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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation 2017-2018 Annual Report

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Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation 2017-2018 Annual Report Sharing the Journey Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation 2017-2018 Annual Report brpfoundation.org 1 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Leadership Board of Trustees Bob Clark Staff Clary Powell Pickering Pat Shore Clark Outreach Coordinator Alfred Adams, Chair Carolyn Ward, Ph.D. Heather Cotton Adam Roades Jack Betts, Vice Chair JoAnn Davis Chief Executive Officer Craig Lancaster, Treasurer Program Manager, Kids in Parks Dan Donahue Willa Mays Rebecca Reeve, Secretary Jaime Roscoe Harvey Durham Chief Development Officer Paul Bonesteel Rich Embrey Foundation & Corporate Peter Givens Joe Epley Brandon Altemose Relations Officer Billie Brandon Howell Program Assistant, Kids in Parks Broaddus Fitzpatrick Allison Royal Jim McDowell Brian Gulden Jordan Calaway Graphic Design & Outreach John Mitchell Chuck Higgins Donor Services Coordinator Coordinator, Kids in Parks Jim Newlin Sean Higgins Ashley Edwards Jason Urroz Jerry Starnes Michael Hobbs Finance Director Program Director, Kids in Parks Cynthia Tessien David Holt Brad Wilson Raymond Hornak Richard Emmett Program Director, Jennifer Zuckerman Olson Huff Blue Ridge Parkway Blue Ridge Music Center Cecil Jackson Foundation offices Board of Advisors George Kegley Mandy Gee 717 S. Marshall St., Suite 105B, Becky Anderson Bob Lassiter Annual Giving Officer Winston Salem, NC 27101 Jim Barber Phil Noblitt Marianne Kovatch Anne Barnes Bob Shepherd Associate Director, 322 Gashes Creek Road Lou Bissette Gary Stewart Blue Ridge Music Center Asheville, NC 28803 Philip Blumenthal Kent Tarbutton Rita Larkin Greg Brown Anne Whisnant (866) 308-2773 Communications Director Hobie Cawood Richard “Stick” Williams brpfoundation.org 2 brpfoundation.org Cover photo: Sam Knob Trail, milepost 420 The Spirit of Collaboration A Strong Community he Blue Ridge Parkway is many things to ach year brings diverse challenges and fresh many people. It’s a portal to the cultural opportunities to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Theritage and living traditions of the southern Emost visited national park unit. And each Appalachian mountain region, it’s a place to year, you rise to the challenges and embrace the discover thousands of native plant and animal opportunities to make it a better place for us species, it’s a beautifully today, and for those who will designed scenic drive along discover its wonders in the ridges and valleys, and it’s a future. gateway to many communities As you flip through these across its 469-mile route. pages that chronicle another The careful stewardship and successful year, you may protection of these resources, be hundreds of miles away and the experiences this from the Parkway, or you park offers, is a dynamic and might be able to see it from complex operation. The Blue your window. But it is not Ridge Parkway Foundation’s geography that defines our 20-year legacy of support has community. Our mutual love become an integral part of Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent J.D. Lee with of the Parkway creates what Foundation CEO Carolyn Ward the work required to care for we have always called our and protect the Blue Ridge Community of Stewards, those Parkway. who have the best interests of the Parkway at heart. Over the past year, my first on the Blue Ridge Within this report, you’ll see some of the faces Parkway, I have seen the passion and dedication of of our community, including one inspiring girl the Foundation’s Community of Stewards on many who is advancing environmental preservation occasions. Thank you for being a community that efforts thanks to a jump start from the Kids in Parks cares so deeply for the Parkway. program. We’ve also highlighted Willard Gayheart, This annual report outlines many of the ways who has entertained visitors with music and tales you have cooperated with and supported the at the Blue Ridge Music Center for 12 years. You’ll National Park Service mission in 2017-2018. This meet the historian who is bringing stories of the work is meeting many current Parkway needs and Cone family to life through her research for new protecting resources for future generations. exhibits at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. The National Park Service has just entered its Though your picture may not be on these pages, second century of service, and I am confident you’re behind every accomplishment too. Whether that, with your support and a growing community you have entrusted us with a financial donation, of stewards committed to innovation and volunteered for a hands-on project, celebrated collaboration, the park we all love has a very bright at fundraising events, or purchased a Blue Ridge future ahead. Parkway license plate, we thank you for being a steadfast steward of the Parkway. - J.D. Lee, Superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway - Carolyn Ward, Chief Executive Officer Our Mission The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is