Tennessee Fish and Wildlife aficionados, mark your calendars for September 20, when the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission convenes at Paris Landing State Park Lodge for a meeting that's been a long time coming – literally, the first in 15 years.
Starting at 9 a.m., the commission has a series of discussions scheduled, including a new safety video produced in collaboration with several agencies, including the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, and Hardin County Emergency Management Agency. The video, titled "Safe Boating Near Locks and Dams," is designed to be an educational tool for navigating the challenging waterways near the Mississippi, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
This gathering also serves as a platform to honor individuals who have contributed to the state's ecological landscape. Retired TWRA Wildlife and Forestry employee Mark Gudlin will be recognized for his recent induction into the National Bobwhite and Grasslands Initiative Hall of Fame, marking the culmination of his 38-year tenure with the agency.
Will Bowling from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will be recognized for a generous $300,000 donation from the Foundation and the Mildred T. Edwards Trust. The funds will go toward acquiring a 1,322-acre tract to expand the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, ensuring Tennessee's wilderness will flourish for future generations.
Moreover, attendees can anticipate the unveiling of new frameworks designed to inaugurate the future of outdoor recreation in the state, the preview includes ground rules and regulations that may soon govern everything from fishing licenses to boating certificates, all steering toward the grand vision of conserving the natural splendor that the Volunteer State has been endowed with.
