Thinking like a Region- Redefining Place in Rural Appalachia

Summary Report of Thrive 2055 Thrive2055.com – A Planning Initiative of the Chattanooga Region Thrive 2055 was a 3 –year, 16 county regional planning effort designed to engage citizens in the region of Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama that surrounding Chattanooga. The initiative was a unique consortium of volunteers from the public, private, educational, and non-profit sectors working to establish a vision for region. After 2 year of public outreach, the Thrive Coordinating Committee identified four major issues facing the region where action was needed: education and workforce preparedness, regional economic development, regional transportation, and the region’s natural treasures. Year three of the process, outlined specific actions for all four priorities that will be implemented by a newly created non-profit called the Thrive Partnership. Daniel Carter is a visiting assistant professor at the University of the South: Sewanee and founding board member of the Thrive Partnership. Daniel will present how this initiative came about, where it has been, and where it is going. As chair of the natural treasures component of the initiative, Daniel was instrumental in bringing together a broad coalition of conservation organizations to develop a regional vision for the landscape as the Chattanooga region is expected to grow by ½ million people over the next 40 years. One of the more innovative approaches involves the unique partnership with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Geographic Information System’s laboratory. Daniel will specifically present how mapping can be used to tell a collective story of a broad region