Tennessee RiverTowns Stage 1 Resources

On this page you will find resources necessary to understand program requirements and meet benchmarks to attain Tennessee RiverTown designation. This is your Local Leadership Team’s guide to all things Tennessee RiverTowns.

This page also gives insight into the following program benchmarks: Local Leadership Development, Tennessee River Animation, Tennessee RiverLine Advocacy and Tennessee RiverLine Development; Just follow the guidance and information below.

If you have any questions or concerns about the forms, resources or the overall program please contact Lizzy Gardner at lizzy@tnriverline.org.

Local Leadership Development

Benchmark(s):

• Establish a Local Tennessee RiverLine Leadership Team that works collectively to complete benchmarks of the program

This team of volunteers expand local capacity to realize your reach of the Tennessee RiverLine, complete program benchmarks, and serve as a liaison between your community, neighboring Program enrollees and Tennessee RiverLine staff.

• Collaborate with TNRL Staff to participate in Stage 1 Community Engagement Programming

In Stage 1 we engage communities for data collection to help inform planning for the future. This program is the foundation for our work with community partners!

• Provide representation at the annual TNRL summit from your Local Leadership Team

The Summit happens once a year and is the primary way we convene all of our partners across the region to network with one another and share insights to move our collective forward.

For more information about Local Leadership Team development, requirements and reporting your progress, click the resource button below!

River Events

Benchmark(s):

• Organize one or more Tennessee River Recreation / Leisure events on the Tennessee River each year.

• Organize one or more River Stewardship events on the Tennessee River each year.

Recreation / Leisure events are ways to energize your community and create awareness around the Tennessee RiverLine locally. These events build community and create grassroots desire for recreation on the river.

Stewardship events are ways to educate communities about the river’s ecosystems, history and culture, call attention to the impact of human activity on the watershed, and to demonstrate ways we can be active in stewarding the health of the Tennessee River and engage in responsible outdoor recreation and leisure.

For more information about River Animation & Stewardship requirements and reporting your progress, click the resource button below!

Tennessee RiverLine Advocacy

Benchmark(s):

• Produce a formal resolution adopted by the council and/or commission of elected officials that demonstrates the city and/or county’s understanding and support of the Tennessee RiverLine.

• Share your community’s participation in the Tennessee RiverTowns Program and support for the Tennessee RiverLine.

• Promote TNRL events and use communications to build awareness of the Tennessee RiverLine. All promotional elements should adhere to TNRL marketing guidelines.

• Actively participate when needed in collaborative funding opportunities.

Advocacy is greatly impactful to leveraging resources to recruit additional participants and elevate the visibility of the initiative and your community, so we can all reach our goals together.

For more information about Advocacy requirements and reporting your progress, click the resource button below!

Local RiverLine Development

Benchmark(s):

• In collaboration with Tennessee RiverLine staff, identify your community’s existing River as Park amenities: inventory of public landscapes, amenities and support infrastructure that provide river access and experiences.

Yearly review of our mapping inventory helps residents and visitors understand the current conditions of your community’s infrastructure. This also helps the Tennessee RiverLine staff understand the conditions and distribution of amenities regionally. This inventory is a critical baseline for future planning efforts, and helps focus the investments of communities, public land managers and the Tennessee RiverLine staff.

For more information about RiverLine Development requirements and reporting your progress, click the resource button below!