Retirement wishes to Sandy and Bob!
Our beloved friends Bob Parrish and Sandy Bivens have retired after 35 years of service to Nashville's parks and the millions of visitors who enjoy them. Both embarked on their careers in 1976 (along with Nature Center Assistant Director, Deb Beazley), working at Warner Park Nature Center under the supervision of Dr. Charles Farrell. During the “early” years, Bob and Sandy worked their way through several positions at Warner, each of them serving as Nature Center Director at different times.
In addition to serving as Nature Center Director, Bob also served as the Superintendent of Warner Parks, and eventually Superintendent of Metro Parks’ Natural Areas. Over his career, he worked tirelessly to find consensus among the varied user groups of natural areas parks. He spearheaded invasive plant control initiatives and worked as the liaison with Friends of Warner Parks and other Friends groups. In recent years, he assisted with the development and management of dog parks throughout the county, and helped create the wetlands and shorebird ponds at Bells Bend. While serving as the President of the Tennessee Parks and Recreation Association, Bob advocated for natural areas and parks across the state. This dedication to Tennessee’s treasured outdoor spaces earned him the TRPA “Fellow Award” and the “Resource Management Award for Excellence.”
Sandy's professional and caring demeanor inspired those around her during her tenure with Metro Parks. Her dedication to preserving natural areas, while offering the public safe and welcoming environments in which to learn and discover, gained her several awards and accolades, including the TRPA “Fellow Award” for lifetime achievement and the TN Environmental Education Association's “Environmental Educator of the Year" award. In 2006, Sandy was promoted to Superintendent of Nature Centers, providing leadership and vision for the design, construction and administration of three new nature centers located at Shelby Bottoms, Bells Bend and Beaman Parks. In 2009, Fort Negley Visitor Center and Park joined the nature center program, adding historic site supervision to Sandy’s long list of accomplishments. In 2012, Sandy received the “Nature Center Leadership Award” from the Association of Nature Center Administrators, a national honor celebrating the many achievements of her career.
Bob and Sandy plan to stay involved with the Warner Parks, both at the Nature Center and through Friends of Warner Parks. Sandy will volunteer as the manager of the Nature Center’s bird banding station and bird research programs. Bob will lead a “Bob Hike” coming up on April 1, and will also be an integral part of the continued progress on the newly acquired Hill Farm property. Best wishes to both of them as they embark on this new chapter!