![A Laurel Dace (Chrosomus saylori) collected by Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute scientists at Bumbee Creek in Rhea County, Tenn.]()
A laurel dace (Chrosomus saylori) collected by Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute scientists at Bumbee Creek in Rhea County, Tenn. Tennessee Aquarium
Spring City set to celebrate a rare denizen of Walden Ridge almost decimated by drought
Wes Boling is marketing communications manager for Nokian Tyres Dayton Factory.
SPRING CITY — Nokian Tyres will serve as presenting sponsor of Laurel Dace Day, a community celebration of an endangered fish, set for Saturday, May 17, in Spring City.
The inaugural event led by the Tennessee Aquarium raises awareness of the laurel dace, a critically endangered fish found only in the Walden Ridge area 20 miles from Nokian Tyres’ North American factory in Dayton.
Laurel Dace Day features a 5K race and half-mile family fun run, followed by a festival at the Spring City Nature Park with live music, a farmers’ market, local vendors and conservation education. The event is free to attend, other than registration fees for participation in the races.
Community members can learn more about the event and register for races at TNAqua.org
Nokian Tyres’ Dayton Factory was the first tire production facility in the world to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) v4 Silver certification, and the facility holds ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management systems. Energy from on-site solar panels partially powers Nokian Tyres’ production processes and fully powers the administration building, which holds LEED v4 Gold certification.
The sponsorship is part of Nokian Tyres’ Road to Sustainable Success initiative.
The initiative advocates for sustainability efforts in Southeast Tennessee; supports education in the region; and provides scholarships to high-achieving STEM students in the area.
“We are honored to support conservation efforts in our backyard, because it’s part of our mission to be a leader in safety and sustainability,” said Dayton Factory Operations Director David Korda. “We applaud the Tennessee Aquarium and the Spring City and Rhea County communities for their efforts to protect this fish that is unique to our area.”
First listed as endangered in 2011 and now found in just two streams on Walden Ridge, scientists consider the laurel dace to be one of North America’s 10 most-endangered fish species. With a gold body, red lips, highlighter-yellow fins and crimson belly, the Laurel Dace is a stunning representation of the unparalleled diversity of aquatic life in the Southeast.
Biologists at the Tennessee Aquarium saved the Laurel Dace from near-extinction in 2024 and reintroduced 230 fish to their Rhea County habitat in March.
“The way Spring City is embracing the Laurel Dace is inspiring,” said Melanie King, the Aquarium’s vice president and chief development officer. “Saving a species from extinction is a long-term, collaborative effort. It takes a coalition of dedicated conservation partners and broad community support to fund the life support systems, genetics research, food, veterinary care and ongoing field monitoring efforts to ensure success.”
