Steward |
Previous | 39 of 60 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
|
This page
All
|
www.ncparks.gov for State Parks Info and Events Michael F. Easley Governor June 2008 Volume 22 Number 3 William G. Ross Jr. Secretary, DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources INSIDE... PARKS’ IMPACT: $400 MILLION STUDY FOCUSES ON CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL ECONOMIES 14 CASE STUDIES OF ‘TOURIST’ VISITORS CAMPERS AT STONE MOUNTAIN STATE PARK ARE AMONG THOSE SPENDING ON AUTO EXPENSES, FOOD, EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES LOCALLY. North Carolina’s state parks potentially contribute $289 million to local economies an-nually as well as $120 million to local residents’ income, according to conservative estimates in an intensive study researchers at North Carolina State University conducted for the Division of Parks and Recreation. With “tourist” visitors spending an aver-age $23.56 a day to enjoy the outdoors, 14 state parks examined in the yearlong study contribute $139 million annually when spending by tourists is combined with directing spending in the local communities by the parks. In addition, the parks’ impact on local residents’ income was estimated at $56 million annually. The study projected the total potential economic impact ($289 million) based on state-wide attendance and assumed similar travel and spending patterns for all visitors to the system’s 36 state parks and state recreation areas. For purposes of the study, “tourist” visitors were defi ned as those non-local visitors whose primary purpose for a trip was to visit a state park. The researchers interviewed 852 of these “tourist” visitors in the 14 study parks and found that the average group size is 3.14 and the aver-age stay in a local community is 1.73 days. Thus, the average group spends $127.98 during a park visit for such things as food, lodging, souvenirs, services and equipment. “Our state parks stand on their own as stunning conservation lands representing North Carolina’s rich natural heritage. And, record visi-tation shows our citizens and visitors value them as such,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “The economic contributions revealed in this study suggest that the true value of state CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 With 14 state parks surveyed for the eco-nomic impact report, there were some similarities across the board as well as variations. Hanging Rock State Park was somewhat “typical.” In a rural area, it draws large crowds for multi-day visits much of the year and offers a traditional menu of outdoor activities. A key statistic is a park’s percentage of “tourist” visitors – those who come from outside the county primarily to visit a state park. For the 14 parks, the percentage ranged from 17 percent CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 FORT MACON EVENT P. 4 NEW EXHIBITS OPEN P. 5 HOWES HONORED P. 6 GREEN SQUARE FUTURE P. 7 BONES IN WACCAMAW P.10 FIND THE COMPLETE ECONOMIC STUDY AT WWW.NCPARKS.GOV. CLICK ‘NEWS.’ 2 From The Director‘s Desk Sincerely, Lewis Ledford Most people in the communities where our state parks are located have long held the notion that the parks are good for their local economies. After all, in every county where a park is located, it draws more visitors than any other attraction. As we’ve planned new state parks through our New Parks for a New Century initiative, each community has welcomed the new park as a valued addition to the economic mix. But, that’s been support based largely on faith. It’s more diffi cult to determine a state park’s contribution than that of manufacturing plants or retail centers, which directly generate jobs and tax revenues. That’s why the report just released by North Carolina State University’s Recreation Resources Service is so important. Authors Dr. Jerusha Greenwood and Dr. Candace Vick devised a way to quantify the economic contribution of visitors to state parks, based on proven survey methods and the IMPLAN model-ing software, an industry standard for economic impact research. Our gratitude goes to them for their hard work on the project. Their study tallies the impact of all the visitors who travel just to visit a state park and the spending by state government to operate the park. And, the estimates are quite conservative – spending by local visitors and travelers who drop by on a whim is not calculated. But, the result – an annual economic impact of $400 mil-lion or more -- is impressive, even to those of us who have been in the state parks system for decades. It’s likely that the state parks, conservation organizations and local communities will be poring over these numbers for some time to come. The results are presented not as justifi cation for state parks. That exists independently in our mission of conservation, education and recreation. Rather, it shows how closely we’re tied to the communities where we serve and that we’re partners in improving the quality of life in those communities. Operating state parks is certainly a year-round business now, but the July Fourth holiday and the entire month remains especially busy. July is also National Parks and Recreation Month, and a good time to remember to make a special effort to help our visitors enjoy the parks safely. UP CLOSE AND ‘PERSONNEL’ Jack Gupton has been promoted to wastewater plant operator at Falls Lake State Recreation Area. A graduate of Franklinton High School and Wake Tech Community Col-lege, he has 18 years of related experience and has worked for N.C. Central University and the towns of Butner and Wake Forest. Toby Hall has returned to Lake Waccamaw State Park as a ranger after serving three years as an enforcement offi cer with the N.C. Wildlife Resourc-es Commission. A graduate of the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management, he has also worked as a ranger for the National Park Service. Maschelle Peyton is the new offi ce assistant at Mount Mitchell State Park. She attended West Virginia State College and Fairmont State College in West Virginia and has more than 11 years related experience including employ-ment with the U.S. Attorney’s offi ce in that state. Lindy Allen has joined the division as the publications coordinator and webmaster. A graduate of Garner Senior High School and UNC-Wilm-ington with a bachelor’s degree in English, she has worked for the Department of Cultural Resources and the Division of Forest Resources. Becky Holmes is the new interpretive and education specialist for the north district. She is a graduate of Shawnee State University in Ohio with a bachelor’s degree in natural sci-ence and has worked as an edu-cation programs instructor with the South Carolina Aquarium and a seasonal naturalist with the National Audubon Society. Anthony DeSantis is a new ranger at Dismal Swamp State Park. He attended Lock Haven University and Millers-ville University, both in Penn-sylvania, and has been a sea-sonal employee at state parks in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. 3 ‘PARK’ IT WITH A STATE PARKS SPECIALTY LICENSE TAG The Division of Parks and Recreation is accepting applications and payment for the fi rst 300 license plates. There is a $30 fee in addition to regular license fees ($60 for personalized plates). Additional fees support conservation through the Parks and Recreation and Natural Heritage trust funds. Applications online at www.ncparks.gov or write: Adrienne McCoig, N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation 1615 MSC, Raleigh, NC 27699-1615 Sam Bland, a ranger and former superintendent at Hammocks Beach State Park, has been presented the 2008 Outstanding Public Citizen Award and the Rotary Interna-tional Paul Harris Fellow award by the Swansboro Rotary Club. The awards are pre-sented to a non-Rotarian who contributes signifi cantly to quality life in the community. “Sam is very dedicated and goes way beyond the norm in what he does,” said Todd Miller, president of the N.C. Coastal Federation. “It’s our opinion that Hammocks Beach is a stellar example of good environmental stewardship.” Bland worked with the Hammocks Beach State Park was presented a 2008 Pelican Award from the N.C. Coastal Federation for its work in protecting and restoring coastal habitat. The presentation was made in June at a federation rally in Raleigh. Park Super-intendent Paul Donnelly and Ranger Sam Bland accepted on behalf of the park. The Pelican Awards recognize exemplary achieve-ments and actions by citizens, legislators, government offi - cials and community groups in protecting and restoring coastal resources. Specifi cally, the park was honored for a project that restored shoreline and wetland habitat in an area that was once a parking area for the park’s former offi ce. With the help of volun-teers and park staff, pavement was removed and areas were replanted to collect stormwater. Also, a nearby bulkhead was removed to make way for replanted marsh grass, and natural reefs were built from recycled oyster shells. COASTAL GROUP GIVES AWARD TO HAMMOCKS SUPERINTENDENT PAUL DONNELLY, LEFT, AND RANGER SAM BLAND AC-CEPT PELICAN AWARD FOR HAMMOCKS BEACH STATE PARK. BLAND GIVEN ROTARY HONOR federation and other environ-mental groups in adding Hug-gins Island and its maritime forest to the state park, and also has partnered with them to restore shoreline habitat and wetlands in a former parking area of the park. He helped initiate a rainwater collection program and an oyster shell recycling program to build oyster reefs as well as the park’s annual Toys for Tots Marsh Cruise program. and a park Military Apprecia-tion Day. He writes an environ-mental education column for the Tideland News and docu-ments species in the Natural Resource Inventory Database. 4 The state parks system launched construction in May of its largest park facility, a 22,547-square-foot coastal edu-cation and visitor center at Fort Macon State Park. A groundbreaking event April 27 coincided with the an-nual ice cream social of Friends of Fort Macon, a volunteer sup-port group. “Fort Macon is our second oldest state park and among our busiest with more than 1.2 million visitors in 2007, and that presents a tre-mendous opportunity to teach the natural history of our coast alongside the military history of the fort itself,” said Lewis Led-ford, director of the state parks system. “The center has also been designed to showcase certifi ed green building techniques and serve as a model of stewardship in the coastal environment.” The 182-year-old for-tress was fully restored in 1999- 03 and visitors get a good dose of Civil War history as they tour its battlements and exhibits. The new coastal education and visitor center will offer other historical details but its focus will be on the natural history of the state’s barrier islands. Sometimes, military and natural history merge. One story the center will tell is the work of prominent natural his-torians Elliott Coues and Henry Yarrow, whose day jobs in the mid-1800s were as surgeons at the fort. The pair recorded their observations at the outpost and regularly sent dispatches and specimens to the Smithsonian Institution. At the groundbreak-ing ceremony, Ledford said it’s important that visitors and the state’s citizens learn the impor-tance of the coastal ecology. “In its very long life, this fort has seen a lot of changes, but the greatest changes may lie ahead with the coast threat-ened like never before,” he said. “Having a place to educate citizens and visitors is of lasting importance.” The parks system has built 18 visitor centers since the mid-1990s, and construc-tion also began this spring on a center at Merchants Millpond State Park. The Fort Macon proj-ect represents an investment of $8.2 million from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and will offer 4,000 square feet of exhibit space, a teaching audi-torium and conference room, along with administrative of-fi ces. The center was designed to meet sustainability standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the United States Green Building Council. It will have features such as rainwater collection and low-fl ow water systems, recycled construction materials and preferred parking for alternative fuel vehicles. The center’s brick-and-block design will refl ect that of the fort. The building site is just southeast of the fort and near existing parking areas expand-ed during the fort’s restoration. Park Superintendent Jody Merritt said that members of the Friends of Fort Macon have been staunch supporters of the project since it was fi rst envisioned more than a de-cade ago. The organization has raised funds for extensive fort exhibits and provided volun-teers to help with tours of the fort. The construction period is expected to be 18 months. The designer of record is Hobbs Architecture of