Needs From: Belmont Office of Community-Engaged Learning and Service

Help keep Shelby Park beautiful! Join Friends of Shelby and your friends and neighbors as we do a park wide sweep of trash to restore the natural beauty of this public space and keep litter off the ground and out of our streams and rivers. This is a great opportunity for everyone of all ages!

What will volunteers be doing at this event?
Volunteer will use trash grabbers and reusable trash bags to collect litter from the grounds of Shelby Park and Bottoms. Most volunteers will be asked to stray off the cement path to locate litter under leaves, wrapped into fences, and around picnic shelters. Volunteers will be split into smaller groups after the check-in and orientation portion, and will return to the starting point for their trash to be weighed.

What is the community impact of this event?
The Cumberland River traces along the eastern edge of Shelby Park and Bottoms, and it is Nashville's #1 drinking water source. When weather washes litter down into the river, this can place extra strain on the water processing plants. By removing this trash from Shelby Park and Bottoms, volunteers will actively improve the water quality for all of Nashville and reduce strain on our processing plants. Also, putting trash where it belongs keeps it out of the mouths of local animals and protects our forests!

What should volunteers bring to this event?
Volunteers should wear comfortable walking shoes and clothing, as they might be moving up to 2 miles throughout the event. Bringing a reusable water bottle is always recommended but not required. Friends of Shelby will provide all of the necessary grabbers, bags, gloves, safety vests, and directions for those that need them.

Accessibility/safety:
This event will require volunteers to hold and squeeze trash grabbers to pick-up litter, as well as carry bags of trash that could weigh up to 40 pounds each. Volunteers may always return to the starting location to drop off heavy trash. Volunteers will be walking along some roadways; they will be provided orange safety vests to make them more visible, but awareness of your surroundings is important to staying safe at this event. All children under age 16 must be accompanied by a guardian over 18 years of age.

If you sign up for this opportunity, you will receive a pre-event email with more information on parking, weather, and clothing recommendations. 

Do you love conservation? Want to work outdoors to protect the natural ecosystems of Shelby Park and Bottoms? We need you!

Shelby Park and Bottoms is a natural oasis in the heart of the city. The forests here are a refuge for people and wildlife alike. Our Shelby forests need help: they are being overtaken by invasive plant species. Through our Restore the Forest program, we remove invasive species and replant native species to revitalize a healthy forest ecosystem.

What is the community impact of this event?
Healthy forests are beautiful for park visitors, provide food and shelter for wildlife and make our local ecosystem more resilient by promoting and enhancing growth of native plant species.

What will volunteers be doing at this event?
At this event, we will be uprooting and cutting down honeysuckle and privet plants with weed wrenches, loppers, and hand saws. They will work in small groups under the supervision of experienced staff and recurring volunteers that will help teach proper plant identification and safe tool usage.

Accessibility:
This event will include hiking while carrying heavy tools over uneven ground, and we will be working off-trail within the woods. Please dress according to the weather. Porta-potties are located a short walk from our worksite, and there should always be ample parking located nearby the worksite.

What to bring?
I recommend bringing your own water bottle and sunscreen. Water, gloves, all necessary tools, and additional water will be provided. Please wear sturdy shoes that are good for gardening (e.g. hiking boots), long socks, and long pants to protect yourselves from sticks and thorns in the forest. If possible, long sleeved shirts can also be helpful for protection, but please dress according to the weather.

What’s next?
If you sign up for this event, you will receive a reminder email a few days before the event with specific instructions regarding parking and any other necessary information.

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Founded in 2008, Friends of Shelby is a private, nonprofit organization working to preserve, enhance, and promote Shelby Park and Bottoms for everyone to appreciate and protect. We work to protect the natural and historical integrity of the area by supporting appropriate recreational activities, maintaining and enhancing its features, promoting programs that inspire appreciation and conservation of the Park and Bottoms, and advocating for a level playing field for the various user groups.

Want to get your hands dirty and enjoy some time in the great outdoors? The Shelby Bottoms Nature Center is looking for a few helpful hands to do some weeding, trimming, watering, and anything else to help make their garden as beautiful as possible!

What will volunteers be doing at this event?

Volunteers will be using hand tools to remove weeds, trim back overgrown plants, lay down mulch, water plants, and other tasks to tend to their pollinator and vegetable garden.

What is the community impact of this event?

The Shelby Bottoms Nature Center provides numerous educational opportunities for people of all ages, all for free, and helping tend to their garden creates a welcoming environment for people to learn in! This garden is meant to show people the power of pollinators and planting plants in harmony with one another, so by keeping it healthy, the community will in turn have a beautiful, functional space to learn and gather in.

Accessibility:

The garden is located off of the paved greenway, meaning being able to move over an unpaved surface is required. Volunteers will need to be able to either use at least one hand or have a way to hold hand tools in order to dig and weed in the dirt. Kneeling in the dirt will happen for the majority of the event, and you will have chances to take breaks. This spot is largely unshaded, so please be mindful of sun exposure (sunscreen can be provided, but dressing according to the weather is important). There is a large parking lot located in front of the Nature Center with an overflow lot as well. The Nature Center has running water and restrooms on site.

What should volunteers bring or wear?

Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes and long socks for your safety. Long pants are best for protecting your knees, but please be mindful of the temperatures. Please wear clothing that will protect you from the sun (hats, sunglasses, light colors that cover exposed skin). Bringing a water bottle is recommended but not required. The Nature Center staff will have all of the necessary tools and gloves (you may bring your own gloves if you wish), as well as extra sunscreen, bug spray, and a water cooler.

What’s next?

Once you sign up, you'll receive a pre-event email a day or two before the event with more information on parking, weather, and any other important notes.

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Founded in 2008, Friends of Shelby is a private, nonprofit organization working to preserve, enhance, and promote Shelby Park and Bottoms for everyone to appreciate and protect. We work to protect the natural and historical integrity of the area by supporting appropriate recreational activities, maintaining and enhancing its features, promoting programs that inspire appreciation and conservation of the Park and Bottoms, and advocating for a level playing field for the various user groups.