Non-governmental Organizations & Community Groups
Caroliona Mountain Land Conservancy
Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy is dedicated to protecting and stewarding land and water resources vital to our natural heritage and quality of life and to fostering appreciation and understanding of the natural world.
Clinch-Powell Clean Rivers Initiative
The Clinch-Powell Clean Rivers Initiative is an ambitious two-state coalition that works to protect and restore water quality in North America’s most important river for rare and imperiled freshwater animals. We are a diverse group of agencies, research scientists, conservation organizations, and industry leaders.
Conservation Fisheries Inc.
Conservation Fisheries is dedicated to the preservation of aquatic biodiversity in our streams and rivers. Over nearly 30 years we have developed techniques to propagate more than 65 nongame fish, including some of the most imperiled species in the southeastern United States. Our primary goal is to restore fish populations that have been eliminated because of pollution or habitat destruction.
Tennessee Aquarium
We celebrate the rich biodiversity of the Southeast through our exhibits and are actively engaged in preserving and restoring that biodiversity through our work in the field. The Aquarium’s research arm, the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, has a focused expertise in restoring freshwater ecosystems and helping people appreciate the need for environmental health in our region.
Tennessee River Gorge Trust
The Tennessee River Gorge Trust is the perfect example of what can happen when a small group of thoughtful citizens comes together to change their community for the better. The Trust was founded in 1981 —later incorporated in 1986 — as the result of a dinner party at Adele Hampton’s house on Elder Mountain. Chattanooga-area citizens gathered around her coffee table to discuss the worrisome development of the mountains bordering Chattanooga. Right there in the Hampton’s living room, Chattanoogans decided our mountains are worth protecting. Since then, the cooperation of landowners, TVA, the State of Tennessee and the local community has led the Trust to protect more than 17,000 of the 27,000 acres in the Gorge.
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. It addresses the most urgent conservation challenges at the largest scale. Today, more of the natural world is at risk than ever before. So this work is crucial to keep vital habitats and unique species from being lost forever.
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
The Upper Tennessee River Roundtable is a non-profit organization with an overall interest in improving water quality in the Upper Tennessee River Watershed. Don’t let the name confuse you: the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable is based in Southwest Virginia and covers from the very tip of Virginia, Lee County, toward Wythe County. The Roundtable represents a total of nine counties and two cities. Our major rivers include the Clinch, Holston, and Powell.
