March 2020
News and Happenings from
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Hey y’all! I’m
Peyton Proffitt
, Great Smoky Mountains Association’s new membership director. Since December 2019, I’ve been responsible for making sure that you stay connected to the Smokies through your member benefits. Whether you’re reading
Smokies Life
, joining us for special events, shopping in our stores, or taking quizzes in the
Cub Report
, I hope you always feel rooted in the Smokies.
My family has lived in the Smokies for more than ten generations, and I take great pride in helping GSMA preserve and protect the park, its rich cultural history, and all of its extraordinary biodiversity. I know that, as members, you care deeply about these things, too.
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This year join us for one (or many!) of our 80 distinct
Branch Out member events
. We’ve planned something for everyone—nature photography sessions, cultural history discussions, birding workshops, wildflower identification, full moon hikes in Cades Cove, and so much more.
Most importantly, please save the date for our annual
Members Weekend,
taking place in Cherokee, North Carolina, August 14-16.
Please know that I am here to help you get the most out of your membership, so don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or comments. I hope to meet you in person at an upcoming event.
Thank you for your support of the Smokies!
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Members Weekend 2020: Observe. Ask. Know.
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Save the date for our new and improved Members Weekend:
August 14-16, 2020
, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina!
You told us what you value in your annual Members Weekend—and we listened. This year, our event will be held a full month earlier, allowing families to attend together. You asked for more learning opportunities, so we are creating a conference atmosphere with more educational seminars held on both Friday and Saturday to allow for personal growth and engagement with park staff and gateway community leaders. Registration will open in April.
Come to Cherokee ready to
o
bserve,
a
sk,
k
now—and grow like a mighty
oak
!
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GSMA Wins Public Lands Alliance
Partners Choice Award
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From left: Anna Zanetti—Friends of the Smokies; Dawn Roark, Brenda Ownby, Frances Figart—GSMA; Tim Chandler—Friends of the Smokies; Laurel Rematore, Peyton Proffitt—GSMA; Dana Soehn—National Park Service; Valerie Polk—GSMA; Ed McAllister, Ellis Bacon—GSMA Board
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On Wednesday, March 4, Great Smoky Mountains Association took home one award and one honorable mention at the
Public Lands Alliance 2020 Partnership Awards Ceremony
.
At the annual PLA conference in Arlington, Virginia, the GSMA-run Millers Historical Demonstrations program received the Partners Choice Award after garnering the most public votes of all the nominated products and programs. The program, which provides park visitors with an authentic Smoky Mountain experience at Cable Mill in Cades Cove and Mingus Mill near Oconaluftee visitor center, was nominated in the Outstanding Public Engagement category. GSMA Publications Associate Valerie Polk wrote the nomination with assistance from Creative Director Frances Figart.
Originally restored in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and kept in working order by the park’s preservation crew (with support from GSMA and Friends of the Smokies), these two mills and their dedicated historic demonstrators provide parkgoers with a window to the past — enhancing visitors’ understanding of these mountain communities, how people raised and stored their own food, how they
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used a barter system and how their resourcefulness allowed them to accomplish impressive things.
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GSMA also received an honorable mention for the Innovative Product Award for its
Smokies Species-A-Day Perpetual Calendar
. One of the visitor centers' hottest new items of the past year, this desktop calendar highlights one species found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each day and can be used year after year for a lifetime of learning. Created by GSMA Publications Specialist Emma DuFort, this project was a collaboration between GSMA, Discover Life in America and the National Park Service.
“Many of these species are unknown to the average visitor, so I wanted the calendar to highlight them as well as our well-known charismatic residents,” DuFort said. “My great hope is that it can be both visually appealing and functional, as an interpretive product that enhances the public’s knowledge of this park’s amazing network of life.”
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It’s almost time to start thinking about…blinking! That is, the blinking on and off of thousands of synchronous fireflies.
Each year in late May and early June, people from all over the world travel to Elkmont in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to experience the flashy mating ritual of
Photinus carolinus
, which is the topic of our cover story for the spring
Smokies Life
. (When you receive your copy later this month, be sure to read the back of the cover for an “illuminating” message.)
In the early days, tourists flocked to Elkmont by the hundreds, but their presence soon began to threaten the firefly population. So, in 2015 the park implemented a lottery system and shuttle service to minimize the disturbance to the fireflies and make the experience better for visitors.
With amazing firefly photography by Radim Schreiber (
fireflyexperience.org
), the story by Amanda Womac tells of biologist Lynn Faust who spent her childhood summers at a family cabin in Elkmont. Faust began studying fireflies in 1992 and today her research helps determine the peak display period for the synchronous variety, allowing park entomologist Becky Nichols to set the dates for the lottery and shuttle service.
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Dates to reflect on
• Lottery opens: April 24, 2020
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Lottery closes: April 28, 2020
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Results announced: TBA for 2020
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Event dates: TBA on April 22, 2020
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Take Our Vernal Equinox Quiz
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This month, we celebrate the brightening of days with the coming of the vernal equinox—the first day of spring.
