From the Friends of the Smokies:
Haywood County TDA grant supports Friends of the Smokies and Elk Bugle Corps
WAYNESVILLE, NC – Friends of the Smokies received a $2,650 grant from Haywood County Tourism and Development Authority in support of enriching the Cataloochee Valley elk viewing experience. The funds provided 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.
“Haywood County TDA’s ongoing support of the Elk Bugle Corps exemplifies the meaningfulness of partnerships between the national park and its gateway communities,” says Anna Zanetti, North Carolina Director of Friends of the Smokies. “As a local nonprofit, we are so grateful for our homegrown partnerships that enhances opportunities to experience Haywood County’s natural and cultural resources.”
Elk Bugle Corps volunteers provide a positive experience to visitors in Cataloochee Valley. Last year, over 83,000 people visited Cataloochee. By providing volunteers with uniforms, visitors are able to easily identify where to turn for information about the elk and other wildlife. Volunteer training allows the Elk Bugle Corps 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, and outside the park in Haywood County and the greater Western North Carolina region.
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.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.