About Greenways for Nashville
Our Mission
Greenways for Nashville’s mission is to create, preserve, and promote a system of greenways in Nashville and Davidson County. We advocate preservation and protection of natural and cultural areas, development of community recreational opportunities, and acquisition of land for preservation as greenways and parks.
How Does Greenways For Nashville Help?
GfN supports the initiative of the Metro Parks Department and the Greenways Commission, leveraging public and private funds, building trails and enhancements, and preserving land. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1994. To date, GfN has assisted in developing a significant trail footprint of 86 miles, acquiring over 4,266 acres for conservation and protecting 11,000 acres of land. In addition to fundraising, we educate citizens about Nashville’s greenways and provide opportunities for community involvement.
How We Started
Nashville’s greenways initiative began in 1991, when Mayor Phil Bredesen and the Metro Council created the Greenways Commission as a division of Metro Parks to plan and develop a greenway system of trails and open spaces throughout Davidson County. Members of the Commission and Nashville citizens established Greenways for Nashville in 1994 to give the general public a way to support development of the greenways system.
GfN Board of Directors
| Robert Brandt, Community Volunteer | Kelly Brockman, Community Volunteer |
| Berry Brooks, Treasurer, First Farmers and Merchants Bank | Martha Cooper, Community Volunteer |
| Natasha Deane, Community Volunteer | Mark Deutschmann, Village Real Estate |
| Sandra Duncan, Community Volunteer | Jim Forkum, Former Metro Council Member |
| Rep. Brenda Gilmore, Greenways and Open Space Commission | Dr. Marie Griffin, Vanderbilt University |
| Jacob Kassinger, First Citizens Bank | Sharon Kipp, Community Volunteer |
| Jeanie Nelson, Greenways and Open Space Commission | Donna Nicely, Community Volunteer |
| John L. Norris, Greenways and Open Space Commission | Susan Pogue, Young Leader Intern |
| Phil Ponder, Former Metro Council Member | Ann Roberts, Community Volunteer |
| Steve Sirls, Community Volunteer | Eric Stroud, Young Leader Intern |
| Charles Sueing, Greenways and Open Space Commission | Ann Tidwell, Vice-President, Community Volunteer |
| Jennifer Westerholm, Secretary, Division of Sustainability | Lyndsay Wilkinson, Youth Villages |
| Pete Wooten, President, Pinnacle Financial Partners | Tyler Yarbro, Greenways and Open Space Commission |
Ex Officio
Monique Odom, Director Metro Parks and Recreation
Cindy Harrison, Metro Greenways and Open Space Commission
Welcome to Nashville Greenways
In 2016, this incredible video was made to introduce people to Nashville’s greenway system. Watch, share, and enjoy — and just try to not laugh.