Think you’re a
seasoned
expert on Earth’s annual journey around the sun? Take this month’s quiz to test your knowledge on all things equinox.
Those who answer all questions correctly by March 20 will be entered into a drawing and a winner will be chosen at random to receive
Wildflowers of the Smokies
, one of the GSMA series of field guides to the Smokies.
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CREATURE FEATURE
Green Anoles
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Text and artwork
by Emma DuFort,
Publications Specialist
It’s not easy being green. Fortunately,
green anoles
(
Anolis carolinensis
) can also be brown! But the nickname “American chameleons” is misleading; green anoles change from green to brown due to cooler temperatures, reduced activity levels, and interactions with other anoles, rather than to camouflage with their surroundings. In fact, green anoles are much more closely related to iguanas than true chameleons.
The male anole is highly territorial, often getting into scraps with other male anoles, after which the winner will turn bright green and the loser brown. He might also display
“push-up”
behavior while fanning out his rosy-pink dewlap, or throat flap (females also sport a dewlap about a third of the size and lighter in color than the male’s).
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The green anole found in the Smokies is a northern subspecies, and the park constitutes part of the northern edge of the species’ range. They prefer areas under 1,600 feet elevation in the western part of the park, avoiding the chilly higher elevations. In 2011, the green anole had the distinction of being the first
non-avian reptile to have its genome completely sequenced.
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With spring break around the corner, prepare the kids in your lives for their visit to GSMNP. From activity books to Jr. Ranger gear, there's no better way to introduce your child to the park.
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Celebrate Women's History Month
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From legendary hiker Margaret Stevenson to famed singer-songwriter Dolly Parton,
Women of the Smokies: No Place for the Weary Kind features 19 women who share a deep love for the Great Smoky Mountains.
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This zippered pullover with thumb loops is a brand-new addition to the GSMA inventory. Featuring a subtle GSMNP insignia, it's a perfect transition to spring temperatures.
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All purchases support the park!
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Keep Your Visit Virus-free
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As concerns about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) dominate the news, Great Smoky Mountains Association is committed to providing excellent customer service while keeping our staff safe and healthy every day. We are mindful that the COVID-19 virus poses potential risks to our staff and customers and are doing our best to protect all involved in this dynamic situation.
Meanwhile, we all have an individual responsibility to make sure that we protect ourselves, co-workers, family and friends from the virus by taking these simple precautions:
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Wash hands with soap and water to avoid
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contracting or transmitting the virus. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• While an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%–95% alcohol can be used, it’s best to reserve those resources for locations where soap and water are not readily available.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Regular household cleaners will destroy the virus.
• If you are well, you do not need to wear a face mask as the CDC does not recommend them for effective protection against respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
• Most importantly, stay home when you are sick in order to avoid exposing others to the virus.
We remain open for business and look forward to seeing you in the Smokies soon!
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Park Recruits Trail Volunteers
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers are recruiting volunteers to adopt a trail along the 848 miles of maintained trails across the park. Volunteers are needed to hike at least one designated trail, four times per year, and submit a report on their findings.
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Information that adopters provide is critical in helping park trail maintenance staff better prioritize work. Through this coordinated effort, the park can better ensure that trails remain accessible for visitors and that trailside resources are protected. No experience is required, but prospective volunteers should be comfortable hiking in the backcountry and enjoy interaction with visitors.
Volunteers must attend a three-hour required training, which includes information on how the park maintains trails, how to report relevant trail needs information, and how to instill ‘Leave No Trace’ practices while hiking. Volunteers must attend one of the following training opportunities held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC, on Saturday, March 28, or at Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, TN, on Saturday, April 11.
If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please contact Trails and Facilities Volunteer Coordinator Adam Monroe by phone at 828.497.1949 or email
adam_monroe@nps.gov
to register for the training. For information about the Trails Forever initiative and the ongoing partnership with Friends of the Smokies to improve many of the parks most heavily trafficked trails,
click here.
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Support Our Lookout League Business Partners
Lookout League membership is a sign of a business's commitment to the perpetual preservation of GSMNP.
This month we highlight
Baymont Inn and Suites
in Cherokee, NC, a three-year Lookout League member.
Set on the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina,
Baymont Inn and Suites
is located 1.7 miles from the park. This non-smoking hotel with spacious guest rooms and a seasonal outdoor pool offers hometown hospitality at an affordable price, including free WiFi and complimentary breakfast. Thank you to Baymont Inn and Suites for their continued support.
New and Renewing Businesses
Cove Mountain Level ($1,000 annually)
Shuckstack Level ($500 annually)
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Look Rock Level ($250 annually)
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The most recent issue of
Smokies Guide
, Great Smoky Mountains National Park's official park newspaper, is available to read online and can be mailed to you for free (S&H charges apply). Call 865.436.7318, Ext. 226 for mailing details.
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Our members support Great Smoky Mountains Association, and, in turn, the park. Join or renew your membership
online
or by phone at 865.436.7318 ext 257, 254, or 222. If you have any questions regarding your membership, please contact us.
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