Nokian Tyres to Serve as Presenting Sponsor of Laurel Dace Day

DAYTON, Tenn. – Nokian Tyres will serve as presenting sponsor of Laurel Dace Day, a community celebration of an endangered fish that takes place Saturday, May 17 in Spring City, Tennessee.

The inaugural event led by the Tennessee Aquarium raises awareness for 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.

The sponsorship is part of Nokian Tyres’ Road to Sustainable Success initiative, through which the global tiremaker:

• Serves as an advocate for sustainability efforts in Southeast Tennessee
• Supports education in the region
• 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.”

Nokian Tyres’ Dayton Factory was the first tire production facility in the world to earn LEED v4 Silver certification, and the facility holds ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management systems. Energy from onsite solar panels partially powers Nokian Tyres’ production processes and fully powers the administration building, which holds LEED v4 Gold certification.

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.”

King encourages everyone to join in this effort by making a contribution on the Aquarium’s website at: https://tinyurl.com/7zkc2cka

Community members can learn more about the event and register for races at TNAqua.org.