Great Smoky Mountains National Park Project News Issue No. 2 U.S. Department of the Interior

Cades Cove Opportunities Plan "Looking Back - Moving Forward"

Issues & Concerns the issues and concerns received Steps in the Process Identification from comment forms, the website, and letters and e-mails to the NPS The National Park Service and is listed here: Knoxville Regional Transportation Project Initiation Review existing data, Planning Organization held a public Overview of Issues & scoping meeting on May 23, 2002. studies and relevant Concerns More than 120 participants information attended the meeting held at the May 23rd meeting attendees = 127 Townsend Elementary School. The Comments and comment forms meeting provided participants the received since May 23 = 190 Issues Identification opportunity to ask questions, make Locations that comments are Public scoping, gathering comments, and to meet with coming from: 18 states. The new data individual project team members to majority have come from TN and Open house held discuss issues and concerns NC. A map of the 18 states is on May 23, 2002 regarding the Cades Cove the back page of this project Opportunities Plan. report. Goals and Objectives Define desired conditions The meeting featured a series of A sample of the issues and for visitor experience and boards that showed existing concerns received from the public resources conditions within Cades Cove. include: These included natural and cultural Lack of signs/visitor information Open house sessions resources, access issues, visitor Lack of park rangers/ July 22, 23 2002 experience, and infrastructure. The enforcement boards also summarized issues Vandalism/littering and concerns that had been Noise (vehicles, dogs in Alternatives identified through previous campground) Development processes and comments received Level of visitor services Develop a range of by the NPS. These boards were (electricity/showers) reasonable alternatives used to stimulate discussion and to Condition of historic structures based on agency prompt the public to identify other Natural areas being damaged objectives and public issues and concerns. Comment Lack of bicycle trails interests sheets and a court reporter were Too few auto-free times for Public meetings also available during the meeting to biking/walking Autumn 2002, and give participants additional ways to Narrow road /number of pull- Spring 2003 provide input. outs Need for alternative After the meeting, comment forms transportation such as buses Future Phases were distributed within Cades Cove Loss of automobile access to and made available on the project Cades Cove Preparation of EIS, website. The website, Loss of ability to experience preferred alternative www.cadescoveopp.com , was the cove at their pace. identification, public developed to open the project up to Loss of ability to continue meetings, etc a wider range of park users. This family activities/traditions combination of public outreach has produced significant input to the project. An overview and sample of

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Cades Cove Opportunties Plan Public Comments Comments have been received from eighteen states including Alaska. Sources for comments have included: the May 23rd public meeting, comment forms distributed in Cades Cove, the project web site, and letters to the NPS. Alaska

New Hampshire

Michigan

Indiana Ohio

Missouri Kentucky Maryland California Oklahoma Tennesseer Nor th Carolina Alab ama Geo rgia South Caro lin a GreatGrea tSmoky Smok yMountains Mountain Louisiana Florida NationalNationa lPark Park

Goals and Objectives - Public Input Public input is an important element in the development of a set of goals and objectives. These goals and objectives will guide the development of alternatives and management activities for Cades Cove now and into the future. The success of the Cades Cove Opportunities Plan will be measured by its ability to accomplish these goals and objectives. Goals and Objectives comments will be accepted through August 22, 2002.

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

If you are interested in additional information or would like to be added to our mailing list, please contact us at:

Superintendent National Park 107 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Website www.cadescoveopp.com Boards from the first public meeting are available on the website

The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.

July, 2002