip poplar - come early to have your pick of the bunch!

09/25/2026

Calling all animal lovers and trash picker-uppers in Nashville: join the Cumberland River Compact and Metro Animal Care & Control to clean up South Nashville’s Mill Creek - and meet adoptable dogs - on Saturday, October 3rd from 10am - 1pm!

We’ll walk along the Mill Creek Greenway from Ezell Park, removing litter from the stream’s banks and the surrounding buffer of trees as we go. Your volunteer efforts will clean and improve the habitat of the endangered Nashville crayfish (a species found only in our area!) and protect water quality in the Cumberland River downstream. Plus, you might meet a four-legged friend who steals your heart and ends up coming home with you. 🐶

Registration is required to participate; sign up at the link to save your spot! All ages are welcome. https://cumberlandrivercompact.org/event/mill-creek-cleanup-with-metro-nashville-animal-care-control/

09/24/2026

At the beginning of this month, the Cumberland River Compact had the privilege of attending the 2026 Stream Restoration Conference in Nashville. The conference brought together stream restoration professionals from across the country, giving the Compact an opportunity to share insights and lessons from our work while learning from others in the field.

A major highlight came at the end of the conference, when nearly 50 attendees made the trip to the Compact’s Trace Creek restoration project site in Stephens Valley. These visitors not only enjoyed a vibrant show of tickseed flowers blooming, but also got to see suburban stream restoration in action at a scale that hasn’t yet been achieved in many other places.

Guests had a chance to observe the results of three summers of growth at Trace Creek while imagining what the site will look like years from now, as native trees mature and provide shade along the newly reconstructed streambanks. The Compact was proud to showcase this unique project and its potential to serve as a model for future stream restoration efforts in suburban communities across the country.

Thank you to all of the conference attendees who made the trek to Stephens Valley, and to Ecosystem Planning & Restoration and Land Mechanic Designs for their hard work in making this project a success!

09/23/2026

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Apply by September 30! The Cumberland River Compact and the Office of Mayor Freddie O’Connell are teaming up to make your climate ideas a reality with Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund. From now through the end of the month, young people across Nashville can apply for funding and support to lead climate action projects in their own communities. https://cumberlandrivercompact.org/nashville-youth-climate-program/

Ever wanted to organize a volunteer tree planting, plant a garden, or create an environmental club? Or perhaps you have climate action idea that’s completely unique to your school or neighborhood? Regardless of where you’re starting from, visit the link above for project guidelines, ideas, and application info. This opportunity is open to all Davidson County residents ages 15-24.

To learn more about the Cumberland River Compact’s Youth Climate Program and what past participants have gone on to accomplish, read Senator Bill Frist’s latest piece in Forbes, “From Anxiety to Agency: How Young Leaders are Shaping a Sustainable Future." https://www.forbes.com/sites/billfrist/2026/09/15/from-anxiety-to-agency-how-young-leaders-are-shaping-a-sustainable-future/

09/22/2026

Coming up next Tuesday: Help shape the future of Nashville! Join Nashville Planning, the Cumberland River Compact, and other project partners for an Ecological Conservation Strategy public meeting at the Sonny West Auditorium in the Howard Office Building on September 29th.

The Ecological Conservation Strategy is an 18-month planning effort to assess the health of Nashville’s natural resources and develop a plan to protect them. Whether you participated in the feedback survey we shared earlier this summer or not, this is a great opportunity to learn about key findings from the Research and Discovery Phase and share your feedback as we move into the next stage. All ages are invited; no registration is required.

Click the link in our bio for more information about Nashville Planning’s Ecological Conservation Strategy.

Metro Planning has launched the Ecological Conservation Strategy (ECS) to shape a future where Nashville continues to grow and thrive while preserving the landscapes ecosystems and sense of place that makes it unique. This is Nashville s first countywide plan for understanding the effects of recent....

09/21/2026

You're invited to the Ecological Conservation Strategy Public Meeting in Sonny West Auditorium at the Howard Office Building on Tuesdya, September 29th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Come learn about the key findings from the Research and Discovery Phase and share your feedback as we move to the next stage. Look forward to seeing you there!

09/16/2026

Daily reminder that Nashville’s drinking water comes from the Cumberland River - and we’re so grateful for the Cumberland River Compact volunteers who help keep it clean! 🐟

Last week, 12 volunteers from Oracle kayaked through downtown on the Cumberland with the Compact, picking up trash while experiencing the skyline from the river. Together, they removed an impressive 241.89 pounds of litter from the river, accessing spots on the banks that would be difficult or impossible to clean up on foot.

Thank you to the Oracle team for spending the day on the water with us and helping protect this incredible local waterway. 🙌