County Mayor Brett Lashlee invited officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to Benton County recently to tour and give a general assessment of the needs and conditions of county WMA’s (Wildlife Management Areas).
According to Lashlee, the assessment was to address concerns about deteriorations of infrastructure, crop damage, overgrowth and other challenges the county faces when trying to attract and sustain adequate waterfowl and wildlife habitats. Lashlee said, “Mother Nature has taken its toll on them as well as the damage the untimely heavy rains have done in turning out a successful crop to attract and maintain waterfowl populations during the hunting seasons.”
Lashlee furthered, “My invitation was also to introduce them to Benton County and our rich history when it comes to the TWRA. We have some new faces in the TWRA and over time, a once familiar presence our county was to former generations are not the same with today’s generation of department officials. I looked at this invitation as a way to get Benton County engrained in their memory, familiarize them with our rich TWRA history as well as show them the WMA’s and see if possible improvements could be made over time.”
Detailing the day’s events, Lashlee said, “The tour began at Camden Landing and culminated with a lunch at the Benton County Highway Department, hosted by Superintendent Buck Carter, who also was on hand for the WMA tour and discussions.”
Lashlee said crop conditions and the development of greater food capacity within the WMA’s was the most pressing issue due to the amount of flooding the county has seen over the last few months. He said, “Additionally, the management of WMA overgrowth and erosion also was part of that conversation. Our infrastructure discussion centered on how to improve the boat landings for greater parking access and efficiency, as well as expanding the capacity of the boat landings to launch boaters more easily and timely. With plans of an expansion of Highway 70 near the Tennessee River Bridge, we discussed ways TWRA and TDOT can partner together on the roadway. WMA road development was also a priority topic. Superintendent Buck Carter advised TWRA that he is currently working toward assisting TVA on the improving the Camden Landing Road with better pavement this Fall that will go from the Highway 70 turnoff all the way to the Tennessee River.”
Lashlee concluded, “I believe this meeting was a huge success. The TWRA officials definitely walked away with a better understanding of our needs and concerns. We are probably too late to see immediate addressing of these needs for this upcoming season, however many notes, photos and positive feedback was provided where I believe we will see vast improvements coming over the next few years. We all committed to continuing the discussion and they made a commitment to return during duck season to see the disposition of the WMA’s during the hunting and winter season.”
