Friends of the Smokies receives grant from Haywood County TDA to enhance elk viewing

From the Friends of The Smokies:

Friends of the Smokies Awarded Haywood County TDA Grant

WAYNESVILLE, NC – Friends of the Smokies has received a $3,500 grant from Haywood County Tourism and Development Authority in support of enriching the Cataloochee Valley elk viewing experience. The funds will provide training, uniforms, and materials for the Elk Bugle Corps and Bike Patrol, a group of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) volunteers who offer educational programs to tourists visiting Cataloochee Valley.

Elk Bugle Corps volunteers provide a positive experience to visitors in Cataloochee Valley and make over 45,000 contacts annually. By providing volunteers with uniforms, visitors will be able to easily identify where to turn for information about the elk. Volunteer training enables the Elk Bugle Corp to assist GSMNP staff with traffic control and visitor safety during high visitation periods like the elk mating season in the fall. Training also enables volunteers to provide memorable presentations using elk skulls, fur, scat and antlers to visitors in Cataloochee Valley, Haywood County, and the greater Western North Carolina region.

Community member and Elk Bugle Corp volunteer Esther Blakely has realized the important role elk play. “I find nourishment in nature and that is what led me to volunteering in the National Park nine years ago,” she says. “Each time I visit the Cataloochee Valley, whether I am conducting an eco-tour with my company, Cataloochee Valley Tours, or as an Elk Bugle Corps volunteer, I feel privileged to share with others the beauty of this special place.”

Elk were extirpated throughout the Eastern U.S. by over-hunting and habitat destruction in the mid-1800s. Beginning in 2001, elk were reintroduced to GSMNP in 5-year program funded by Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Friends of the Smokies, and Great Smoky Mountains Association. The best times to view elk are usually early morning and late evening using binoculars or a spotting scope for close-up views. Elk may also be active on cloudy summer days and before or after storms.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw over 10.7 million visitors in 2015 and visitation is expected to increase during the 2016 National Park Service Centennial. Haywood County serves as a gateway community to the park, and programs like Elk Bugle Corp help connect the Park and the community in a meaningful way. This year marks the fourth year Haywood County TDA has supported the program. Friends of the Smokies is a local nonprofit that raises money to support Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To give to Elk Bugle Corps or other park programs visit FriendsoftheSmokies.org/donate.