What (and who) defined the Cumberland River Compact in 2023?
It was psychiatrist Carl Jung who originally coined the idea, now popular among conservationists, of “doing the next right thing”; or, putting one foot in front of the other until you get to your goal, no matter how small the progress feels. And sometimes, the progress can truly feel small: for instance, when you’re fighting through tangled roots and chunks of old asphalt in what seems like a never-ending battle to dig one hole and plant one tree.
That’s why it’s important for us to remember that we’re not alone: every effort we make to build a greener, healthier community is echoed and amplified by tens, hundreds, or thousands of others doing the same. One of the Compact’s most important functions is to pull like-minded individuals together– and show them all the ways their efforts are paying off.
While most of us spend the majority of our year in the “next right thing” mindset, it’s important to occasionally take a step back and look at our progress. Reflection is part of the work– and there’s no better opportunity for that work than the closing of an old year and the ushering in of a new one.
So, what (and who) defined the Cumberland River Compact in 2023?
An organization’s identity is best described by its actions and its relationships; to answer this question, let’s take a quick look at a few Compact accomplishments from last year. With the support of volunteers, partners, communities, and individuals from across the Cumberland River basin, this was our 2023:
2023 was defined by people.
1,126 volunteers donated their time to cleanups, planting events, and other Compact efforts.
293 teachers from over 40 counties attended one of our environmental STEM trainings; they can now pass their knowledge down to countless students.
54 people attended a minor bank stabilization workshop and learned stream restoration techniques with Compact staff.
45 Neighborhood planting captains from 38 different neighborhoods pitched in to help deliver Root Nashville trees throughout Davidson County.
4,894 students from 56 different schools received a lesson about water health from a Compact educator.
In 2023, we covered serious ground.
52.712 acres of riparian buffer (the land surrounding a stream, which plays a crucial role in supporting water health and biodiversity) was permanently protected through the Compact’s conservation easement program.
43.582 acres of that land is part of our Stephens Valley stream restoration project: the largest suburban stream restoration project in the state (and possibly the whole country!).
50 acres of previously mined land were secured to be a part of our mine land reforestation initiative in partnership with The Nature Conservancy. In 2024, we’ll begin rehabilitating the soil on this land and repopulating it with native plants.
11,970 linear feet of stream bank was restored by the Compact in total at Billy Dunlop Park, the Sam Davis Home, and dozens of minor bank stabilization sites all over Davidson County!
671.75 acres of farmland became part of the Compact’s River Friendly Farm program last year, thanks to nine new farms obtaining their certification.
Out with the old, in with the new.
34,300 pounds of trash were removed from local waterways by volunteers in 2023– that includes 272 tires!
110 cleanup events took place: that’s almost a third of the days in a year!
610 linear feet of invasive plants were removed from riparian zones, making room for native plants to thrive.
1325 live stakes and bare root seedlings were planted along those same stream banks, where their roots will prevent future erosion.
5,298 trees were planted in Davidson County alone as a part of Root Nashville, a public-private campaign led by the Compact and Metro Nashville. 930 of those trees went to large sites that received 10 trees or more.
With this information in mind, we look back on 2023 as a year of building community and trusting the process. These are values the Compact will continue to uphold in 2024 as we strive for another year of innovation, growth, and increased awareness of water quality issues all over Middle Tennessee.
The Compact’s goal is to steward the Cumberland River: a massive system whose overall health is determined by millions of individual moving parts, from the smallest salamander to the biggest eastern hemlock tree. It’s important to recognize that like the river, our community is a massive system– and like the river, it benefits from every additional participant, every ounce of effort poured into it.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for an amazing year!
