Prairie Rosinweed at Worthington Cemetery: Clean-up volunteers enjoy the bird deck at Worthington Cemetery in 2015. (Submitted photo)
Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and Tennessee Valley Authority will partner again to clean up in the Worthington Cemetery area, near Elza Gate Park, on Saturday, September 24.
The cleanup is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. September 24 in the Worthington Cemetery area, which is on the Melton Hill Reservoir. It is classified as an ecological study area, or ESA.
This has become an annual National Public Lands Day celebration, with a complimentary noon pizza lunch for volunteers, a press release said. There are new bird boxes and bat boxes, thanks to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the press release said.
Ann Worthington, family historian for the Worthingtons, will talk about the Worthingtons, who lived here and are buried here, along with their slaves, the press release said.
Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome to join this event. Knowledgeable botanists, birders, and others will be available for information. Training and tools are also available. Participants should wear sturdy shoes, weather appropriate clothing, insect repellant, and sun screen, the release said.
TCWP has for many years partnered with TVA to enhance and protect natural resources at Worthington Cemetery and other TVA lands throughout East Tennessee as part of our mutual stewardship efforts.
“Our yearly efforts in this area are helping to eradicate wisteria from the cemetery, and privet and other invasive exotics from the ESA,” the press release said.
For more information, call or write Sandra K. Goss at (865) 583-3967 or [email protected].
Prairie rosinweed silphium terebinthinaceum at Worthington Cemetery Ecological Study Area in 2015. (Submitted photo)