Pitts-boro, and general contractor is Daniels & Daniels Construction Co. of Goldsboro. FORT MACON PLANS LARGEST FACILITY SUPERINTENDENT JODY MERRITT WELCOMES THE CROWD TO THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE NEW COASTAL EDUCATION AND VISITOR CENTER AT FORT MACON STATE PARK. 5 SOUTH MOUNTAINS OPENS EXHIBITS A new exhibit hall that completes a new visitor center at South Mountains State Park was formally dedicated in May. Among more than 50 people attending the ceremony were kindergarten and fi rst grade students from Morganton Day School, who helped with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. They were also among the fi rst to enter the exhibit hall with their parents and teach-ers. Wide-eyed wonder was followed by exclamations of “Wow,” and “Look at that.” “We are excited about what this means for the com-munity,” said Donnie Bain, the head of the school. “Our children will have an excellent opportunity to learn about the environment they live and play in.” The project represents an investment of $400,000 from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, the principal fund-ing source for state park capital projects and land acquisition. Design of the exhibit hall began during the construc-tion of the 7,500-square-foot visitor center, which opened in December 2006. The centerpiece exhibit is a replica of High Shoals Falls, the park’s most popular natu-ral feature. A boardwalk leads visitors to a 25-foot-tall photo-graph that serves as a backdrop for a diorama on the ecology of the falls. A video brings the sound of rushing water. The exhibit is a way to bring the experience to people unable to hike the trails. The exhibits also in-clude a “carpet wall” mural, a nocturnal theater, a microscope to explore streamside insects and dioramas of different habitats in the park’s important watersheds. “Along with the educa-tional programs that the rang-ers provide, this exhibit hall will be a great tool for teaching park visitors about being good stewards of our land,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “This is where environmental education at the park can begin.” The exhibit hall will augment the center’s teaching auditorium, laboratory/class-room and staff offi ces. Much of the research for the exhibits was conducted by rangers at the park. The project was designed by Discovery Ex-hibits Inc. of Santa Fe, Minn., and principal fabricator was Studio Displays of Pineville. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FROM MORGANTON DAY SCHOOL HELPED WITH A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY TO OPEN THE EXHIBIT HALL. TRIMMING FOR SAFETY MAINTENANCE MECHANICS FROM SEVERAL STATE PARKS IN THE WEST DISTRICT GATHERED AT CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK FOR SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER THIS YEAR TO TRIM TREES ON THE APPROACH ROAD TO CHIMNEY ROCK. LIMBS AND TREES THAT WERE DAMAGED BY WIND AND FREEZES AND IN DANGER OF TOPPLING WERE REMOVED. 6 Jonathan B. Howes, chairman of the Parks and Rec-reation Trust Fund Authority for 10 years, was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from North Carolina State University’s De-partment of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Howes was presented the award ��� along with a keepsake clock – at the authority’s May meeting in Raleigh. Doug Wellman, head of the department, said that beyond Howes’ service as an administra-tor at UNC-Chapel Hill and his tenure as secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, his commitment to the success of the trust fund was an overriding contribution. During his chairman-ship, the trust fund has awarded 487 grants to local governments worth $92 million, and the state parks system has flourished with new land acquisitions and improved facilities. “This is a gift that keeps on giving,” Wellman said. Howes’ “statesmanship” helped create the trust fund and gave it direction, furthered coop-eration with other state conserva-tion funds and spread knowledge of the state parks system, in part by holding trust fund meetings in the parks, Wellman said. The university has be-stowed 12 such lifetime achieve-ment awards. Howes said that he shares the recognition with the staff of the Division of Parks and Recre-ation, which administers the trust fund. “In the end, what this rep-resents – and it’s fi tting that this is a clock – is the timeless qual-ity of this work we’re doing for generations to come,” he said. Governor Jim Hunt ap-pointed Howes as a cabinet secretary in 1993. He had been serving at UNC at Chapel Hill as director of the Center for Urban and Regional Studies and as a research professor. Before joining the uni-versity in 1970, Howes held top policy positions in the U.S. Urban Policy Center, the Department of Housing and Urban Develop-ment and the Housing and Home Finance Agency. He also served as mayor of Chapel Hill, president of the League of Municipalities and chairman of the Triangle J Coun-cil of Governments. HOWES HONORED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS HOWES, LEFT, GETS A STANDING OVATION FROM DOUG WELLMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION TRUST FUND AUTHORITY. Among 34 local grants approved by the Parks and Rec-reation Trust Fund Authority in May was the fi rst one dedicated to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Alamance County was awarded $400,000 to acquire property in the trail corridor and will use donated property as a match for the trust fund grant. The trust fund author-ity earlier set aside $8.5 million in certifi cates of participation (similar to bonds) to purchase tracts along the route of the trail. Those funds will be targeted at other tracts in Alamance County and elsewhere to help place criti-cal links in the 1,000-mile trail corridor. The 34 grants for local parks and recreation projects total $12.8 million. In this year’s funding cycle, the authority received 89 grant applications requesting more than $27 mil-lion. Thirty percent of the trust fund is set aside for the grant pro-gram, which has supported $122 million in projects since 1995. The awards represent approximately three quarters of the 2007-08 revenues for the program, and the authority will consider more applications at its July meeting. Eighteen of the success-ful grant applications were for the maximum amount of $500,000. The projects included an array of recreation amenities such as athletic fi elds, swimming pools, playgrounds, walking trails and greenways, fi shing ponds and piers, community centers and TRAIL PROJECT AMONG PARTF GRANTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 7 The Department of Envi-ronment and Natural Resources used Earth Day as an occasion to begin moving some earth for a new Green Square offi ce and research center in downtown Raleigh. A groundbreaking cer-emony drew about 400 people. The complex will eventu-ally house the headquarters staff of the state parks system along with other DENR divisions. Three dilapidated govern-ment buildings on Jones Street just west of the Legislative Build-ing were demolished to make way for the $104 million complex that will explore state-of-the-art tech-nology in green building design. To begin, rubble from the demolished buildings will be reused in the foundation. Along with the 172,000- square-foot offi ce building for DENR employees, the complex will include an 80,000-square-foot Nature Research Center to augment the existing N.C. Mu-seum of Natural Sciences across the street. Joe Hackney, Speaker of the House, told the crowd at the groundbreaking that the project refl ects the state’s commitment to tackling environmental issues. “A building is never just a building,” Hackney said. “This is further evidence that we here in North Carolina take environ-mental issues and energy issues seriously and we’re willing to take our time and money to solve some of the serious issues of the day.” The Nature Research Center will expand on the mission of the natural sciences museum, said Director Betsy Bennett. Its centerpiece will be a four-story, multimedia presentation area called the Daily Planet that will describe how scientifi c research in the state meshes with research around the world. The center will also house hands-on laboratories and an as-tronomy platform where visitors can get a taste of research tech-niques, as well as a conference center where visiting scientifi c Earth Day 2008 lasted at least a week in North Carolina’s state parks, with more than half the parks scheduling special ac-tivities, hikes and projects from April 19-26. At Medoc Mountain, Ranger Nicole Crider organized kids and adults to build a butterfl y garden using shrubs and trees donated by local plant nurseries and garden centers. It’s part of the park’s new outdoor exhibits that demonstrate how to attract wildlife to backyards. The garden will be used for ranger-led programs on but-terfl ies and attracting wildlife. Visitors can walk a small trail through the garden to get an up-close look at some of nature’s most beautiful and interesting creatures. Several parks teamed with local school systems and other agencies to host large groups of experts can lecture. “In the Museum of Natu-ral Sciences, we’re really focusing on what we know about North Carolina’s environment,” Bennett said. “In the nature center, we’re focusing on how we know what GROUND BROKEN FOR GREEN SQUARE PARKS HONOR EARTH DAY students who arrived en masse to study environmental themes. Jones Lake held its second annual Environmental Days for all fi fth graders in the county. And at Cliffs of the Neuse, about 250 sixth graders arrived on a sunny Friday as part of Earth Week in cooperation with the Goldsboro Parks and Recreation Depart-ment. At Kerr Lake, a similar event is called an Eco Meet and takes the form of an environ-mental education competition for middle and high school teams from a six-county area. Catego-ries include aquatics, hydrology, forestry, herpetology, interpreta-tion, endangered species, wildlife and soil science. Eno River rangers pre-sented activities from their En-vironmental Education Learning Experience with visitors sloshing CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 HOUSE SPEAKER JOE HACKNEY SPEAKS AT GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 8 HOW THEY COMPARE... ECONOMIC STUDY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 parks to local communities and the state is even greater than we realized.” In 2007, state parks reported record-level visitation of 13.4 million. That represents more than three times the combined attendance for the Carolina Panthers, Lowe’s Motor Speedway events and Atlantic Coast Conference basketball games within North Carolina. The study was conducted by Recreation Resources Service of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at NCSU. Researchers visited each of the 14 parks three to fi ve times during the year on weekdays and weekends. They interviewed 2,164 park visi-tors to determine a percentage of tourist visitors. The data was then analyzed with IMPLAN model-ing software, an industry standard for economic impact research. State parks vary in size, style and personal-ity. So, researchers chose parks that represent a broad cross-section of the parks system, including some with high day-use attendance, such as Jock-ey’s Ridge and Hammocks Beach state parks and Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, as well as those popular for weekend camping trips, such as Stone Mountain and Hanging Rock state parks. Large and small parks, as well as those in urban and rural communities, were included in the study. The researchers noted that estimates of annual economic impact are conservative because of the narrow focus of the study. Local residents visiting the state parks and so-called “casual” visitors who traveled primarily for other reasons were not surveyed. The study found that the percentage of tourist – non-local, primary purpose – visitors varies widely at different types of parks, from 17 percent at Eno River State Park to 75 percent at Merchants Millpond State Park. Analysis of the research shows that the state parks make a considerable economic con-tribution directly to the communities through operations budgets and jobs. The direct impact of the 14 parks was $15 million in sales, $10 million in personal income and 256.9 full-time equivalent jobs. Park capital projects were not included. Nor were park fees, THE AVERAGE GROUP... ...HAS 3.14 VISITORS ...STAYS 1.73 DAYS ...SPENDS $127.98 CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 % of Tourists Annual Tourist Expenditures Impact on Sales Impact on Residents' Income Jobs Created Return on $1 State Investment Eno River 17 $797,152 $1,737,180 $907,352 29.6 $1.80 Fort Fisher 45 $14,503,877 $20,067,545 $7,936,204 390.8 $25.10 Fort Macon 24 $12,105,587 $16,414,170 $6,676,332 326.4 $13.80 Gorges 45 $2,533,239 $3,718,748 $1,458,457 71 $5.80 Hammocks Beach 45 $1,587,542 $2,672,836 $1,275,456 57.9 $2.50 Hanging Rock 30 $1,355,572 $2,303,204 $1,171,648 46.7 $2.80 Jockey's Ridge 25 $10,760,645 $14,255,921 $5,860,588 259 $15.00 Jordan Lake 25 $2,874,796 $4,868,070 $2,246,721 80.2 $1.90 Kerr Lake 63 $12,824,320 $17,569,214 $7,863,741 374.6 $5.80 Merchants Millpond 75 $1,399,088 $1,729,870 $806,072 47.7 $2.20 Morrow Mountain 69 $1,897,707 $3,155,349 $1,531,637 71.5 $4.00 Mount Mitchell 52 $8,875,126 $11,221,959 $4,702,632 236.8 $10.20 Pilot Mountain 59 $2,103,968 $3,302,216 $1,510,488 73.1 $3.60 Stone Mountain 66 $3,071,178 $4,554,523 $2,022,825 94.2 $4.50 9 such as for camping, since those revenues are returned directly to the state’s general fund. The study found that for each $1 invested by the state on park operations, the return in the local communities ranged from $1.80 at Eno River State Park to $25.10 at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area When this park spending is combined with the impact of tourist visitor spending, the annual economic impact ranged from $1.73 mil-lion at Eno River State Park, which had visitation in 2007 of 341,646, to $20 million at Fort Fisher, where 2007 visitation was 834,544. CASE STUDIES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 at Eno River State Park to 75 percent at Mer-chants Millpond State Park. At Hanging Rock, the percentage is 30 percent, or 99,441 of the 329,520 visitors in 2004, the year of the study’s focus. The remainder live in Stokes County (62 percent) or traveled to the area for other reasons (8 percent). Those key “tourist” visitors spent an esti-mated $1.35 million, primarily on auto expenses, groceries, lodging and dining out. Add to that the park’s operating budget for that year of $616,920, and you begin to get a overall picture of the park’s economic impact in Stokes County. The combined total impact on sales and on local residents’ income was estimated at $3.47 mil-lion. About $57,580 in sales tax was generated. Moreover, all of this represents 46.7 jobs in the county. Another intriguing statistic was the “lever-age of state dollars,” in other words the rate of return that counties get for the state’s investment in the park. Each $1 that the state invests in Hanging Rock earns $2.80 for the local economy. For the 14 parks surveyed, the rate of re-turn ranged from $1.80 at Eno River to $25.10 at Fort Fisher. And what did all these folks enjoy doing at Hanging Rock? The top activities were hiking (73 percent), camping (45 percent) and picnicking (55 percent). ECONOMIC STUDY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 through the waters to learn about water bugs, water fl ow and pH balance. Both Jordan Lake and Crowders Mountain took an Earth Day opportunity to engage volunteers in cleaning up the environment. “Operation Clean a Crag” at Crowders Mountain targeted the peak of the mountain itself and Kings Pinnacle, while at Jordan Lake, litter was collected on a one-mile section of road that bisects the park. Pettigrew State Park staff combined Earth Day and Arbor Day into a work day to plant an arboretum of native woody plants at the park. Along with the usual hikes to observe fl ora and fauna, some parks also planned indoor activities such as environmentally-themed movies shown in the visitor centers at Lake Waccamaw and South Mountains. picnic shelters. More than $2.7 million will be spent on park land acquisition. In the past two years, the trails staff of the state parks system has been refi ning plans for piedmont corridors of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a designated unit of the parks system. Along with the tracts in Alamance Coun-ty, it’s hoped that funding through certifi cates of participation will spur trail development in Guilford, Orange and Johnston counties. In each case, local governments have been aggressive in creating local trail plans that could mesh with the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The plan is for the state to purchase the land and partner with local governments to man-age it as part of the trail. Alamance County has been among the most active, hiring a trail development coordina-tor and becoming a strong partner in trail devel-opment along the Haw River corridor. The trust fund grant would help develop the trail along the river between Glencoe Mills and the Town of Haw River. TRUST FUND CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 EARTH DAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 10 Rangers at Lake Waccamaw State Park are boning up on their paleontology since 4,000- year-old bones began turning up in the bed of the shallow lake. Researchers from the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and divers from the Underwa-ter Archaeology Branch began in May recovering skull fragments of a Pleistocene-era whale from a limestone outcrop in the lake. The 20-foot-long creature is likely a mem-ber of the baleen family, a class of whales that in-cludes today’s humpback and right whale species. “Why we think this is important is that it looks like it’s largely in one piece, which is very rare for skulls found in North Carolina,” researcher Vince Schneider told the Wilmington Star-News. “You never know what it could lead to, and that’s part of the fun.” Chris Helms, the park superintendent, is hopeful the skull could eventually be displayed in SKULL-DIGGERY EXPLORING WACCAMAW TOP TO BOTTOM the park’s exhibit hall, adding an intriguing facet to the natural and cultural history on display. Schneider and others weren’t surprised at the discovery of whale fossils nearly 50 miles from the ocean. Only a few thousand years ago, much of eastern North Carolina was covered by the ocean, adding another twist to the mystery of how the state’s chain of bay lakes was formed. The fossils could shed light on the prehis-toric animal life forms that roamed in and near the saltwater, coast and marshes of North Caro-lina long before humans arrived, Schneider said. The limestone deposit that runs through the Lake Waccamaw area has already yielded fos-sils of prehistoric horses and giant sloths, some of which are on display at a forestry museum in Whiteville. The whale’s skull was literally stumbled upon last summer by Cathy Neilson, a park neighbor, when she was wading the shallow water in front of her family home. She reached into the lakebed and pulled loose a fossil. That prompted Helms and Charles Zidar, the state parks system exhibits curator, to investi-gate further and seek Schneider’s help. The state divers, under the direction of Richard Lawrence, usually spend their time on shipwrecks and other human debris. They were invaluable partners in the recovery effort, devis-ing a vacuum system for removing silt and peck-ing away enough limestone to lift three skull pieces, the largest about the size of a engine block. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 VINCE SCHNEIDER, LEFT, OF THE MUSEUM AND DIVER RICHARD LAWRENCE WITH A SKULL FRAGMENT. DIVERS WITH THE UNDERWATER ARCHAE-OLOGY BRANCH USE A VACUUM TO REMOVE SILT FROM THE DIG SITE IN WAIST-DEEP WATER. 11 The mountains and the coast are exciting places to visit, but for a birder, some of the best sightings are sometimes right in the backyard. That’s one reason sponsoring agencies and birders are excited about the opening in May of the Piedmont Region of the North Carolina Birding Trail. Of the 103 sites listed on the trail, 29 are managed by the state parks system. “The piedmont is where most of the people are and it’s important to have the trail here,” said Chris Canfi eld, executive director of Audubon North Carolina. “Communities are go-ing to see the benefi t of this and are going to be motivated to support conservation.” It was nearly one year ago that the Coastal Region Birding Trail was inaugurated at Ham-mocks Beach State Park featuring 102 sites where birders can build a travel itinerary to add to their life lists of species. A consortium of state agencies and con-servation groups views the birding trail as a way to promote ecotourism and build a conservation ethic close to home. It was a natural outgrowth of Audubon’s designation of “important bird areas” in the state worthy of special efforts to protect critical habitat. The joint effort includes Audubon, the state parks system, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, N.C. Cooperative Extension, N.C. Sea Grant and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife Resources committed a trail coordinator position, and Salinda Daley took over from an Audubon volunteer to work fulltime on the effort. She has already begun work on a moun- Those were taken back to the museum to further separate the fossils from limestone that encases them, a process likely to take months. Schneider said that it’s diffi cult to tell yet how much of the whale remains in the lakebed or what else it might yield, and researchers hope to return later this year. The fossil site is in waist-high water, which makes recovery relatively easy, but also makes the site accessible to amateur fossil-hunt-ers. Through the media, Helms reminded people that fossils in the lake are state property and tain region trail. Both the coastal and piedmont trails have come with an extensive web presence (ncbirding-trail. org) and a glossy guide that offers details on the amenities of each birding site and what spe-cies might be spotted there. “This project is another good reason to come and energize yourself with nature and get back into state and local parks,” Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system, told a group at the trail’s grand opening celebration at Durant Nature Park in Raleigh. The birding trail is a good fi t for state parks, Ledford said. Many state parks are al-ready designated as important bird areas and the system’s natural resource management team has been aggressive in protecting habitats and docu-menting species. Dozens of the trail’s “species of special interest” have already been documented in the parks. Birders attracted by the trail project are an important constituency for the state parks system and its partners and are desirable visitors for local communities, Ledford said. “Natural resources are like economic en-gines in our state, and we need to make sure we protect those resources.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service main-tains that birding is the fastest growing outdoor activity by some measures. Americans have spent nearly $32 billion in recent years watching wild-life. Fred Harris, director of the Wildlife Re-sources Commission, said the trail is important in the larger context of promoting wildlife conserva-tion in the state and a critical element in getting the urban populace “out where the pavement ends.” PIEDMONT BIRDING TRAIL OPENS FALLS LAKE RANGER BRIAN BOCKHAHN MANS A BOOTH AT THE BIRDING TRAIL OPENING. WACCAMAW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 12 Billy Totten completed a 30-year career as a state park ranger, superintendent and district superintendent in May, joining his colleagues for a picnic and offering a summary observation. “Our mission is and al-ways has been unique,” he said. “There is no other job like this.” The farewell event was held at Jordan Lake State Rec-reation Area where Totten was superintendent for 14 years. Changes in the state parks system have been dra-matic, and the pace of change has increased in recent years, he said. “The outward appear-ance (of the parks) has changed dramatically over the decades. What doesn’t change is your inward commitment to state parks and to the people of North Carolina,” he told colleagues. Totten is a native of Durham who began working in the parks as a seasonal natural-ist and a youth volunteer coor-dinator in the 1970s. He earned a bachelor’s degree in parks, conservation and recreation from East Carolina University in 1979 and worked briefl y for the City of Greenville. From 1980 to 1990, he was a ranger at Stone Moun-tain and Lake Norman state parks before being promoted to a superintendent’s position at Jordan Lake. He was promoted to district superintendent in August 2004. Totten is a medical fi rst responder, holds advanced law enforcement certifi cation and earned the division’s distin-guished service award. He was also among the fi rst park superintendents to achieve environmental educa-tion certifi cation. He guided the park at Jordan Lake through a period of tremendous growth. Annual visitation began topping one million as more than 1,000 campsites regularly fi lled to capacity on weekends and the permanent staff grew to more than 30. Both Adrian O’Neal, east district superintendent and Greg Schneider, former Jordan Lake superintendent and now chief of operations, credited Totten with convincing them to spend their careers in the state parks. “He’s been a big part of a lot of our careers,” said West District Superintendent Tom Jackson. Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks, told Totten, “There’s no estimate that can be made of the value of quality work that good people do, and you’ve completed a wonderful career.” TOTTEN COMPLETES STATE PARKS CAREER RETIRING NORTH DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT BILLY TOTTEN SAYS GOODBYE TO HIS COLLEAGUES DURING A RETIREMENT PICNIC EVENT. we know.” Bennett said there is re-search going on in North Carolina that is having an effect around the world, and the public would like to know about that. U.S. Rep. Brad Miller said the concept is “totally cool.” “We need to have a place where children can learn that sci-ence is neat, fascinating and that there’s a sense of wonder about it,” Miller said. The complex will have environmentally friendly features such as a green roof that will absorb stormwater and windows designed to enhance natural light-ing and reduce energy costs. Bill Ross, secretary of the department, said, “One of the good things about launching this on Earth Day is that it gives us a chance to lead by example toward a green and productive future.” The aim is to present North Carolina’s premier sustain-able project, said John Atkins of O’Brien/Atkins, the architectural design fi rm. GREEN SQUARE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 13 Seven new state park rangers received commis-sions as law enforcement offi cers at a special ceremony March 26 at William B. Umstead State Park. Superior Court Judge John R. Jolly, Jr. swore in the seven as Special Peace Offi cers. Commissions went to: Christopher Ernest Ca-bral at Goose Creek State Park; Kevin Joseph Bischof at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area; Michael Rob-ert Eisch at South Mountains State Park; Nora Jean McGrath at Lake James State Park; Matthew Herbert Mutel at Mount Mitchell State Park; Kelly Kathleen Ondek at William B. Umstead State Park; and, Krista Sue Yantis at Morrow Mountain State Park. Receiving a commission as a Special Peace Offi cer at the end of 17-week basic law enforcement training is generally regarded as the last formal step before a ranger takes on full duties in a unit of the state parks system. During the training period prior to commis-sioning, a ranger is assimilated into the park and begins assuming duties in resource management and visitor service. Jolly told the group that when presiding in court, he was always impressed with the dedication, work ethic and integrity of all the law enforcement offi cers in the state. “It’s a very heartwarming and comforting thing as a citizen to see that,” Jolly said. “We as citizens should be proud – and, I hope we know to be proud – of the jobs you’re undertaking.” Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks sys-tem, noted that the system is in a period of transition with many senior rangers and park superintendents eligible for retirement. Also, the demographic of park visitors is changing. Many of them are older and more urban-oriented, he said. But, the heritage of service in the state parks is a very important one to maintain, Ledford said. “I hope you’ll continue to develop competencies and continue to keep that passion for what the parks system is all about.” Greg Schneider, chief of operations, said that among the class of new rangers, Mutel from Mount Mitchell State Park won the academic award for his class, and Bischof of Jordan Lake captured a driving award. Schneider said that the commissions come with the responsibility of controlling people’s be-havior and that responsibility is added to those concerned with natural resource protection and environmental education. Shane Freeman, a veteran ranger at Jones Lake State Park, has been named superintendent of the park in Bladen County. Freeman succeeds Shederick Mole, who became su-perintendent at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area earlier this year. A superintendent is the chief of operations and administration at a state park or state recreation area with wide-ranging responsibilities for staffi ng, training, law enforce-ment, visitor services, natural resource protection and environmental education. Freeman came to Jones Lake as a ranger in October 2006. He is a native of Robeson County and served in a military policy company with the U.S. Army Reserve. He is a 2003 graduate of the University of North Carolina-Pembroke with a bachelor’s degree in recreation management and administration. He worked as a seasonal employee at Jones Lake and Hanging Rock state parks. Freeman joined the state parks system full time in 2003 as a ranger at South Mountains State Park and later worked at Lake Waccamaw State Park. He is a certifi ed environmental educator and holds intermediate law enforcement certifi cation. “Shane has broad experience in the state parks system as well as a thorough knowledge of southeastern North Carolina and the bay lakes re-gion,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “He is an excellent choice as superintendent of one of our oldest state parks. With a new visitor center and related facilities, it also remains one of our most popular with the local community.” Freeman said, “I have worked at Jones Lake SEVEN NEW RANGERS COMMISSIONED FREEMAN PROMOTED AT JONES LAKE CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 JUDGE JOLLY ADMINISTERS THE OATH OF OFFICE. 14 Angelia Allcox, a 12-year veteran of the state parks system, has been promoted to south district superintendent. She succeeds Greg Schneider, who became chief of operations in January. As one of four district su-perintendents, Allcox will be re-sponsible for operations, resource management, environmental education, law enforcement, safety and facility maintenance for 10 state parks from Morrow Mountain in Stanly County to Fort Fisher State Recreation Area on the southeast coast. “Angelia has energy and enthusiasm as well as broad experience as a ranger, park superintendent and law enforcement specialist. Those are qualities we look for in such a key leadership position,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the division. Allcox grew up in Durham County and graduated from UNC-Wilmington in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management and commercial recreation. After working as a sea-sonal employee at Falls Lake State Recreation Area, she was hired as a ranger there in 1996. She was promoted to superintendent at Singletary Lake State Park in 2000, with administra-tive oversight for White and Bay Tree state lakes. In 2006, she became a law enforcement specialist for the division. She holds advanced law enforcement cer-tifi cation, is a fi rearms instructor for the division and a prescribed burn boss. She is a certifi ed en-vironmental educator and open-water diver and volunteers as a public safety diver. “After living and working in Bladen County for almost six years, I feel like I’m coming home to the south district,” Allcox said. “I’m excited, but humbled, that I’ve been given this challenging opportunity. This region has some of the most unique, beautiful and inspiring natural resources in the nation, and I look forward to working closely with citizens, advocacy groups and park staffs as we work to preserve and protect our state’s natural heritage.” Jeff Owen has been promoted to superinten-dent at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. He suc-ceeds Matt Windsor, who became superintendent at Pilot Mountain State Park earlier this year. A superintendent is the chief of operations and admin-istration at a state park or state recreation area with wide-ranging responsibilities for staffi ng, train-ing, law enforcement, visitor services, natural re-source protection and environmental education. Owen has been a ranger at the state recre-ation area since July 2007 primarily as a waterfront supervisor. A native of Germanton in Forsyth County, he graduated from UNC-Wilmington in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in parks and recre-ation management. While in college, he worked at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site as an interpretive specialist. Owen joined the state parks system in March 2003 as a ranger at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park in Wayne County. He is a certifi ed environmental educator. “Fort Fisher is one of our busiest state park units, and Jeff’s experience and enthusiasm will be valuable as we continue to balance intensive rec-reation demands at the park with protection of its important natural resources and rare species,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. Owen said, “I am excited about the op-portunity to lead Fort Fisher. I look forward to continued work with the staff as we embrace the challenge of providing quality outdoor recreation and protecting some of the state’s most unique natural resources.” Fort Fisher State Recreation Area encom-passes 287 acres and its staff has management re-sponsibilities for about eight miles of undeveloped beach within the park and in the adjoining Bald Head Island State Natural area. The park recorded 834,544 visits in 2007. in a variety of capacities and I look forward to work-ing with the exceptional staff in my new capacity, to protect and enhance the unique natural resources found at the park.” Jones Lake State Park was created in 1939 and encompasses 2,208 acres. The park recorded 69,974 visits in 2007. ALLCOX TO LEAD SOUTH DISTRICT OWEN PROMOTED AT FORT FISHER FREEMAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 15 NORTH CAROLINA STATE PARKS MONTHLY ATTENDANCE REPORT MARCH, 2008 NC STATE March TOTAL YTD March TOTAL YTD % CHANGE PARK 2008 Mar-08 2007 Mar-07 (2008/2007) Mar YTD Carolina Beach 36,790 83,930 34,358 83,762 7% 0% Cliffs of the Neuse 8,671 23,543 11,110 23,533 -22% 0% Crowders Mountain 41,152 93,674 40,426 90,118 2% 4% Dismal Swamp 1,419 1,419 0 0 -100% -100% Eno River including Occoneechee Mountain Falls Lake 52,782 81,688 60,530 82,956 -13% -2% Fort Fisher 32,372 63,224 35,875 82,645 -10% -23% Fort Macon 82,822 168,922 76,256 162,444 9% 4% Goose Creek 12,254 30,562 11,726 30,578 5% -0% Gorges 712 7,534 7,667 14,129 -91% -47% Hammocks Beach 8,424 17,403 7,332 16,551 15% 5% Haw River 2,474 4,828 3,475 5,792 -29% -17% Hanging Rock 28,458 58,408 28,762 61,866 -1% -6% Jones Lake 6,555 15,557 2,615 6,841 151% 127% Jordan Lake 28,410 70,447 48,862 85,514 -42% -18% Jockey's Ridge 85,638 122,834 74,112 136,579 16% -10% Kerr Lake 67,636 136,304 56,512 108,800 20% 25% Lake James 23,081 46,043 24,660 52,063 -6% -12% Lake Norman 40,062 96,219 40,242 86,883 -0% 11% Lake Waccamaw 6,258 15,692 7,155 13,495 -13% 16% Lumber River 6,804 17,556 6,980 15,944 -3% 10% Merchants Millpond 20,696 45,184 11,448 31,060 81% 45% Medoc Mountain 4,124 8,704 3,790 8,058 9% 8% Mount Mitchell 3,250 6,228 8,269 11,701 -61% -47% Morrow Mountain 29,642 63,260 29,992 63,180 -1% 0% New River including Mount Jefferson Pettigrew 7,903 16,837 6,170 13,244 28% 27% Pilot Mountain N/A N/A 32,160 68,871 -100% -53% Raven Rock 11,974 26,724 10,192 22,256 17% 20% Singletary Lake 2,284 6,284 2,069 5,486 10% 15% South Mountains 13,633 33,878 16,223 39,355 -16% -14% Stone Mountain 27,764 59,840 34,116 72,916 -19% -18% Weymouth Woods 4,557 13,456 4,558 12,959 -0% 4% William B. Umstead 66,162 143,622 56,331 130,787 17% 10% SYSTEMWIDE TOTAL 827,420 1,753,594 841,772 1,751,958 -2% 0% 5% 10% 12,524 27,881 13,552 29,382 -8% -5% 35,907 90,216 34,247 82,210 The attendance chart on Page 15 of the April 2008 Steward was in error regarding reported atten-dance for 2007 and for December 2007 at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. The correct attendance at the CORRECTION park for that month was 26,361 and the total atten-dance in 2007 was 1,190,973. A corrected attendance chart is on the division’s web site (www.ncparks.gov) under The Steward. SAFETY ZONE Our Mission Remains... to protect North Carolina’s natural diversity; to provide and promote outdoor recreation opportunities throughout North Carolina; to exemplify and encourage good stewardship of North Carolina’s natural resources for all citizens and visitors. 8,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $630.00 or $0.08 per copy. The Steward NC Division of Parks and Recreation Public Information Offi ce 1615 MSC Raleigh, NC 27699-1615 KEEP COOL WHILE WORKING IN HEAT ✓Drink water before you get thirsty; 12 oz. every 15-20 minutes is recommended. ✓Keep up with the latest temperature and heat index forecasts and current readings. ✓Know the warning signs of a heat illness and learn ways you can stay cool such as dressing for the occasion. ✓Act quickly when a heat illness is suspected; seek medical attention for cramping, rapid pulse, heavy sweating, hot red skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion, etc.
