Leading Edge: Innovation + Integration at UTIA ETREC Holston Unit

The “Leading Edge” is a speculative vision for the UTIA ETREC Holston Unit that positions UTIA at the forefront of integrated health education, research, and outreach. A showcase of the relationship between the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment, this transformational vision includes three main elements: 

1) Shoreline Stabilization and Regeneration Research: The Holston Unit’s five miles of Tennessee River shoreline is transformed as a living laboratory and demonstration landscape of approaches to shoreline stabilization, riparian habitat restoration, and water quality protection ranging from contemporary best practices to innovative next practices. Interventions engage the site’s diversity of edge geometries and topographic conditions typical to those found across the state and region while establishing a protective buffer that mitigates property loss, reduces risk to human and animal safety, promotes a healthy riparian ecosystem, and protects water quality. 

2) Interpretive Greenway: A two-and-a-half-mile multi-modal greenway within the shoreline regeneration research corridor enables safe public interpretation of restoration and stabilization methods, existing research on the property, and cultural and natural resources. Providing new healthy lifestyle opportunities in an economically distressed area of Knoxville, the greenway also offers potential future connections to existing municipal trail systems at Holston River Park, the Urban Wilderness, and James White Greenway. 

3) Tennessee RiverLine Trailhead: Overlooking the confluence of the French Broad and Holston Rivers, Tennessee River mile 652 is a signature boathouse and ADA-accessible river access point that is the trailhead for the Tennessee RiverLine. Public amenities serve as a gateway to and from the river for generations of local paddlers and long-distance adventure-seekers beginning their 652-mile Tennessee RiverLine journey, as well as an anchor that enhances the visibility of UTIA’s research and leadership in the Tennessee RiverLine initiative. 

Location: Knoxville, TN

Project Team: Dustin Toothman, Sam Daniel, Kari Essary, Faith Jackson, Brad Collett