Arnold maintains programs to protect wildlife, environment and natural resources

  • Published
  • By Bradley Hicks
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22.

The first day took place on that date in 1970, when millions gathered in cities across the U.S. to protest activities having a detrimental impact on the environment while celebrating clean air, water and land. These efforts paid off as, later that year, the Environmental Protection Agency was established and laws related to the environment, such as the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act, were passed.

Over the past 49 years, Earth Day has become an annual celebration. According to Earth Day Network, the global event is now celebrated by approximately 1 billion people across more than 190 countries and is seen as a day of political action and civic participation. Participants march, meet with elected officials, start and sign petitions, clean up towns and roads, and plant trees.

The theme of Earth Day 2019 is “Protect our Species.” This year, Earth Day organizers aim to educate and raise awareness of threatened and endangered species across the globe.

“The unprecedented global destruction and rapid reduction of plant and wildlife populations are directly linked to causes driven by human activity: climate change, deforestation, habitat loss, trafficking and poaching, unsustainable agriculture, pollution and pesticides to name a few. The impacts are far reaching,” the Earth Day Network website states.

As Earth Day is being celebrated around the globe, it’s important to remember that Arnold Air Force Base is home to a vast array of tremendously diverse flora and fauna species. Nearly three-quarters of the approximately 40,000 acres making up Arnold AFB are forest habitats teeming with life.

Plants, ranging from oak trees to the Kentucky lady slipper, and animals, ranging from whitetail deer to the barking treefrog, can be found throughout the woods, wetlands, waterways and skies in and around Arnold.

While most of the species found at Arnold are in good standing in terms of conservation status, others, such as the four-toed salamander, have been listed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency as “species in need of management.” And others, in particular the gray bat, are considered endangered.

Arnold AFB has several programs aimed at protecting the wildlife and conserving the natural resources on the land occupied by the base. These include the management of restoration, natural resources, clean air, clean water, hazardous materials and hazardous wastes.

Along with this, Arnold has both a recycling program, which was initiated in the early 2000s, and composting program, which was started around four years ago.

Materials accepted through the recycling program, which is managed by Arnold AFB Services, include paper; cardboard; aluminum cans; toner cartridges; plastics 1 and 2, the most common types of plastic containers such as soda bottles, milk jugs and plastic peanut butter jars; scrap wood; and metal.

The composting program was started through a previously-received Air Force Innovation Grant and is maintained by volunteers at Arnold. Through this effort, a significant amount of organic waste has been diverted from the landfill, in the process reducing methane emissions in the community. The program also helps preserve natural resources by returning organic materials to the earth as usable compost that program participants may harvest for gardening.

Paper towels make up the largest percentage of materials placed in compost bins around base.

Any AEDC employee wishing to participate in the composting program may request a bin to be placed, with proper coordination, near their building. To do so, call 931-454-3994.

Those with questions about the Arnold recycling program may call 931-454-6068.