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2026 TTD 12th Annual

Join us on March 21st to celebrate Tennessee Tree Day! Stormwater Management will be at Bicentennial Park for Kid's Art Festival from 10AM-2PM* handing out 4 different types of tree seedlings: river birch, smooth sumac, elderberry, and eastern white pine. Click here to learn more about this event. 
*or until all trees are gone

What is Tennessee Tree Day?
Each year Tennessee Tree Day engages thousands of volunteers in a fun, family-friendly event planting native tree seedlings all across Tennessee. Tennessee Environmental Council works with TN Department of Forestry and other nurseries to supply bare-root native tree seedlings to citizens across the state through our network of volunteer partners and local businesses. When children plant trees, they learn to see trees as part of their community. Engaging in Tree Day helps increase awareness of the economic and social value of trees while nurturing our statewide tree canopy and creating a culture of sustainability in our region. While some people plant trees to replace those lost to development or weather events, others plant trees to help repair degraded streams and improve water quality.  Whether you’re planting for caterpillar and bird habitat or purely for aesthetic reasons, native trees improve the health of our communities by reducing air pollution, trapping rainwater, cooling our cities and providing homes and food for Tennessee’s wide variety of song birds. 

Since 2007, Tennessee Tree Day events have mobilized over 100,000 residents to plant over one million native trees in Tennessee and the surrounding states.

Click here to learn about tree planting and care. 

What is Stormwater Runoff?

Stormwater runoff is rain and snow that runs off solid surfaces such as parking lots, roads, and roofs and then empties into natural or man-made drainage easements. This untreated water flows to the rivers we use for canoeing, fishing, and other recreational activities. Sources of stormwater pollution include:

  • Oil, grease, metals, and coolants from vehicles
  • Fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals from gardens and homes
  • Bacteria from pet wastes and failing septic systems
  • Soil from construction sites and other bare ground
  • Soaps from car or equipment washing
  • Accidental spills, leaky storage containers, and whatever else ends up on the ground

Check out these informational flyers!
Residential

Buffers

Construction

Links from Other Sources

Commercial

You can do a lot to help minimize stormwater problems!

8 Great Things You Can Do

  1. Mulch Your Leaves
    Leaves provide much needed nutrients to soil and prevent leaves from entering the storm drains.

  2. Keep Your Storm Drains Clean
    Clean litter and debris from the streets.

  3. Care for Your Car
    Watch your car for leaks. Wash your car over grass instead of pavement.

  4. Use Fertilizer Sparingly
    Too many nutrients in water can cause algae to grow, which uses up the oxygen in the water and can harm aquatic life. Test your soil before applying fertilizer!

  5. Dispose of Hazardous Waste Properly
    Visit BOPAE for more information about the free household hazardous waste disposal program through the City of Franklin.

  6. Scoop the Poop
    Pick up after your pet and properly dispose of waste to reduce the pollutants in stormwater runoff.

  7. Prevent Erosion
    Stabilize areas that have exposed soil by applying seed and straw or sod.

  8. Direct Your Downspout
    Direct downspouts away from paved surfaces; consider a Rain Garden to capture runoff.

      Please contact us if you or your group is interested in learning more about water pollution, rain gardens, stream cleanups, stream bank restoration or any other education or involvement opportunity.