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Talking Turkey
I want to thank Ms. [Paige] Travis for her [Dec. 2] article “The Island of Turkey Creek.” In many ways it is an island in a fast-growing West Knoxville/Town of Farragut, but it also serves as a travel corridor and habitat for a variety of transient and resident wildlife including fox, muskrat, beaver, deer and other mammals and herpetofauna. Also, it does provide nesting sites for many migrating and resident avian species. The area abounds with wildlife and is much more than a “blip in the massive consumer mecca.” Rather, it is an exciting public asset, with clear economic and quality of life benefits.
We are working with a number of local schools and organizations such as Americorp and scout groups to utilize this outdoor classroom as an area where folks can learn about this wonderful resource. You don’t have to go to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or Big South Fork to enjoy wildlife. Just like our own backyards, Turkey Creek wetland provides an opportunity for people to enjoy wildlife and other benefits of being in the out-of-doors.
We look forward to the challenges of protecting the wetland and working in the watershed with the development community. Our business with contractors and commercial developers in the area is a great step in the right direction. Many are eager to implement proper erosion controls and best management practices.
Related to corporate support, it is important that citizens know about the exceptional contribution made by Turkey Creek Land Partners to help establish and maintain the wetland as a natural area park. The Wetland Mitigation Credits they owned and gave to the Izaak Walton League have a market value of some $250,000. All this money will be spent to protect and improve the wetland and watershed. Also, they expanded the wetland by donating some prime acreage on the Duncan Tract. This land could have been sold for development. Instead, it is now public land to be enjoyed by everyone.
Mark Campen
Izaak Walton League
Knoxville
Help Stop the Eco-Rape
As the seasons turn, I am reminded how blessed we all are to live in the mountains and valleys of East Tennessee. This area contains forest and river ecosystems that work together to make life possible and desirable here in Southern Appalachia. The forests produce oxygen, filter water, create soil, provide habitat and offer sanctuary. Our area has the highest concentration of tree species diversity in North America. We also have the highest concentration of aquatic diversity in the lower 48 states, with the Clinch River basin recently declared one of the biologically richest temperate freshwater ecosystems in the world. Our region hosts the most diverse collection of salamanders of any temperate zone on the planet. And, Southern Appalachia is unparalleled in the southeast for bird diversity.
With all of this amazing ecology, why are we continuing to allow the destruction of our life support system? Large-scale clearcutting and conversion of native forests to pine plantations for paper production is irreparably harming the reproductive capacity of our precious forest ecosystems. Suburban sprawl and mountaintop removal coal mining permanently destroy large areas of intact forest. Air pollution from cars and burning coal creates haze and further harms the forests.
We all can take action to stop the rape of these under-appreciated and abused endangered forest ecosystems. We the people have the power and the right to demand a restructuring of our economy in a manner that does not hinder the basis of life in Appalachia. When we use wasteful amounts of paper and when we waste electricity, we are encouraging the destruction of our life support systems. It is time to change our bad habits.
John Johnson
Knoxville
GOP Horn Blows
I appreciate the mention in the Ear to the Ground last week (Dec. 9). I beg to disagree that the chairman of the Knox County Republican Party is left to “jaw-boning skills and public relations as the weapons of choice.” Those are important tools, and I am thankful the writer is of the opinion I’ve done a good job in those areas. However, the Knox County Republican Party has accomplished so much more in the last two years.
The local GOP has raised a record of over $100,000 during the past two years (apart from the Lincoln Day Dinner), opened its first permanent, year ‘round office, restarted sending a print newsletter (with the mailing list expected to quadruple after this past year’s elections) and established a website (www.knoxgop.org, which had over 65,000 hits in October ‘04 alone). I also send a weekly “GOP Update” email to over 1,000 folks, including Metro Pulse.
As for my motives for serving as party chairman, I wanted to help re-elect President George W. Bush, keep all Republican seats up for election in 2006, build up the local party and leave it in much better shape than when I was elected. While my term ends in March ‘05, if anyone is interested in being more involved in the Republican Party, contact me.
Chad Tindell, Chairman
Knox County Republican Party
Coal Baron Bullies
As a Kentuckian who has seen the results of mountaintop removal coal mining up close in my state, I say “hurray” for the brave Tennessee activists who are fighting National Coal Corp. and the Zeb Mountain mine [Dec. 2, Citybeat].
Mountaintop removal mining is the most devastating thing you have ever seen: It ruins streams, kills off all the fish and wildlife, and deforests the mountains so they can’t be logged for hundreds or even thousands of years. It will destroy the economy, hunting, fishing and property values in the region—and once a mountaintop is destroyed, you can’t put it back.
This lawsuit by National Coal against the activists is nothing more than a “slap” suit to intimidate people who are legally expressing their First Amendment opinions. This clumsy attack on citizens is sure to backfire and expose National Coal for what they are—a bunch of bullies.
Dave Cooper
Lexington, Ky.
Willful Disregard for History
The demolition of the J. Allen Smith House represents a sad conclusion to the valiant efforts of Knox Heritage and many caring individuals to avoid such a fate. The Tennessee Preservation Trust wishes to applaud all those who tried so hard to protect this landmark property.
Today Knoxville’s built environment—indeed our state’s architectural heritage—has been irreparably diminished because of the willful actions of Cherokee Country Club. In a final act of disregard for the property’s significance, thousands of dollars worth of salvageable architectural elements were smashed into garbage to be hauled to the dump.
Despite this regrettable event, Knoxville is a city becoming well-known as one of our state’s leaders in community redevelopment through historic revitalization. It’s a powerful and proven formula for reinvigorating our cities. Yet the demolition underscores the need to make sure that places that help make our communities unique are not lost to the fickle whims of a shortsighted few.
If the destruction of the Smith House becomes the “sacrificial loss” that leads to a greater understanding, appreciation and protection for the city’s remaining landmark buildings and neighborhoods, then perhaps it shall not have been in vain.
Patrick McIntyre
Executive Director
Tennessee Preservation Trust
www.tennesseepreservationtrust.org
December 16, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 51
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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