Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Conservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tennessee Aquarium highlights conservation programs, new exhibit and education work
Summary
Andy Wood, president and CEO of the Tennessee Aquarium, told the Senate committee the nonprofit invests about $1 million a year in conservation, has released more than 430,000 lake sturgeon over 25 years, and will open a new Scuttlebutt Reef gallery in March supported by a $1 million state investment and aquarium matching funds.
The Tennessee Aquarium presented an overview of its education and conservation work to the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Andy Wood, president and CEO, said the nonprofit has welcomed more than 29 million guests since it opened in 1992 and currently generates annual economic impact of about $187 million. He described three core pillars — guest experience, education and conservation — and previewed a new exhibit called Scuttlebutt Reef that the aquarium plans to open in March.
Wood said the aquarium has invested $16,500,000 of earned revenue into conservation since its founding and now invests about $1,000,000 annually from earned revenue into conservation programs. He highlighted species recovery work, noting, "We have released over 430,000 animals at this point," referring to lake sturgeon releases and other propagation efforts. Wood described the Stream Learning Center, expanded classroom capacity and curriculum work that serves tens of thousands of students, and said the aquarium is managing up to $10,000,000 in federal funding for regional agricultural programs that reduce runoff into streams.
