introducing Emma Henson
It’s hard to believe that one can travel four miles down Island Home Avenue and across the river from the quiet serenity of an urban wilderness and be standing atop the Sunsphere, but that’s part of the charm of Ijams Nature Center.
Spanning 318 acres of protected land, Ijams feels like an extension of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park rather than a recreational tract of woodlands within sight of the most iconic structure in a top-10 city for growth according to U-Haul, and the surrounding residential area understands how valuable these outdoor areas are in an ever-expanding metropolitan area like Knoxville.
While Knoxville is a growing, bustling city, Ijams Nature Center is an oasis nestled in the verdant South Knox community that invites visitors to slow down and remember that, despite being in an urban area, we are never far from nature.
Ijams is a nonprofit organization that seeks “to encourage stewardship of the natural world by providing an urban greenspace for people to learn about and enjoy the outdoors through engaging experiences,” according to its mission statement. The nature preserve offers miles of hiking and biking trails, river access, rock climbing, swimming at Mead’s Quarry and various adventure experiences like Ijams Primal Playground and River Sports Outfitters boat rentals.
Visitor services director Sarah Brobst has worked at the nature center in various capacities for 20 years. Her department oversees all things guest-related, from coordinating events to creating community partnerships.
“I loved working at Ijams while in college, but after I graduated, I wanted to take it all in to see what I wanted to do with my life,” she says. As a result, Brobst pursued her interest in biology through teaching, animal care and wildlife rehabilitation, botany and research. “Eventually, when I was ready to settle back in Knoxville, there was an opening at Ijams, and I have been here ever since.”
Throughout her time at Ijams, Brobst has facilitated and witnessed immense growth that has allowed the nature center to expand its work in conservation and community outreach. Notably, she built the volunteer program that is now flourishing thanks to those in the community who want to give back to their environment.
Volunteer opportunities include invasive-species workdays every weekend at the nature center, and volunteers are welcome any day to help clean up trails and waterways. To sign up, interested participants can join the Ijams volunteer newsletter at ijams.org/volunteer.
Cindy Hassil, development director at Ijams, has worked there since April 2016 and oversees “fundraising and friendraising.” Her childhood spent exploring and reading “Ranger Rick” magazines led her to look for an opportunity to work somewhere centered on protection and conservation, and Ijams was the perfect fit. She emphasizes how much Ijams relies on and thrives off of community involvement as visitation has grown to 620,000 guests annually.
“Visitation exploded during the pandemic because people were looking for safe, outdoor experiences,” Hassil says, noting that these numbers continue to grow, which enables the center to continue its programming while also putting more stress on the facility’s limited resources.
“Every donation, membership, grant, sponsorship, program fee, event ticket and rental fee helps Ijams Nature Center continue to be a place where everyone can learn about and be inspired to protect nature,” Hassil says. She explains that the implementation of a $5 parking fee, which began for the first time last year, and the fees for their updated membership levels all go toward enabling Ijams to continue improving the experiences that the center has to offer while also conserving the natural habitat.
The parking fee has been an adjustment for those visiting the nature center for years, and it was met with some pushback from a community that felt it went against the area’s accessible framework. Users on the Reddit forum r/Knoxville expressed mixed reactions, with one user stating, “It’s just constantly getting harder to exist in public without having to pay money.”
Hassil emphasizes that this fee was necessary as visitation increased and parking remained limited. The decision was not made without consideration for the community, and, as Hassil says, this way “everyone who visits can help with the costs of maintaining this nonprofit nature center, even if they are passing through town.”
The profits from the parking fee go directly towards improving the parking lots and other improvements around the center. Members and volunteers, however, can always park for free.
“We also revamped our membership levels in the past year to include all demographics, but with that membership that goes directly to Ijams, members get free parking for the year,” Brobst says. “To ensure these natural spaces thrive for generations to come, we must support them – donate, volunteer, become a member, attend events or be an advocate. Nature is for everyone, and it takes collective effort to keep our greenspaces healthy and vibrant.”
In the upcoming months, Ijams has a full slate of events that seek to engage the community with nature. The 15th annual Ijams Hummingbird Festival: A Celebration of Wings takes place Aug. 16 and is the center’s largest educational event of the year according to Hassil.
The first Tuesday of every month is Big Fun Tuesday, during which folks can gather at Mead’s Quarry to enjoy live music and mountain biking. Tennessee Stage Company’s Knoxville Shakespeare is bringing “Love’s Labour’s Lost” and “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” to the center in July and August.
Fans of live music will be happy to hear that Ijams is working to maintain its presence at the center, as well. Many attendees were disappointed after Meadowlark Music Festival did not return to Ijams, but it still hosts JAMFEST, the Bob Dylan Birthday Bash and the Knoxville Jazz Youth Orchestra as it has in years past.
Many of the center’s existing events, such as the Fleurish sustainable fashion show and the aforementioned Tuesday gatherings, also feature live music. Pickin’ on Nature is another annual series that takes place on the third Sunday of every month. It gives attendees the opportunity to jam with the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association for free.
Trying to strike the balance between a conservation area and live music venue is difficult, but Brobst says that Ijams hopes to continue to be a venue for music for years to come.
“Ijams is a huge supporter of local musicians of all genres,” she says. “Whether folks are looking for an intimate show on the back patio or a festival feel on the front lawn, Ijams caters to all sorts of musical showcases.”
The summer concludes with Twilight at Ijams, the center’s biggest annual fundraiser, which will be held this year on Sunday, Sept. 7th. To stay updated on all of Ijams’ current offerings, you may view the calendar of events at www.ijams.org/calendar-of-events.
From volunteers to event attendees to every guest that comes through, Ijams curates a sense of community based on the shared need for outdoor spaces. Not only do Ijams administrators recognize the importance of having these conserved spaces for educational opportunities, they are actively seeking to make them more accessible for everyone.
The nature center recently received a $50,000 state appropriation to make its 0.3-mile Serendipity Trail, which circles around the Ijams homesite and near gardens and meadows where visitors can enjoy wildflowers and birdwatching, more accessible. Brobst says that the center is excited about this project because it aligns with its organizational mission.
“We have been working to make our trails more inclusive, allowing access to different parts of the property for individuals with various mobility needs,” she says. “Nature is for everyone, and Ijams wants to provide opportunities for all to enjoy the great outdoors, whether they are avid outdoor athletes or just starting to explore. If we can remove some of the barriers that inhibit people from experiencing the great outdoors, we want to do that to help folks find their joy and connection to nature.”
This emphasis on inclusivity is echoed by many people involved with Ijams. Ridge McCay, rental manager for River Sports Outfitters, has been working at the Mead’s Quarry rental station at the center for five years and attests to its community atmosphere.
“The beauty of nature is able to bring people together no matter what your background is or where you come from, and I think Ijams is one of the places that does that the best,” she says. “Ijams is a hidden gem of Knoxville that really shows the beauty of the city’s outdoor side. Meeting new faces and people from around the country is another part of why I love working here.”
Ijams has logged visitors from over 30 countries who have come seeking outdoor experiences and left with a greater appreciation for and a richer understanding of our environment. Being able to access these wild places is something easy to take for granted in an area as close to a national park as Knoxville is, but Ijams knows the value that every acre of green space has to offer.
Brobst says it best: “Nature is something we all need, though each person approaches it from their own perspective – whether it be education, recreation, solitude or serenity. There’s no wrong way to enjoy the great outdoors.”
To learn more about Ijams and find out how to get involved, visit https://www.ijams.org.
emma@blanknews.com