Object Description
Description
Title | Steward |
Other Title | Steward (Raleigh, N.C.) |
Date | 2008-06 |
Description | Volume 22, Number 3, (June 2008) |
Digital Characteristics-A | 3898 KB; 16 p. |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Full Text | www.ncparks.gov for State Parks Info and Events Michael F. Easley Governor June 2008 Volume 22 Number 3 William G. Ross Jr. Secretary, DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources INSIDE... PARKS’ IMPACT: $400 MILLION STUDY FOCUSES ON CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL ECONOMIES 14 CASE STUDIES OF ‘TOURIST’ VISITORS CAMPERS AT STONE MOUNTAIN STATE PARK ARE AMONG THOSE SPENDING ON AUTO EXPENSES, FOOD, EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES LOCALLY. North Carolina’s state parks potentially contribute $289 million to local economies an-nually as well as $120 million to local residents’ income, according to conservative estimates in an intensive study researchers at North Carolina State University conducted for the Division of Parks and Recreation. With “tourist” visitors spending an aver-age $23.56 a day to enjoy the outdoors, 14 state parks examined in the yearlong study contribute $139 million annually when spending by tourists is combined with directing spending in the local communities by the parks. In addition, the parks’ impact on local residents’ income was estimated at $56 million annually. The study projected the total potential economic impact ($289 million) based on state-wide attendance and assumed similar travel and spending patterns for all visitors to the system’s 36 state parks and state recreation areas. For purposes of the study, “tourist” visitors were defi ned as those non-local visitors whose primary purpose for a trip was to visit a state park. The researchers interviewed 852 of these “tourist” visitors in the 14 study parks and found that the average group size is 3.14 and the aver-age stay in a local community is 1.73 days. Thus, the average group spends $127.98 during a park visit for such things as food, lodging, souvenirs, services and equipment. “Our state parks stand on their own as stunning conservation lands representing North Carolina’s rich natural heritage. And, record visi-tation shows our citizens and visitors value them as such,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “The economic contributions revealed in this study suggest that the true value of state CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 With 14 state parks surveyed for the eco-nomic impact report, there were some similarities across the board as well as variations. Hanging Rock State Park was somewhat “typical.” In a rural area, it draws large crowds for multi-day visits much of the year and offers a traditional menu of outdoor activities. A key statistic is a park’s percentage of “tourist” visitors – those who come from outside the county primarily to visit a state park. For the 14 parks, the percentage ranged from 17 percent CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 FORT MACON EVENT P. 4 NEW EXHIBITS OPEN P. 5 HOWES HONORED P. 6 GREEN SQUARE FUTURE P. 7 BONES IN WACCAMAW P.10 FIND THE COMPLETE ECONOMIC STUDY AT WWW.NCPARKS.GOV. CLICK ‘NEWS.’ 2 From The Director‘s Desk Sincerely, Lewis Ledford Most people in the communities where our state parks are located have long held the notion that the parks are good for their local economies. After all, in every county where a park is located, it draws more visitors than any other attraction. As we’ve planned new state parks through our New Parks for a New Century initiative, each community has welcomed the new park as a valued addition to the economic mix. But, that’s been support based largely on faith. It’s more diffi cult to determine a state park’s contribution than that of manufacturing plants or retail centers, which directly generate jobs and tax revenues. That’s why the report just released by North Carolina State University’s Recreation Resources Service is so important. Authors Dr. Jerusha Greenwood and Dr. Candace Vick devised a way to quantify the economic contribution of visitors to state parks, based on proven survey methods and the IMPLAN model-ing software, an industry standard for economic impact research. Our gratitude goes to them for their hard work on the project. Their study tallies the impact of all the visitors who travel just to visit a state park and the spending by state government to operate the park. And, the estimates are quite conservative – spending by local visitors and travelers who drop by on a whim is not calculated. But, the result – an annual economic impact of $400 mil-lion or more -- is impressive, even to those of us who have been in the state parks system for decades. It’s likely that the state parks, conservation organizations and local communities will be poring over these numbers for some time to come. The results are presented not as justifi cation for state parks. That exists independently in our mission of conservation, education and recreation. Rather, it shows how closely we’re tied to the communities where we serve and that we’re partners in improving the quality of life in those communities. Operating state parks is certainly a year-round business now, but the July Fourth holiday and the entire month remains especially busy. July is also National Parks and Recreation Month, and a good time to remember to make a special effort to help our visitors enjoy the parks safely. UP CLOSE AND ‘PERSONNEL’ Jack Gupton has been promoted to wastewater plant operator at Falls Lake State Recreation Area. A graduate of Franklinton High School and Wake Tech Community Col-lege, he has 18 years of related experience and has worked for N.C. Central University and the towns of Butner and Wake Forest. Toby Hall has returned to Lake Waccamaw State Park as a ranger after serving three years as an enforcement offi cer with the N.C. Wildlife Resourc-es Commission. A graduate of the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management, he has also worked as a ranger for the National Park Service. Maschelle Peyton is the new offi ce assistant at Mount Mitchell State Park. She attended West Virginia State College and Fairmont State College in West Virginia and has more than 11 years related experience including employ-ment with the U.S. Attorney’s offi ce in that state. Lindy Allen has joined the division as the publications coordinator and webmaster. A graduate of Garner Senior High School and UNC-Wilm-ington with a bachelor’s degree in English, she has worked for the Department of Cultural Resources and the Division of Forest Resources. Becky Holmes is the new interpretive and education specialist for the north district. She is a graduate of Shawnee State University in Ohio with a bachelor’s degree in natural sci-ence and has worked as an edu-cation programs instructor with the South Carolina Aquarium and a seasonal naturalist with the National Audubon Society. Anthony DeSantis is a new ranger at Dismal Swamp State Park. He attended Lock Haven University and Millers-ville University, both in Penn-sylvania, and has been a sea-sonal employee at state parks in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. 3 ‘PARK’ IT WITH A STATE PARKS SPECIALTY LICENSE TAG The Division of Parks and Recreation is accepting applications and payment for the fi rst 300 license plates. There is a $30 fee in addition to regular license fees ($60 for personalized plates). Additional fees support conservation through the Parks and Recreation and Natural Heritage trust funds. Applications online at www.ncparks.gov or write: Adrienne McCoig, N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation 1615 MSC, Raleigh, NC 27699-1615 Sam Bland, a ranger and former superintendent at Hammocks Beach State Park, has been presented the 2008 Outstanding Public Citizen Award and the Rotary Interna-tional Paul Harris Fellow award by the Swansboro Rotary Club. The awards are pre-sented to a non-Rotarian who contributes signifi cantly to quality life in the community. “Sam is very dedicated and goes way beyond the norm in what he does,” said Todd Miller, president of the N.C. Coastal Federation. “It’s our opinion that Hammocks Beach is a stellar example of good environmental stewardship.” Bland worked with the Hammocks Beach State Park was presented a 2008 Pelican Award from the N.C. Coastal Federation for its work in protecting and restoring coastal habitat. The presentation was made in June at a federation rally in Raleigh. Park Super-intendent Paul Donnelly and Ranger Sam Bland accepted on behalf of the park. The Pelican Awards recognize exemplary achieve-ments and actions by citizens, legislators, government offi - cials and community groups in protecting and restoring coastal resources. Specifi cally, the park was honored for a project that restored shoreline and wetland habitat in an area that was once a parking area for the park’s former offi ce. With the help of volun-teers and park staff, pavement was removed and areas were replanted to collect stormwater. Also, a nearby bulkhead was removed to make way for replanted marsh grass, and natural reefs were built from recycled oyster shells. COASTAL GROUP GIVES AWARD TO HAMMOCKS SUPERINTENDENT PAUL DONNELLY, LEFT, AND RANGER SAM BLAND AC-CEPT PELICAN AWARD FOR HAMMOCKS BEACH STATE PARK. BLAND GIVEN ROTARY HONOR federation and other environ-mental groups in adding Hug-gins Island and its maritime forest to the state park, and also has partnered with them to restore shoreline habitat and wetlands in a former parking area of the park. He helped initiate a rainwater collection program and an oyster shell recycling program to build oyster reefs as well as the park’s annual Toys for Tots Marsh Cruise program. and a park Military Apprecia-tion Day. He writes an environ-mental education column for the Tideland News and docu-ments species in the Natural Resource Inventory Database. 4 The state parks system launched construction in May of its largest park facility, a 22,547-square-foot coastal edu-cation and visitor center at Fort Macon State Park. A groundbreaking event April 27 coincided with the an-nual ice cream social of Friends of Fort Macon, a volunteer sup-port group. “Fort Macon is our second oldest state park and among our busiest with more than 1.2 million visitors in 2007, and that presents a tre-mendous opportunity to teach the natural history of our coast alongside the military history of the fort itself,” said Lewis Led-ford, director of the state parks system. “The center has also been designed to showcase certifi ed green building techniques and serve as a model of stewardship in the coastal environment.” The 182-year-old for-tress was fully restored in 1999- 03 and visitors get a good dose of Civil War history as they tour its battlements and exhibits. The new coastal education and visitor center will offer other historical details but its focus will be on the natural history of the state’s barrier islands. Sometimes, military and natural history merge. One story the center will tell is the work of prominent natural his-torians Elliott Coues and Henry Yarrow, whose day jobs in the mid-1800s were as surgeons at the fort. The pair recorded their observations at the outpost and regularly sent dispatches and specimens to the Smithsonian Institution. At the groundbreak-ing ceremony, Ledford said it’s important that visitors and the state’s citizens learn the impor-tance of the coastal ecology. “In its very long life, this fort has seen a lot of changes, but the greatest changes may lie ahead with the coast threat-ened like never before,” he said. “Having a place to educate citizens and visitors is of lasting importance.” The parks system has built 18 visitor centers since the mid-1990s, and construc-tion also began this spring on a center at Merchants Millpond State Park. The Fort Macon proj-ect represents an investment of $8.2 million from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and will offer 4,000 square feet of exhibit space, a teaching audi-torium and conference room, along with administrative of-fi ces. The center was designed to meet sustainability standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the United States Green Building Council. It will have features such as rainwater collection and low-fl ow water systems, recycled construction materials and preferred parking for alternative fuel vehicles. The center’s brick-and-block design will refl ect that of the fort. The building site is just southeast of the fort and near existing parking areas expand-ed during the fort’s restoration. Park Superintendent Jody Merritt said that members of the Friends of Fort Macon have been staunch supporters of the project since it was fi rst envisioned more than a de-cade ago. The organization has raised funds for extensive fort exhibits and provided volun-teers to help with tours of the