Growing Greener Communities through Tennessee Smart Yards
In the face of grand challenges to our landscapes, biodiversity, and natural resources, privately held lands in Tennessee hold a significant capacity to be part of the nature-based solution toward reversing some of the damage that land use change has caused. Tennessee Smart Yards is an Extension-led program that guides Tennesseans on practices they can apply in their yards to create healthier, more ecologically-sound landscapes and communities. Nine principles of stewardship serve as the foundation for the program and are explored in online modules and practical workshops taught by UT-TSU Extension and water resource professionals. The program was launched in 2008 by the Tennessee Water Resources Research Center through a grant from the TN Department of Agriculture and modeled after the Florida Friendly Landscaping program by Florida Extension Service. This presentation will provide an overview of the program and insights gained over a decade with Tennessee Smart Yards.
Dr. Andrea Ludwig is an associate professor of ecological engineering in the biosystems engineering and soil science department at the University of Tennessee. She serves as the state stormwater management specialist for UT Extension and, in that role, has been working with communities across Tennessee to increase the abundance and function of green infrastructure to protect surface water quality. She is the program coordinator for Tennessee Smart Yards, an avid trail runner and mountain biker, and a Tennessee Naturalist.
