The Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), is launching a multi-year habitat restoration and community engagement initiative aimed at transforming utility corridor spaces within Rotary Park into thriving native pollinator habitat.
Through a designated contribution of $25,000 from TVA, the project will support restoration efforts beneath the transmission line corridor at Rotary Park over the next three years, with the potential for future partnership renewal based on project success and community impact.
The partnership was formed following routine TVA vegetation management activities conducted in 2023 beneath the transmission lines at Rotary Park. In response, the MoCo Parks and Recreation Programming team began working collaboratively through the Wade Bourne Nature Center with TVA to identify more sustainable long-term land management strategies that would protect critical infrastructure while also supporting native wildlife habitat.
As part of the collaboration, Rotary Park was designated as a TVA “Sensitive Zone,” allowing the area to be maintained organically under vegetation standards compatible with utility safety requirements.
Since receiving this designation, volunteers, staff, and community partners have already begun restoration work throughout the corridor, including native wildflower seeding, invasive species removal, riparian zone management, and habitat preparation using locally collected native seed mixes sourced through Roundstone Native Seed.
The long-term vision includes restoring approximately 10 acres beneath the utility corridor and adjacent fields into resilient pollinator habitat designed to support butterflies, bees, birds, and other native wildlife species. The project will also incorporate educational signage, wildlife support infrastructure such as bat boxes and purple martin housing, and a wide variety of public programs focused on conservation and citizen science.
“This project represents a unique opportunity to demonstrate how infrastructure management and ecological stewardship can work hand-in-hand,” said Katie Netti, Natural Resource and Programming Supervisor with MoCo Parks and Recreation. “We are incredibly excited to engage the community in meaningful conservation work that will have long-term ecological benefits for our region.”
Community engagement through the Wade Bourne Nature Center programming will play a major role throughout the initiative. Planned events include pollinator education workshops, native plant programs, invasive species removal days, citizen science initiatives, the Pollinator & Native Plant Summit, Bumble Bee Atlas participation, and volunteer restoration workdays.
The initiative is expected to serve as a regional model for collaborative environmental management by demonstrating how public agencies, conservation organizations, volunteers, and utility providers can work together to restore native habitat while maintaining critical infrastructure.
For additional information about upcoming volunteer opportunities and programs, visit the Montgomery County Parks & Recreation website, social media pages or call the Wade Bourne Nature Center at 931-648-5732.
Groups interested in volunteering, educational partnerships, or participating in habitat restoration efforts are encouraged to contact the Wade Bourne Nature Center at naturecenter@montgomerytn.gov or 931-648-5780.