Nature Play at Shelby Bottoms
At Shelby Bottoms Nature Play, kids climb, dig, build, balance, and discover—with no predetermined rules or outcomes. This kind of open-ended play fuels creativity, problem-solving, and resilience. It supports emotional and social development, helping children build confidence, independence, and empathy.
And it all happens outdoors, surrounded by the living landscape of Shelby Bottoms—where kids connect not just with each other, but with the rhythms, beauty, and challenges of the natural world.
Park Explorer Program
The Park Explorers Program helps children at our partner schools discover the wonder, peace and fun of nature. Friends of Shelby brings park and nature-related content to students in school and, in turn, brings the students into Shelby Park and Bottoms to explore and learn.
Restore the Forest: Invasive Plant Removal
Shelby Park and Bottoms has an invasive plant species problem. Starting this winter, we are beginning efforts to remove these harmful plants from our forests, and we need your help!
Shelby Park Bees
Shelby Bottoms is home to more than a dozen beehives in three locations. Volunteer beekeepers tend hives at the Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, on the island in Lake Sevier, and at the Cornelia Fort Airpark. These hives help pollinate plants all across the park and across East Nashville.