Smokies Announces Extensive Vista Clearing Project

Whenever the National Park Service has surveyed visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park about their planned activities while in the Park, the number one response has always been "viewing scenery - scenic views." Over the years the number and quality of those scenic viewpoints along Park roads has gradually declined. When Park roads were constructed, the forests had been extensively logged and often burned in pre-Park days, leaving unobstructed views in every direction, but 75 years of forest recovery has resulted in many of the scenic overlooks becoming obscured by maturing trees.

Over the next few months a Park contractor will be rolling back this "natural clock" by reopening 34 of the most popular roadside vistas along the Park's main roads. Park officials say that this will be the first major vista-clearing initiative in decades.

Acting Park Facility Manager, Charlie Sellars said, "We have developed specific clearing prescriptions for every one of the 34 overlooks scheduled for treatment. In each case we will have a Park staff person assigned to guide the contractor in determining which trees should be removed entirely and which will be trimmed or thinned."

The Park's goal in renewing its vista management program is to allow the views to be maintained on a seven year cycle. To achieve this, the contractor will apply herbicides to the stumps of the taller-growing tree species to prevent their re-sprouting. At the same time, they will be leaving the lower-growing or shrubby species, like rhododendron and mountain laurel, un-cut, so that eventually these low-growing native species will shade out and discourage the re-growth of the taller trees with less work by Park crews.

Motorists can expect to see vista management under way from April 1 through August 1 along Newfound Gap Road, Clingmans Dome Road, the East and West Foothills Parkway, the Gatlinburg Bypass, Rich Mountain Road, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Lakeview Drive and Cataloochee Road. No roads are expected to be closed to complete the work, but the overlooks being cleared will be closed as needed to accomplish the work safely.

This sounds like great news to me. Looking forward to the improvements!


Jeff
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Improvements to road side views in the Smokies

The latest issue of the Cub Report from the Great Smoky Mountains Association has an interesting tidbit for those that enjoy stopping for the spectacular views at the overlooks on Newfound Gap Road and Clingmans Dome Road:

Special crews will be at work this spring trimming trees near the park's scenic overlooks to improve the views for motorists and other visitors.

Over the years, many of the overlooks along Newfound Gap Road, Clingmans Dome Road, and other thoroughfares have grown over to the extent that they no longer offer views of the mountains.

The landscaping work will be done in such a way as to encourage low growing native shrubs to thrive while discouraging the growth of tall trees.


Jeff
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Stop Sticks deployed to end pursuit on Newfound Gap Road

NPS Digest is reporting that stop sticks were used on Newfound Gap Road to stop a man fleeing from rangers last week.

Last Wednesday morning, November 2nd, supervisory park ranger Bobby Fleming contacted a man in a parked vehicle in the Chimneys Picnic area. While talking to the man, Fleming saw drug paraphernalia in plain view and ordered the man out of his vehicle. He refused to do so, and instead, sped away at a high rate of speed. A pursuit ensued down Newfound Gap Road and north towards park headquarters and the Sugarland Visitor Center.

Gatlinburg PD officers and district ranger Steve Kloster joined the chase. Kloster placed stop sticks on the highway just south of the Little River Road � New Found Gap Road intersection. The man swerved onto the shoulder, but the stop sticks still caught and flattened his left front and rear tires, which began to shred. He continued driving on the rims for another mile before stopping. After being taken into custody without incident, several charges were filed against the man. Others charges are pending.

For several years, the park has prepositioned stop sticks at its three main entrances. In 2011 the park purchased more of them for patrol vehicles and ranger stations. In this incident the stop sticks were critical in ending the pursuit quickly without a motor vehicle accident or injuries to anyone involved.


Jeff
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