Tennessee Smart Yards

09/08/2026

1,000 YARDS CERTIFIED! That's thousands of pollinators 🦋 supported, thousands of gallons of stormwater runoff 💧 prevented, thousands of pounds of waste composted 🪱, hundreds of acres of native plants 🪻nurtured, and thousands of hours of enjoyment and celebration of our Tennessee landscapes.

Whether you were yard #1 or yard #1000, every stewardship action counts. Thank you for being part of this accomplishment!

See certified Smart Yards in action in our photo library: https://tiny.utk.edu/tnsyphotolibrary

Certifiers can add photos to the map here: https://arcg.is/1PGeq1

Keep up to date with our collective accomplishments at our dashboard: https://tiny.utk.edu/tnsydashboard

09/02/2026

We are so close to certifying our 1,000th Tennessee Smart Yard! If you haven't certified yet and are on the cusp, now would be a great time to get it done. Check out our Dashboard to track the growing movement of landowners protecting our water and natural resources one yard at a time. Thank you for being a part of it!

https://tiny.utk.edu/tnsydashboard (best viewed on desktop computer)

09/02/2026

It's Festival Time in Tennessee! Join us at the 4th Annual Smart Yards Festival on Saturday, Sept 12th from 10am to 2pm at the UT Gardens, Knoxville, hosted by the Knox County Master Gardeners and with support from the Tennessee Valley Authority. There is no charge to attend!

Let us know you'll be there and receive an additional raffle ticket for prizes. Chances to earn more raffle tickets will happen all day. Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/smart-yards

09/01/2026

Our September 2026 newsletter is out! We hope you find useful and timely information for your smart yard and your community.

Check it out here: https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsSeptember2026
Check out archived newsletters here:
https://tnyards.utk.edu/publications
Sign up to receive newsletters to your inbox here: https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsnewsletter

07/31/2026

Our August 2026 newsletter is out! We hope you find useful and timely information for your smart yard and your community.
Check it out here: https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsAugust2026

Check out archived newsletters here: https://tnyards.utk.edu/publications

Sign up to receive newsletters to your inbox here: https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsnewsletter

07/03/2026

These are the only kind of fireworks we need! Happy Independence Day!

Find flower fireworks for your yard by searching our Tennessee Native Plant Database: https://tynnativeplants.wordpress.com/

07/01/2026

Our July 2026 newsletter is out! We hope you find useful and timely information for your smart yard and your community. Check it out here: https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsJuly2026

Check out archived newsletters here: https://tnyards.utk.edu/publications

Sign up to receive newsletters to your inbox here: https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsnewsletter

06/02/2026

Our June 2026 newsletter is out! We hope you find useful and timely information for your smart yard and your community. Check it out here: https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsJune2026

Check out archived newsletters here: https://tnyards.utk.edu/publications

Sign up to receive newsletters to your inbox here: https://tiny.utk.edu/smartyardsnewsletter

05/22/2026

Happy International Day for Biodiversity! Did you know that Tennessee is a biodiversity hotspot, especially for freshwater ecosystems? Tennessee is home to over 300 fish species, the largest density of freshwater mussels in the world with over 100 species, and over 60 species of salamanders, with the Great Smoky Mountains known widely as the Salamander Capital of the World. Unfortunately, many of these species are also imperiled by threats, like habitat loss and pollution.

This year's theme, "Act Locally for Global Impact" is right up our alley. Every stewardship action we take in our Smart Yards helps keep Tennessee a special place and brings those natural wonders right into our yards.

Here are some actions that help protect freshwater ecosystems:
- build a rain garden to catch runoff and grow unique plants - https://tnyards.utk.edu/raingardens
- know your watershed - https://tiny.utk.edu/watersheds
- increase vegetation along streams to create healthy buffers -https://tnyards.utk.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/170/2023/01/SP781-B.pdf

More on International Day for Biodiversity - https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day

Map source: NatureServe (https://www.natureserve.org/map-biodiversity-importance)

05/03/2026

Join us in Dickson County!

🌱💧 Love your yard? Love your local streams?

Discover how small changes in your yard can make a big impact! Join us for this Tennessee Smart Yards Workshop and learn how to manage rainwater, use NATIVE PLANTS, and create a healthier, lower‑maintenance landscape that works with nature.

🌸 Hands‑on learning • 🌧️ Rain garden design • 🎁Free gift

The $20.00 registration fee may be paid in advance by stopping by the office or on the morning of the event.

See the flyer for details and register today! 😊

Tennessee Smart Yards