the primary fundraising partner for the Parkway, providing support for initiatives along the 469-mile route, including natural resource protection, historical and cultural preservation, visitor amenities, and education and outreach. brpfoundation.org 3 Protecting Natural Resources he Blue Ridge Parkway’s uninterrupted nature Tcorridor helps protect a diverse range of flora and fauna, including rare and endangered plant and animal species and globally imperiled natural habitats. It is one of the most DAMERON VICKI BY PHOTOGRAPH biodiverse landscapes in the national park system. Together we are taking steps, large and small, to protect the Parkway’s unique natural treasures. Stopping Poachers Waterrock Knob Vision Plan The best way to put an end to National Park Service staff, nonprofits, poaching is to catch the culprits and neighbors came together to create before they leave with rare the Waterrock Knob Regional Vision specimens from Blue Ridge Plan, which will help guide the future Parkway land. Thanks to you and of 5,329 acres near milepost 451 that The Community Foundation are slated to become part of the Blue x of Western North Carolina, law la Ridge Parkway. The plan identifies key Ga enforcement rangers now have themes for how to address challenges new tools to watch over vulnerable populations such as galax and evaluate opportunities with and ginseng. This new network of “force multipliers” captures conservation as the highest priority for images of activity at sensitive sites and alerts rangers in this pristine landscape. The plan was real time that the plants are under threat, allowing them to created with support from the Pigeon respond quickly. “At the end of the day, preventing the loss is River Fund and Blue Ridge National the real win for the project,” says Chief Ranger Neal Labrie. Heritage Area. 4 brpfoundation.org Wildlife Cameras Through your generosity, the Blue Ridge Parkway purchased 24 motion-activated cameras for the ongoing Parkway Wild project, which allows park scientists to monitor wildlife in remote locations. Among the citizen scientists placing and monitoring cameras this year are students completing service learning projects at Springhouse Community School in Floyd, Virginia. Parkway staff worked with instructors during the summer to integrate the trail camera project into the school’s curriculum. As a result, the students are learning about ecology, cartography, navigation, and orienteering by setting out and monitoring a trail camera along the Parkway. A white-tailed fawn photographed with a remote camera Rare Sight: Among one of the most exciting finds to date is an elusive eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius). About the size of a large squirrel, spotted skunks are believed to be declining throughout their ranging area. They live primarily in Western North Carolina and Virginia, however their secretive nature makes them extremely hard to detect. This photo was captured near Pine Spur Overlook in Virginia and is believed to be a new find for this species in Franklin County. Counting camera remote species seen the impact 30 volunteers 85 sites 35 since 2009 brpfoundation.org 5 Preserving History & Culture he Blue Ridge Parkway is a journey through time that connects us to Tmeaningful stories of people, places, and traditions that still influence and excite people. Efforts to preserve these touchstones take many forms, from saving historic structures to digging in archives to DUNCAN MIKE BY PHOTOGRAPHS paint a sharper picture of the past. Our goal is to keep these cultural ties strong so that our past remains part of who we are today. Blue Ridge Music Center This year, thousands of music lovers came to clap along to performances by local and national acts, learn flatfoot dancing, explore the Roots of American Music Museum, and even jam during the Midday Mountain Music sessions at the Blue Ridge Music Center, milepost 213. Your support for programming is fulfilling the Music Center’s mission to preserve Nicky Sanders of the the cultural heritage of the mountains and serve as a Steep Canyon Rangers gateway to the area’s rich musical offerings. Counting concerts midday attendees concerts, events the impact 47 & events 168 programs 41k & Midday Mtn. Music 6 brpfoundation.org Creating a map to Cone history In most families, mementos and heirlooms are handed down through the generations. But in the case of the prominent Cone family, many of the treasured and everyday items of their lives can be found in far- flung museum r collections and e et secure archives. re St Carrie Thanks to your Holding History: support, intern Carrie Streeter is Moses and Bertha Cone’s travel trunks creating a treasure map to these are stored in the Parkway’s archives. pieces of history. The Interpretive Resources for Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is a much-needed from the Blowing Rock Historical occasions was the opportunity to guide for telling the family’s story Society to the Museum of Jewish enjoy a meal and reminisce with and creating enhanced exhibits Civilization in Connecticut Bertha Cone’s grandnieces, who at Flat Top Manor and across the and many other archives.
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