Eagleville Cub Scouts are River Heroes!!

By Michael Cain

On the sunny Saturday afternoon of December 1, 2007, the scouts of Troop 448 and Pack 123 came out to the Eagleville Park in force to plant trees that will help protect the banks of the creek and the park itself. Thirteen Scouts, four scout leaders and four other adults came together to plant over 70 trees along the bank of Kelly Creek in an area that will soon become a greenway. The trees, some tulip poplars, overcup oaks, maples, willow oaks, serviceberrys, witch hazel, and various others, all in one gallon or larger containers, were planted by the scouts along the back side of the park.

This tree planting event was sponsored by Harpeth River Watershed Association (HRWA) as part of their current grant project that is aimed at improving water quality in the headwaters of the Harpeth River: all the creeks in the Eagleville area. As part of this project HRWA is planning to conduct several stream bank stabilization and riparian reforestation projects in Eagleville and the surrounding area, and your help is needed to help identify areas in need of help with land owners that are willing to have scouts and other local groups come out to install protection and plant trees.

The scouts and adults that came out on the afternoon of December first are real heroes of the river, and will be able to tell their children and grandchildren that they planted these large beautiful trees in the park way back when, for the sake of the river and the quality of life in Eagleville.

HRWA is also working as part of a TN Department of Agriculture 319(h) Nonpoint Source Pollution Program grant with area landowners to fund some agricultural projects, such as ball waterers, cattle exclusion fencing, streambank stabilization projects and more. The main qualification is that these projects will help water quality in the area. HRWA invites anyone interested in their work to go to the website at www.harpethriver.org or call the office at (615) 790-9767.

Scouts: Troop 448: Jake Simms, Aaron Nippers;
Pack 123: Alex Nippers, Jake Bolden, Will Price, Ben Price, Will Simms, Ivie Burns,
Luke Hicks, Patrick Lynch, Bayley Smith, Eric Smith, Jacob Mullins;
Adult Leaders: Wiley Simms, Pack 123/Troop 448; Steve Price, Pack 123; Dale Nippers,
Pack 123/Troop 448; Ivie Burns, Pack 123; Quentin Bolden, Pack 123;
Other adults:Steve Hicks, Derek Lynch, James Mullins, Donald Smith

As part of its current 319(h) grant through the TN Department of Agriculture, HRWA is currently seeking landowners who are interested in a variety of best management practices for improving water quality. Such practices include streambank restoration (stabilization) and riparian revegetation (tree planting) projects, as well as agricultural practices such as livestock exclusion fencing, alternative watering sources, heavy use areas, stream crossings and more.