Radnor Lake State Park Honored for Resource Management

From left are Mike Robertson, director of Park Operations for Tennessee State Parks; Chris Padgett, area manager for Tennessee State Parks; Steve Ward, park manager for Radnor Lake State Park; and Brock Hill, deputy commissioner of TDEC.
NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has honored Radnor Lake State Park with the 2018 Award for Excellence in Resource Management among the 56 Tennessee State Parks.
“Radnor Lake State Park has been a standout performer in resource management, including restoring grasslands, recycling waste and acquiring land for long-lasting protection,” said Brock Hill, TDEC deputy commissioner. “Resource management is one of the most important functions of our state parks, and we are pleased to recognize Radnor Lake for its efforts.”
State parks nominated for the resource management award were those that have demonstrated excellence in effective and abundant resource management activities within their park. Resource management activities can be both natural and cultural and can include, but are not limited to, invasive species management, historic preservation, rare species inventory, habitat enhancement or protection, oral history collection, and more.
Radnor Lake State Park has undertaken a Native Grasslands Initiative, restoring grassland areas for ground-nesting bird and butterfly species, such as the Monarch Butterfly that are dependent on these areas to survive. Park staff worked with Penn State University and Austin Peay State University to convert 14.5 acres within the park back to native grasslands.
Other initiatives include a partnership with Henderson State University which led to the discovery of 40 archeological elements on the Harris 3 Tract, and the acquisition of 21 acres for conservation with support from partners including The Land Trust for Tennessee, Friends of Radnor Lake, AWC Foundation, and the Cal Turner Foundation. Park staff also worked with more than 40 volunteers to clean up 24 miles of the Piney river, discarding 37 tires and 46 bags of trash.
For more information on Radnor Lake State Park, visit https://tnstateparks.com/parks/radnor-lake