Volunteers needed for Sept. 28 public lands cleanup at battlefield

In this 2017 file photo, volunteers prepare to plant trees at the MTSU Dairy Farm as part of the MTSU Stormwater Program’s ongoing efforts to protect the local watershed. (MTSU file photo)

MTSU’s Stormwater Program invites students, faculty and staff to join them Saturday, Sept. 28, as they partner with the Stones River National Battlefield to protect public lands and the local watershed.

The goal is to bring more than 100 citizens of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County together for a morning dedicated to properly managing the lands and waterways that are a critical part of life in this community.  This local volunteer effort will join thousands of other volunteers across the nation in celebrating the 26th year of National Public Lands Day by working to preserve and improve public lands.

Organizers said volunteers will be tasked with removing “invasive exotic plants, modern fencing and trash” from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the park’s McFadden Farm unit located at 2600 Van Cleve Lane. The clearing process will improve the condition of the battlefield and the Stones River watershed.

Volunteers should bring work gloves and wear long-sleeved shirts, work pants and closed-toe shoes. Volunteers should also bring a water bottle. Lunch will be provided at noon by Walmart.

Volunteers can preregister here.

For more information, click here or here. Or contact Rachel Hoosier, Stones River National Battlefield, at 615-907-9274 or Cynthia Allen with MTSU Stormwater at 615-898-2660 or email cynthia.allen@mtsu.edu.

The MTSU Stormwater Program strives to raise awareness about the importance of water quality and to reduce the amount of pollutants that flow into the water supply through runoff.

For more information, visit the MTSU Stormwater webpage at www.mtsu.edu/stormwater.