The TRV Stewardship Council has launched new online tools for blogging adventure journal stories, and a trails app to map national scenic byways and blueways. The purpose of the blog and trail app is to inspire storytelling to help with preservation of local cultural assets.
NORRIS, Tenn., June 14, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Tennessee River Valley Mapguide is a curated collection of historic places, cultural treasures, and recreational assets. Throughout the Valley, there are beautiful places to visit, local foods to taste, vistas to admire, and adventures to be explored. The test for the region is to interpret these places through the through the stories of the people who call or have called the Tennessee River Valley home, and to preserve the authenticity of the cultural heritage found here. Cultural Heritage is not a renewable resource. It is dependent on preservation techniques that generally have been reserved for tangible physical properties such as land and structures. Investments in storytelling, gaining collective knowledge of local people, and embracing native languages, dance, food, customs, and heritage events are grassroot ways to preserve the cultural assets of a place and to provide authentic experiences for visitors.
We are always seeking stories that personalize experiences and inspire people to learn more about the places that they are visiting.
From the landscapes to music, the Tennessee River Valley is constantly evolving and changing. Rivers were dammed and people displaced. Conversely, these dams have created transportation corridors and recreational reservoirs, which continues to bring new people to the region. The story of displacement, from the Native Americans to the era of electrification to present day conservation of important public lands, is a collection of many, many stories that need to be captured and shared. The launch of the Explore More blog has provided a platform for sharing stories from and for locals and visitors. “Over fifty stories have been added to the page since launch,” says spokesperson Julie Graham. “We are always seeking stories that personalize experiences and inspire people to learn more about the places that they are visiting.”
Another new online feature is the app for mapping of national scenic byways and paddling blueways. “We receive many requests for trip suggestions and ideas for family friendly experiences,” says Graham. “There is a lot of interest in getting away from overly commercialized parks and attractions.”
To help with these visitor requests, the TRV Stewardship Council has asked outdoor adventurists to hike, camp, paddle, and bike in lesser known and lesser trafficked places, and then publish blogs of their experiences to inspire other visitors. Some of these lands have been conserved for their important physical properties, but their important intrinsic values have been overlooked. Those overlooked intrinsic values lend to more authentic experiences of visitor discovery.
Originally launched in 2011, the Mapguide has served to educate millions of visitors and locals about the cultural assets located across the communities of the Valley. The guide has also served as a conduit for connecting visitors with small mom and pop businesses, conservation minded groups seeking volunteers, local events, and downtowns that have an authenticity that is highly valued by heritage tourists. Pictures tell a thousand words, but authentic experiences make lasting impressions.
The Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council, a 501 c3 nonprofit, serves as the steering committee and editorial board for the Geotourism MapGuide website. It is comprised of volunteers from a seven state region. The Council’s efforts are made possible through the generous support of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Media Contact
Julie Graham, TRV Stewardship Council, 8655850811, exploretrv@gmail.com, https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/
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SOURCE TRV Stewardship Council