fort. The construction period is expected to be 18 months. The designer of record is Hobbs Architecture of Pitts-boro, and general contractor is Daniels & Daniels Construction Co. of Goldsboro. FORT MACON PLANS LARGEST FACILITY SUPERINTENDENT JODY MERRITT WELCOMES THE CROWD TO THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE NEW COASTAL EDUCATION AND VISITOR CENTER AT FORT MACON STATE PARK. 5 SOUTH MOUNTAINS OPENS EXHIBITS A new exhibit hall that completes a new visitor center at South Mountains State Park was formally dedicated in May. Among more than 50 people attending the ceremony were kindergarten and fi rst grade students from Morganton Day School, who helped with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. They were also among the fi rst to enter the exhibit hall with their parents and teach-ers. Wide-eyed wonder was followed by exclamations of “Wow,” and “Look at that.” “We are excited about what this means for the com-munity,” said Donnie Bain, the head of the school. “Our children will have an excellent opportunity to learn about the environment they live and play in.” The project represents an investment of $400,000 from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, the principal fund-ing source for state park capital projects and land acquisition. Design of the exhibit hall began during the construc-tion of the 7,500-square-foot visitor center, which opened in December 2006. The centerpiece exhibit is a replica of High Shoals Falls, the park’s most popular natu-ral feature. A boardwalk leads visitors to a 25-foot-tall photo-graph that serves as a backdrop for a diorama on the ecology of the falls. A video brings the sound of rushing water. The exhibit is a way to bring the experience to people unable to hike the trails. The exhibits also in-clude a “carpet wall” mural, a nocturnal theater, a microscope to explore streamside insects and dioramas of different habitats in the park’s important watersheds. “Along with the educa-tional programs that the rang-ers provide, this exhibit hall will be a great tool for teaching park visitors about being good stewards of our land,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “This is where environmental education at the park can begin.” The exhibit hall will augment the center’s teaching auditorium, laboratory/class-room and staff offi ces. Much of the research for the exhibits was conducted by rangers at the park. The project was designed by Discovery Ex-hibits Inc. of Santa Fe, Minn., and principal fabricator was Studio Displays of Pineville. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FROM MORGANTON DAY SCHOOL HELPED WITH A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY TO OPEN THE EXHIBIT HALL. TRIMMING FOR SAFETY MAINTENANCE MECHANICS FROM SEVERAL STATE PARKS IN THE WEST DISTRICT GATHERED AT CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK FOR SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER THIS YEAR TO TRIM TREES ON THE APPROACH ROAD TO CHIMNEY ROCK. LIMBS AND TREES THAT WERE DAMAGED BY WIND AND FREEZES AND IN DANGER OF TOPPLING WERE REMOVED. 6 Jonathan B. Howes, chairman of the Parks and Rec-reation Trust Fund Authority for 10 years, was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from North Carolina State University’s De-partment of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Howes was presented the award ��� along with a keepsake clock – at the authority’s May meeting in Raleigh. Doug Wellman, head of the department, said that beyond Howes’ service as an administra-tor at UNC-Chapel Hill and his tenure as secretary of the N.C. Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, his commitment to the success of the trust fund was an overriding contribution. During his chairman-ship, the trust fund has awarded 487 grants to local governments worth $92 million, and the state parks system has flourished with new land acquisitions and improved facilities. “This is a gift that keeps on giving,” Wellman said. Howes’ “statesmanship” helped create the trust fund and gave it direction, furthered coop-eration with other state conserva-tion funds and spread knowledge of the state parks system, in part by holding trust fund meetings in the parks, Wellman said. The university has be-stowed 12 such lifetime achieve-ment awards. Howes said that he shares the recognition with the staff of the Division of Parks and Recre-ation, which administers the trust fund. “In the end, what this rep-resents – and it’s fi tting that this is a clock – is the timeless qual-ity of this work we’re doing for generations to come,” he said. Governor Jim Hunt ap-pointed Howes as a cabinet secretary in 1993. He had been serving at UNC at Chapel Hill as director of the Center for Urban and Regional Studies and as a research professor. Before joining the uni-versity in 1970, Howes held top policy positions in the U.S. Urban Policy Center, the Department of Housing and Urban Develop-ment and the Housing and Home Finance Agency. He also served as mayor of Chapel Hill, president of the League of Municipalities and chairman of the Triangle J Coun-cil of Governments. HOWES HONORED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS HOWES, LEFT, GETS A STANDING OVATION FROM DOUG WELLMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION TRUST FUND AUTHORITY. Among 34 local grants approved by the Parks and Rec-reation Trust Fund Authority in May was the fi rst one dedicated to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Alamance County was awarded $400,000 to acquire property in the trail corridor and will use donated property as a match for the trust fund grant. The trust fund author-ity earlier set aside $8.5 million in certifi cates of participation (similar to bonds) to purchase tracts along the route of the trail. Those funds will be targeted at other tracts in Alamance County and elsewhere to help place criti-cal links in the 1,000-mile trail corridor. The 34 grants for local parks and recreation projects total $12.8 million. In this year’s funding cycle, the authority received 89 grant applications requesting more than $27 mil-lion. Thirty percent of the trust fund is set aside for the grant pro-gram, which has supported $122 million in projects since 1995. The awards represent approximately three quarters of the 2007-08 revenues for the program, and the authority will consider more applications at its July meeting. Eighteen of the success-ful grant applications were for the maximum amount of $500,000. The projects included an array of recreation amenities such as athletic fi elds, swimming pools, playgrounds, walking trails and greenways, fi shing ponds and piers, community centers and TRAIL PROJECT AMONG PARTF GRANTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 7 The Department of Envi-ronment and Natural Resources used Earth Day as an occasion to begin moving some earth for a new Green Square offi ce and research center in downtown Raleigh. A groundbreaking cer-emony drew about 400 people. The complex will eventu-ally house the headquarters staff of the state parks system along with other DENR divisions. Three dilapidated govern-ment buildings on Jones Street just west of the Legislative Build-ing were demolished to make way for the $104 million complex that will explore state-of-the-art tech-nology in green building design. To begin, rubble from the demolished buildings will be reused in the foundation. Along with the 172,000- square-foot offi ce building for DENR employees, the complex will include an 80,000-square-foot Nature Research Center to augment the existing N.C. Mu-seum of Natural Sciences across the street. Joe Hackney, Speaker of the House, told the crowd at the groundbreaking that the project refl ects the state’s commitment to tackling environmental issues. “A building is never just a building,” Hackney said. “This is further evidence that we here in North Carolina take environ-mental issues and energy issues seriously and we’re willing to take our time and money to solve some of the serious issues of the day.” The Nature Research Center will expand on the mission of the natural sciences museum, said Director Betsy Bennett. Its centerpiece will be a four-story, multimedia presentation area called the Daily Planet that will describe how scientifi c research in the state meshes with research around the world. The center will also house hands-on laboratories and an as-tronomy platform where visitors can get a taste of research tech-niques, as well as a conference center where visiting scientifi c Earth Day 2008 lasted at least a week in North Carolina’s state parks, with more than half the parks scheduling special ac-tivities, hikes and projects from April 19-26. At Medoc Mountain, Ranger Nicole Crider organized kids and adults to build a butterfl y garden using shrubs and trees donated by local plant nurseries and garden centers. It’s part of the park’s new outdoor exhibits that demonstrate how to attract wildlife to backyards. The garden will be used for ranger-led programs on but-terfl ies and attracting wildlife. Visitors can walk a small trail through the garden to get an up-close look at some of nature’s most beautiful and interesting creatures. Several parks teamed with local school systems and other agencies to host large groups of experts can lecture. “In the Museum of Natu-ral Sciences, we’re really focusing on what we know about North Carolina’s environment,” Bennett said. “In the nature center, we’re focusing on how we know what GROUND BROKEN FOR GREEN SQUARE PARKS HONOR EARTH DAY students who arrived en masse to study environmental themes. Jones Lake held its second annual Environmental Days for all fi fth graders in the county. And at Cliffs of the Neuse, about 250 sixth graders arrived on a sunny Friday as part of Earth Week in cooperation with the Goldsboro Parks and Recreation Depart-ment. At Kerr Lake, a similar event is called an Eco Meet and takes the form of an environ-mental education competition for middle and high school teams from a six-county area. Catego-ries include aquatics, hydrology, forestry, herpetology, interpreta-tion, endangered species, wildlife and soil science. Eno River rangers pre-sented activities from their En-vironmental Education Learning Experience with visitors sloshing CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 HOUSE SPEAKER JOE HACKNEY SPEAKS AT GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 8 HOW THEY COMPARE... ECONOMIC STUDY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 parks to local communities and the state is even greater than we realized.” In 2007, state parks reported record-level visitation of 13.4 million. That represents more than three times the combined attendance for the Carolina Panthers, Lowe’s Motor Speedway events and Atlantic Coast Conference basketball games within North Carolina. The study was conducted by Recreation Resources Service of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at NCSU. Researchers visited each of the 14 parks three to fi ve times during the year on weekdays and weekends. They interviewed 2,164 park visi-tors to determine a percentage of tourist visitors. The data was then analyzed with IMPLAN model-ing software, an industry standard for economic impact research. State parks vary in size, style and personal-ity. So, researchers chose parks that represent a broad cross-section of the parks system, including some with high day-use attendance, such as Jock-ey’s Ridge and Hammocks Beach state parks and Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, as well as those popular for weekend camping trips, such as Stone Mountain and Hanging Rock state parks. Large and small parks, as well as those in urban and rural communities, were included in the study. The researchers noted that estimates of annual economic impact are conservative because of the narrow focus of the study. Local residents visiting the state parks and so-called “casual” visitors who traveled primarily for other reasons were not surveyed. The study found that the percentage of tourist – non-local, primary purpose – visitors varies widely at different types of parks, from 17 percent at Eno River State Park to 75 percent at Merchants Millpond State Park. Analysis of the research shows that the state parks make a considerable economic con-tribution directly to the communities through operations budgets and jobs. The direct impact of the 14 parks was $15 million in sales, $10 million in personal income and 256.9 full-time equivalent jobs. Park capital projects were not included. Nor were park fees, THE AVERAGE GROUP... ...HAS 3.14 VISITORS ...STAYS 1.73 DAYS ...SPENDS $127.98 CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 % of Tourists Annual Tourist Expenditures Impact on Sales Impact on Residents' Income Jobs Created Return on $1 State Investment Eno River 17 $797,152 $1,737,180 $907,352 29.6 $1.80 Fort Fisher 45 $14,503,877 $20,067,545 $7,936,204 390.8 $25.10 Fort Macon 24 $12,105,587 $16,414,170 $6,676,332 326.4 $13.80 Gorges 45 $2,533,239 $3,718,748 $1,458,457 71 $5.80 Hammocks Beach 45 $1,587,542 $2,672,836 $1,275,456 57.9 $2.50 Hanging Rock 30 $1,355,572 $2,303,204 $1,171,648 46.7 $2.80 Jockey's Ridge 25 $10,760,645 $14,255,921 $5,860,588 259 $15.00 Jordan Lake 25 $2,874,796 $4,868,070 $2,246,721 80.2 $1.90 Kerr Lake 63 $12,824,320 $17,569,214 $7,863,741 374.6 $5.80 Merchants Millpond 75 $1,399,088 $1,729,870 $806,072 47.7 $2.20 Morrow Mountain 69 $1,897,707 $3,155,349 $1,531,637 71.5 $4.00 Mount Mitchell 52 $8,875,126 $11,221,959 $4,702,632 236.8 $10.20 Pilot Mountain 59 $2,103,968 $3,302,216 $1,510,488 73.1 $3.60 Stone Mountain 66 $3,071,178 $4,554,523 $2,022,825 94.2 $4.50 9 such as for camping, since those revenues are returned directly to the state’s general fund. The study found that for each $1 invested by the state on park operations, the return in the local communities ranged from $1.80 at Eno River State Park to $25.10 at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area When this park spending is combined with the impact of tourist visitor spending, the annual economic impact ranged from $1.73 mil-lion at Eno River State Park, which had visitation in 2007 of 341,646, to $20 million at Fort Fisher, where 2007 visitation was 834,544. CASE STUDIES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 at Eno River State Park to 75 percent at Mer-chants Millpond State Park. At Hanging Rock, the percentage is 30 percent, or 99,441 of the 329,520 visitors in 2004, the year of the study’s focus. The remainder live in Stokes County (62 percent) or traveled to the area for other reasons (8 percent). Those key “tourist” visitors spent an esti-mated $1.35 million, primarily on auto expenses, groceries, lodging and dining out. Add to that the park’s operating budget for that year of $616,920, and you begin to get a overall picture of the park’s economic impact in Stokes County. The combined total impact on sales and on local residents’ income was estimated at $3.47 mil-lion. About $57,580 in sales tax was generated. Moreover, all of this represents 46.7 jobs in the county. Another intriguing statistic was the “lever-age of state dollars,” in other words the rate of return that counties get for the state’s investment in the park. Each $1 that the state invests in Hanging Rock earns $2.80 for the local economy. For the 14 parks surveyed, the rate of re-turn ranged from $1.80 at Eno River to $25.10 at Fort Fisher. And what did all these folks enjoy doing at Hanging Rock? The top activities were hiking (73 percent), camping (45 percent) and picnicking (55 percent). ECONOMIC STUDY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 through the waters to learn about water bugs, water fl ow and pH balance. Both Jordan Lake and Crowders Mountain took an Earth Day opportunity to engage volunteers in cleaning up the environment. “Operation Clean a Crag” at Crowders Mountain targeted the peak of the mountain itself and Kings Pinnacle, while at Jordan Lake, litter was collected on a one-mile section of road that bisects the park. Pettigrew State Park staff combined Earth Day and Arbor Day into a work day to plant an arboretum of native woody plants at the park. Along with the usual hikes to observe fl ora and fauna, some parks also planned indoor activities such as environmentally-themed movies shown in the visitor centers at Lake Waccamaw and South Mountains. picnic shelters. More than $2.7 million will be spent on park land acquisition. In the past two years, the trails staff of the state parks system has been refi ning plans for piedmont corridors of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a designated unit of the parks system. Along with the tracts in Alamance Coun-ty, it’s hoped that funding through certifi cates of participation will spur trail development in Guilford, Orange and Johnston counties. In each case, local governments have been aggressive in creating local trail plans that could mesh with the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The plan is for the state to purchase the land and partner with local governments to man-age it as part of the trail. Alamance County has been among the most active, hiring a trail development coordina-tor and becoming a strong partner in trail devel-opment along the Haw River corridor. The trust fund grant would help develop the trail along the river between Glencoe Mills and the Town of Haw River. TRUST FUND CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 EARTH DAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 10 Rangers at Lake Waccamaw State Park are boning up on their paleontology since 4,000- year-old bones began turning up in the bed of the shallow lake. Researchers from the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and divers from the Underwa-ter Archaeology Branch began in May recovering skull fragments of a Pleistocene-era whale from a limestone outcrop in the lake. The 20-foot-long creature is likely a mem-ber of the baleen family, a class of whales that in-cludes today’s humpback and right whale species. “Why we think this is important is that it looks like it’s largely in one piece, which is very rare for skulls found in North Carolina,” researcher Vince Schneider told the Wilmington Star-News. “You never know what it could lead to, and that’s part of the fun.” Chris Helms, the park superintendent, is hopeful the skull could eventually be displayed in SKULL-DIGGERY EXPLORING WACCAMAW TOP TO BOTTOM the park’s exhibit hall, adding an intriguing facet to the natural and cultural history on display. Schneider and others weren’t surprised at the discovery of whale fossils nearly 50 miles from the ocean. Only a few thousand years ago, much of eastern North Carolina was covered by the ocean, adding another twist to the mystery of how the state’s chain of bay lakes was formed. The fossils could shed light on the prehis-toric animal life forms that roamed in and near the saltwater, coast and marshes of North Caro-lina long before humans arrived, Schneider said. The limestone deposit that runs through the Lake Waccamaw area has already yielded fos-sils of prehistoric horses and giant sloths, some of which are on display at a forestry museum in Whiteville. The whale’s skull was literally stumbled upon last summer by Cathy Neilson, a park neighbor, when she was wading the shallow water in front of her family home. She reached into the lakebed and pulled loose a fossil. That prompted Helms and Charles Zidar, the state parks system exhibits curator, to investi-gate further and seek Schneider’s help. The state divers, under the direction of Richard Lawrence, usually spend their time on shipwrecks and other human debris. They were invaluable partners in the recovery effort, devis-ing a vacuum system for removing silt and peck-ing away enough limestone to lift three skull pieces, the largest about the size of a engine block. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 VINCE SCHNEIDER, LEFT, OF THE MUSEUM AND DIVER RICHARD LAWRENCE WITH A SKULL FRAGMENT. DIVERS WITH THE UNDERWATER ARCHAE-OLOGY BRANCH USE A VACUUM TO REMOVE SILT FROM THE DIG SITE IN WAIST-DEEP WATER. 11 The mountains and the coast are exciting places to visit, but for a birder, some of the best sightings are sometimes right in the backyard. That’s one reason sponsoring agencies and birders are excited about the opening in May of the Piedmont Region of the North Carolina Birding Trail. Of the 103 sites listed on the trail, 29 are managed by the state parks system. “The piedmont is where most of the people are and it’s important to have the trail here,” said Chris Canfi eld, executive director of Audubon North Carolina. “Communities are go-ing to see the benefi t of this and are going to be motivated to support conservation.” It was nearly one year ago that the Coastal Region Birding Trail was inaugurated at Ham-mocks Beach State Park featuring 102 sites where birders can build a travel itinerary to add to their life lists of species. A consortium of state agencies and con-servation groups views the birding trail as a way to promote ecotourism and build a conservation ethic close to home. It was a natural outgrowth of Audubon’s designation of “important bird areas” in the state worthy of special efforts to protect critical habitat. The joint effort includes Audubon, the state parks system, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, N.C. Cooperative Extension, N.C. Sea Grant and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife Resources committed a trail coordinator position, and Salinda Daley took over from an Audubon volunteer to work fulltime on the effort. She has already begun work on a moun- Those were taken back to the museum to further separate the fossils from limestone that encases them, a process likely to take months. Schneider said that it’s diffi cult to tell yet how much of the whale remains in the lakebed or what else it might yield, and researchers hope to return later this year. The fossil site is in waist-high water, which makes recovery relatively easy, but also makes the site accessible to amateur fossil-hunt-ers. Through the media, Helms reminded people that fossils in the lake are state property and tain region trail. Both the coastal and piedmont trails have come with an extensive web presence (ncbirding-trail. org) and a glossy guide that offers details on the amenities of each birding site and what spe-cies might be spotted there. “This project is another good reason to come and energize yourself with nature and get back into state and local parks,” Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system, told a group at the trail’s grand opening celebration at Durant Nature Park in Raleigh. The birding trail is a good fi t for state parks, Ledford said. Many state parks are al-ready designated as important bird areas and the system’s natural resource management team has been aggressive in protecting habitats and docu-menting species. Dozens of the trail’s “species of special interest” have already been documented in the parks. Birders attracted by the trail project are an important constituency for the state parks system and its partners and are desirable visitors for local communities, Ledford said. “Natural resources are like economic en-gines in our state, and we need to make sure we protect those resources.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service main-tains that birding is the fastest growing outdoor activity by some measures. Americans have spent nearly $32 billion in recent years watching wild-life. Fred Harris, director of the Wildlife Re-sources Commission, said the trail is important in the larger context of promoting wildlife conserva-tion in the state and a critical element in getting the urban populace “out where the pavement ends.” PIEDMONT BIRDING TRAIL OPENS FALLS LAKE RANGER BRIAN BOCKHAHN MANS A BOOTH AT THE BIRDING TRAIL OPENING. WACCAMAW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 12 Billy Totten completed a 30-year career as a state park ranger, superintendent and district superintendent in May, joining his colleagues for a picnic and offering a summary observation. “Our mission is and al-ways has been unique,” he said. “There is no other job like this.” The farewell event was held at Jordan Lake State Rec-reation Area where Totten was superintendent for 14 years. Changes in the state parks system have been dra-matic, and the pace of change has increased in recent years, he said. “The outward appear-ance (of the parks) has changed dramatically over the decades. What doesn’t change is your inward commitment to state parks and to the people of North Carolina,” he told colleagues. Totten is a native of Durham who began working in the parks as a seasonal natural-ist and a youth volunteer coor-dinator in the 1970s. He earned a bachelor’s degree in parks, conservation and recreation from East Carolina University in 1979 and worked briefl y for the City of Greenville. From 1980 to 1990, he was a ranger at Stone Moun-tain and Lake Norman state parks before being promoted to a superintendent’s position at Jordan Lake. He was promoted to district superintendent in August 2004. Totten is a medical fi rst responder, holds advanced law enforcement certifi cation and earned the division’s distin-guished service award. He was also among the fi rst park superintendents to achieve environmental educa-tion certifi cation. He guided the park at Jordan Lake through a period of tremendous growth. Annual visitation began topping one million as more than 1,000 campsites regularly fi lled to capacity on weekends and the permanent staff grew to more than 30. Both Adrian O’Neal, east district superintendent and Greg Schneider, former Jordan Lake superintendent and now chief of operations, credited Totten with convincing them to spend their careers in the state parks. “He’s been a big part of a lot of our careers,” said West District Superintendent Tom Jackson. Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks, told Totten, “There’s no estimate that can be made of the value of quality work that good people do, and you’ve completed a wonderful career.” TOTTEN COMPLETES STATE PARKS CAREER RETIRING NORTH DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT BILLY TOTTEN SAYS GOODBYE TO HIS COLLEAGUES DURING A RETIREMENT PICNIC EVENT. we know.” Bennett said there is re-search going on in North Carolina that is having an effect around the world, and the public would like to know about that. U.S. Rep. Brad Miller said the concept is “totally cool.” “We need to have a place where children can learn that sci-ence is neat, fascinating and that there’s a sense of wonder about it,” Miller said. The complex will have environmentally friendly features such as a green roof that will absorb stormwater and windows designed to enhance natural light-ing and reduce energy costs. Bill Ross, secretary of the department, said, “One of the good things about launching this on Earth Day is that it gives us a chance to lead by example toward a green and productive future.” The aim is to present North Carolina’s premier sustain-able project, said John Atkins of O’Brien/Atkins, the architectural design fi rm. GREEN SQUARE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 13 Seven new state park rangers received commis-sions as law enforcement offi cers at a special ceremony March 26 at William B. Umstead State Park. Superior Court Judge John R. Jolly, Jr. swore in the seven as Special Peace Offi cers. Commissions went to: Christopher Ernest Ca-bral at Goose Creek State Park; Kevin Joseph Bischof at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area; Michael Rob-ert Eisch at South Mountains State Park; Nora Jean McGrath at Lake James State Park; Matthew Herbert Mutel at Mount Mitchell State Park; Kelly Kathleen Ondek at William B. Umstead State Park; and, Krista Sue Yantis at Morrow Mountain State Park. Receiving a commission as a Special Peace Offi cer at the end of 17-week basic law enforcement training is generally regarded as the last formal step before a ranger takes on full duties in a unit of the state parks system. During the training period prior to commis-sioning, a ranger is assimilated into the park and begins assuming duties in resource management and visitor service. Jolly told the group that when presiding in court, he was always impressed with the dedication, work ethic and integrity of all the law enforcement offi cers in the state. “It’s a very heartwarming and comforting thing as a citizen to see that,” Jolly said. “We as citizens should be proud – and, I hope we know to be proud – of the jobs you’re undertaking.” Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks sys-tem, noted that the system is in a period of transition with many senior rangers and park superintendents eligible for retirement. Also, the demographic of park visitors is changing. Many of them are older and more urban-oriented, he said. But, the heritage of service in the state parks is a very important one to maintain, Ledford said. “I hope you’ll continue to develop competencies and continue to keep that passion for what the parks system is all about.” Greg Schneider, chief of operations, said that among the class of new rangers, Mutel from Mount Mitchell State Park won the academic award for his class, and Bischof of Jordan Lake captured a driving award. Schneider said that the commissions come with the responsibility of controlling people’s be-havior and that responsibility is added to those concerned with natural resource protection and environmental education. Shane Freeman, a veteran ranger at Jones Lake State Park, has been named superintendent of the park in Bladen County. Freeman succeeds Shederick Mole, who became su-perintendent at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area earlier this year. A superintendent is the chief of operations and administration at a state park or state recreation area with wide-ranging responsibilities for staffi ng, training, law enforce-ment, visitor services, natural resource protection and environmental education. Freeman came to Jones Lake as a ranger in October 2006. He is a native of Robeson County and served in a military policy company with the U.S. Army Reserve. He is a 2003 graduate of the University of North Carolina-Pembroke with a bachelor’s degree in recreation management and administration. He worked as a seasonal employee at Jones Lake and Hanging Rock state parks. Freeman joined the state parks system full time in 2003 as a ranger at South Mountains State Park and later worked at Lake Waccamaw State Park. He is a certifi ed environmental educator and holds intermediate law enforcement certifi cation. “Shane has broad experience in the state parks system as well as a thorough knowledge of southeastern North Carolina and the bay lakes re-gion,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “He is an excellent choice as superintendent of one of our oldest state parks. With a new visitor center and related facilities, it also remains one of our most popular with the local community.” Freeman said, “I have worked at Jones Lake SEVEN NEW RANGERS COMMISSIONED FREEMAN PROMOTED AT JONES LAKE CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 JUDGE JOLLY ADMINISTERS THE OATH OF OFFICE. 14 Angelia Allcox, a 12-year veteran of the state parks system, has been promoted to south district superintendent. She succeeds Greg Schneider, who became chief of operations in January. As one of four district su-perintendents, Allcox will be re-sponsible for operations, resource management, environmental education, law enforcement, safety and facility maintenance for 10 state parks from Morrow Mountain in Stanly County to Fort Fisher State Recreation Area on the southeast coast. “Angelia has energy and enthusiasm as well as broad experience as a ranger, park superintendent and law enforcement specialist. Those are qualities we look for in such a key leadership position,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the division. Allcox grew up in Durham County and graduated from UNC-Wilmington in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management and commercial recreation. After working as a sea-sonal employee at Falls Lake State Recreation Area, she was hired as a ranger there in 1996. She was promoted to superintendent at Singletary Lake State Park in 2000, with administra-tive oversight for White and Bay Tree state lakes. In 2006, she became a law enforcement specialist for the division. She holds advanced law enforcement cer-tifi cation, is a fi rearms instructor for the division and a prescribed burn boss. She is a certifi ed en-vironmental educator and open-water diver and volunteers as a public safety diver. “After living and working in Bladen County for almost six years, I feel like I’m coming home to the south district,” Allcox said. “I’m excited, but humbled, that I’ve been given this challenging opportunity. This region has some of the most unique, beautiful and inspiring natural resources in the nation, and I look forward to working closely with citizens, advocacy groups and park staffs as we work to preserve and protect our state’s natural heritage.” Jeff Owen has been promoted to superinten-dent at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. He suc-ceeds Matt Windsor, who became superintendent at Pilot Mountain State Park earlier this year. A superintendent is the chief of operations and admin-istration at a state park or state recreation area with wide-ranging responsibilities for staffi ng, train-ing, law enforcement, visitor services, natural re-source protection and environmental education. Owen has been a ranger at the state recre-ation area since July 2007 primarily as a waterfront supervisor. A native of Germanton in Forsyth County, he graduated from UNC-Wilmington in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in parks and recre-ation management. While in college, he worked at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site as an interpretive specialist. Owen joined the state parks system in March 2003 as a ranger at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park in Wayne County. He is a certifi ed environmental educator. “Fort Fisher is one of our busiest state park units, and Jeff’s experience and enthusiasm will be valuable as we continue to balance intensive rec-reation demands at the park with protection of its important natural resources and rare species,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. Owen said, “I am excited about the op-portunity to lead Fort Fisher. I look forward to continued work with the staff as we embrace the challenge of providing quality outdoor recreation and protecting some of the state’s most unique natural resources.” Fort Fisher State Recreation Area encom-passes 287 acres and its staff has management re-sponsibilities for about eight miles of undeveloped beach within the park and in the adjoining Bald Head Island State Natural area. The park recorded 834,544 visits in 2007. in a variety of capacities and I look forward to work-ing with the exceptional staff in my new capacity, to protect and enhance the unique natural resources found at the park.” Jones Lake State Park was created in 1939 and encompasses 2,208 acres. The park recorded 69,974 visits in 2007. ALLCOX TO LEAD SOUTH DISTRICT OWEN PROMOTED AT FORT FISHER FREEMAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 15 NORTH CAROLINA STATE PARKS MONTHLY ATTENDANCE REPORT MARCH, 2008 NC STATE March TOTAL YTD March TOTAL YTD % CHANGE PARK 2008 Mar-08 2007 Mar-07 (2008/2007) Mar YTD Carolina Beach 36,790 83,930 34,358 83,762 7% 0% Cliffs of the Neuse 8,671 23,543 11,110 23,533 -22% 0% Crowders Mountain 41,152 93,674 40,426 90,118 2% 4% Dismal Swamp 1,419 1,419 0 0 -100% -100% Eno River including Occoneechee Mountain Falls Lake 52,782 81,688 60,530 82,956 -13% -2% Fort Fisher 32,372 63,224 35,875 82,645 -10% -23% Fort Macon 82,822 168,922 76,256 162,444 9% 4% Goose Creek 12,254 30,562 11,726 30,578 5% -0% Gorges 712 7,534 7,667 14,129 -91% -47% Hammocks Beach 8,424 17,403 7,332 16,551 15% 5% Haw River 2,474 4,828 3,475 5,792 -29% -17% Hanging Rock 28,458 58,408 28,762 61,866 -1% -6% Jones Lake 6,555 15,557 2,615 6,841 151% 127% Jordan Lake 28,410 70,447 48,862 85,514 -42% -18% Jockey's Ridge 85,638 122,834 74,112 136,579 16% -10% Kerr Lake 67,636 136,304 56,512 108,800 20% 25% Lake James 23,081 46,043 24,660 52,063 -6% -12% Lake Norman 40,062 96,219 40,242 86,883 -0% 11% Lake Waccamaw 6,258 15,692 7,155 13,495 -13% 16% Lumber River 6,804 17,556 6,980 15,944 -3% 10% Merchants Millpond 20,696 45,184 11,448 31,060 81% 45% Medoc Mountain 4,124 8,704 3,790 8,058 9% 8% Mount Mitchell 3,250 6,228 8,269 11,701 -61% -47% Morrow Mountain 29,642 63,260 29,992 63,180 -1% 0% New River including Mount Jefferson Pettigrew 7,903 16,837 6,170 13,244 28% 27% Pilot Mountain N/A N/A 32,160 68,871 -100% -53% Raven Rock 11,974 26,724 10,192 22,256 17% 20% Singletary Lake 2,284 6,284 2,069 5,486 10% 15% South Mountains 13,633 33,878 16,223 39,355 -16% -14% Stone Mountain 27,764 59,840 34,116 72,916 -19% -18% Weymouth Woods 4,557 13,456 4,558 12,959 -0% 4% William B. Umstead 66,162 143,622 56,331 130,787 17% 10% SYSTEMWIDE TOTAL 827,420 1,753,594 841,772 1,751,958 -2% 0% 5% 10% 12,524 27,881 13,552 29,382 -8% -5% 35,907 90,216 34,247 82,210 The attendance chart on Page 15 of the April 2008 Steward was in error regarding reported atten-dance for 2007 and for December 2007 at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. The correct attendance at the CORRECTION park for that month was 26,361 and the total atten-dance in 2007 was 1,190,973. A corrected attendance chart is on the division’s web site (www.ncparks.gov) under The Steward. SAFETY ZONE Our Mission Remains... to protect North Carolina’s natural diversity; to provide and promote outdoor recreation opportunities throughout North Carolina; to exemplify and encourage good stewardship of North Carolina’s natural resources for all citizens and visitors. 8,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $630.00 or $0.08 per copy. The Steward NC Division of Parks and Recreation Public Information Offi ce 1615 MSC Raleigh, NC 27699-1615 KEEP COOL WHILE WORKING IN HEAT ✓Drink water before you get thirsty; 12 oz. every 15-20 minutes is recommended. ✓Keep up with the latest temperature and heat index forecasts and current readings. ✓Know the warning signs of a heat illness and learn ways you can stay cool such as dressing for the occasion. ✓Act quickly when a heat illness is suspected; seek medical attention for cramping, rapid pulse, heavy sweating, hot red skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion, etc. |
OCLC number | 26016821 |