Shelby Bottoms Lab Activity – Spring 2023

Lab Overview: During this lab, students will take a 1.5 mile walk at Shelby Bottoms Park &
Greenway. On this walk, students will learn about nature conservation in Nashville, bottomland
swamps, and how climate change has impacted the city. In addition, students will learn about
where the city’s water comes from, historical changes in climate, and about other issues facing
Nashville’s parks.

Lab Instructions: Students will receive 5 points for participating in the lab activity and 15 points
for answering the questions below.

1. Shelby Bottoms Park and Greenway is primarily a bottomland hardwood forest. What is a
bottomland hardwood forest and why is this a habitat that makes sense to conserve?

A bottomland hardwood forest is land that is swap water/land with many trees on and around it.
It is important to that this habit is conserved because it helps to control flooding. These areas like
Shelby show how the water is stored and control water. Which is why there are swaps in certain
places. Another reasons this habitat should be conserved is of how they affect water more
specifically our drinking water.

2. The Nature Center at Shelby Bottoms was designed to be an environmentally friendly

building. Describe two features that you observed on this building and how they
contribute to an eco-friendly design.

The butterfly roof on the Nature Center at Shelby Bottoms is environmentally friendly because it
catches the rain and has a rain chain. Which is controlling the rain flow. All these designs help
the water flow and where the water would end up. The roof directs the water and where the water
goes to the rain chain. The Nature Center at Shelby also has a green roof. These green roof are
environmentally friendly because it helps the water runoff.

3. How does Shelby Bottoms Park serve as a reminder of the 2010 Nashville flood?

The building is elevated just above the flood line and when it did flood in 2010 the water barely
went to the floor of the Center. The park was all under during the flood in 2010 even the shade
placements were under water. Shelby Park was also going to be developed into a neighborhood
and be called the Italy of Nashville which reminds us of the water levels and how they can also
rise/even flood at time like it did in 2020.

4. What evidence do we see at Shelby Bottoms that Nashville was once covered un an
ocean?
 Shelby Bottoms shows that we were once under ocean because along the Cumberland
River shows these cuts along the rocks which show the erosion from water. There are
also limestone rocks and you can drop hydrochloric acid which then we could see the
rock fizz up.

5. Where do we get our drinking water from at Belmont and how does this relate to our tour
at Shelby Bottoms Greenway?

We get our drinking water from Omohundro water treatment. This relates to our trip at Shelby
because the river Shelby runs along is known to be the best water source for water. Shelby park
is also know as a wetland which helps the water flow and water quality. Which can affect our
drinking water. At the river there is a water tower that marks were the water is being taken in to
then be disturbed to Belmont.