Old Stone Fort State Park has completed the Platinum Recognition Level of the TN State Parks Go Green With Us Initiative and Guidelines. The guidelines include multiple areas of environmental sustainability, including education and outreach, water conservation, energy efficiency, waste and recycling, and much more. Congrats to this park for going above and beyond to be excellent stewards of our natural resources!

The mission of the Tennessee State Parks Go Green With Us program is to preserve and protect our state parks through sustainable park operations, resource conservation, and recycling. Program components cover a diverse array of initiatives, including energy and water conservation through equipment and operations upgrades, recycling programs, projects to enhance ecosystem health, and erosion control, among many others.

• The park has conducted an energy audit and is tracking energy usage to identify areas for improvement.
• Old Stone Fort State Park installed more energy-efficient lighting in their visitor’s center.
• The visitor’s center also has new windows that are more energy-efficient and help to keep costs down.
• They maintain ecosystem health by using constructed tent pads in the campground. The pads decrease the negative impact of repeatedly setting up a tent in the same place.
• The park encourages the growth of native vegetation.
• Park staff have regularly scheduled volunteer litter pickup events. Some of the park’s hikers ask for a litter pickup bag to take along on their hike!