June 2018
News & Happenings from
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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A bear-human interaction can potentially be harmful to the human, but it's always, always bad for the bear. Protecting our park's most iconic animal is everyone's responsibility.
'Community in the Wilderness' is this year's Membership Appreciation Weekend theme. Check out event details below.
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Park visitors need to 'Become Bear Aware'
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to more than 1,500 bears. We need your help to keep bears wild. By becoming "Bear Aware," you'll do your part to protect these animals.
- Please keep your distance by maintaining space of at least 50 yards.
- Keep your food, trash and food scraps away from bears.
- And never attempt to take a selfie with a bear. Put your cell phone down and use a telephoto lens.
Click on the image to view the National Park Service's "Become Bear Aware" message filmed by GSMA videographer Gary Wilson.
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Become Bear Aware
– Video by Gary Wilson
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Butterfly abundance
is cause for joy
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Great Smoky Mountains Association videographer Valerie Polk and her daughter, Emily (right), were recently in Cades Cove looking for black bear cubs to film. And while the bears were certainly there, what t
hey found in abundance were butterflies!
"What I’ve seen this week in the Cove is LOTS of butterflies, particularly the great spangled fritillary," said Valerie."They are everywhere, particularly on the gravel road bed of Hyatt Lane. I had to drive really slowly to not drive over them. It's very hard to capture them on video though. They are quick and erratic in flight."
Thanks to both Valerie and Emily for providing this image to the Cub Report.
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Dome tower renovation is nearly complete
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The Clingmans Dome Observation Tower will be closed June 4-15 to complete a rehabilitation project that began last year. Workers need to apply a final surface overlay along the tower ramp.
While visitors will not be able to climb the tower, the Clingmans Dome parking overlook area will remain open and offers outstanding mountain top views. The visitor contact station and store, the trail up to the tower, and all access to the trailheads in the vicinity will remain open. Visitors should expect some construction traffic in the vicinity of the contact station and along the trail.
Last year, contractors repaired deteriorated areas on the concrete columns and walls, stabilized support walls at the base of the ramp, and repaired stone masonry.
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This work has been made possible through funding received from a Partners in Preservation grant. The $250,000 grant was awarded in 2016 to the Friends of the Smokies on behalf of the park after being one of the top nine most voted for parks in the Partners in Preservation: National Parks Campaign.
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Celebrate International Picnic Day (and your Dad) in the Smokies
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If you've ever been lucky enough to visit the Heintooga Picnic Area near Balsam Mountain Campground, you know to keep a jacket handy, even in the warm summer months. At more than 5,300 feet, the air on Balsam Mountain is as chilly in July and August as it is sweet and clear.
In addition to Heintooga, our national park offers visitors nearly a dozen other picnic areas to choose from as International Picnic Day
(June 18)
approaches. You'll find picnic tables here: Big Creek, Chimneys, Cades Cove, Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Greenbrier (two areas), Look Rock, Metcalf Bottoms and Twin Creeks.
For more information about picnic areas in the Smokies, visit
HERE
.
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Need a gift for dear ol' Dad?
Make your picnic extra special when you combine it with a gift for Dad –
Fathers Day is Sunday, June 17.
What better gift than to give Dad his very own Great Smoky Mountains Association membership! Get him started at the
Buckeye or Chestnut level today. Or, share Dad's love for the Smokies with a family-level membership.
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Great Smoky Mountains Association offers many tasty heritage food items for your picnics in the park. Our wide assortment of cookbooks offer recommendations for preparing all your favorites, from fried trout to applesauce cake.
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Science at Sugarlands:
Fireflies and Bioluminescence
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By Frances Figart
One of the most popular events in the Smokies each year is the flashy mating ritual of the synchronous fireflies in late May and early June. This year’s peak dates for firefly viewing are June 7-14, and thousands of visitors will be gathering, just as they have for years, near the Elkmont Campground to observe this naturally occurring phenomenon.
Why does
Photinus carolinus
attract not only its mate but also a large human fan club through its rhythmic flashing? We asked Dr. William R. Kuhn, a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Tennessee, to illuminate this topic.
FF: First of all, how are you involved with Great Smoky Mountains National Park and what makes it exciting for you?
WK: I am a member of Discover Life in America's board and have recently become chair of the Science Committee. In addition, I've helped with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory's sampling effort, including collecting assassin bugs (predatory insects related to stink bugs and cicadas) in the park, as they were considered under-studied here. So far, this work has resulted in a new species record for the park. Every time I work in the Smokies, I think to myself what a privilege it is to be in such a beautiful and diverse place!
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Tennessee Fireflies: A summertime light show.
Click on image above to watch video produced in 2014 by CBS Sunday Morning
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FF: You are giving a talk about bioluminescence June 15 at Sugarlands Visitor Center. What is bioluminescence and why are you interested in it?
WK: Bioluminescence is the process that fireflies and other bioluminescent creatures use to create light. These biological processes are the result of millions of years of evolution and are extremely efficient (much more so than light bulbs). The light itself tells a story about communication. Sometimes that communication is for love, and sometimes it has a more sinister purpose. That's the story I want to tell.
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#YearOfTheBird: Our
Ruby-throated wonders
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2018 has been named #TheYearOfTheBird, and each month the world's citizens are being asked to take simple actions to help birds thrive. Our contribution this month is to test your knowledge (and share some information) about our park's smallest bird, the hummingbird. This quiz covers more than just our park's only hummingbird, the Ruby-throated variety.
One lucky winner will receive a copy of
C
ommon Birds and Their Songs
. To qualify, your quiz answers must be submitted by midnight June 21. Good luck!
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One question tripped almost everyone up on last month's Strawberry Quiz. Unfortunately, we had no winners. :(
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Membership Appreciation Weekend: Community in the Wilderness
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"Community in the Wilderness" is t
his year's Great Smoky Mountains Association Membership Appreciation Weekend theme in honor of the once-vibrant North Shore communities so many continue to feel a connection with, even today.
Fontana Village Resort and Marina will serve as this year's event headquarters. (Please see full instructions for making lodging reservations on our website by using the "Learn More" link to the right.)
No trip to Fontana Village is complete without a tour of the lake, so we've scheduled not one, not two, but five opportunities for you to set sail aboard Miss Hazel, the marina's largest, open-air pontoon. This 90-minute tour is legendary for its beauty, tranquility and its history presentation by none other than Captain Carl.
By land and by sea (lake), we've designed a full weekend of activities starting with a volunteer opportunity on Thursday at Oconaluftee's Mountain Farm Museum, moving into earlier-than-usual activities on Friday and a new feature on Sunday morning you'll want to be sure not to miss.
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"We are looking forward to seeing our members this September at Fontana Village," said Marketing and Membership Director Lisa Duff. "The beauty of this area is only enhanced by its remarkable history and personal stories, many of which we plan to feature through a wide variety of programs."
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Smoky Mountain Mystery:
Linnaea borealis
is found – then lost
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By Steve Kemp
The year 1934 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park was officially established – was a dark year for Tennessee botanists. The gloom was due not to the creation of the park, which provided a permanent home for thousands of species of wild plants, but to the fire at the University of Tennessee that destroyed one of the state’s best herbariums. The UT collection, housed at Morrill Hall, contained more than 30,000 specimens, including many unusual plants collected in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Yet this dark cloud had one silver lining. Dr. A.J. Sharp, a world-renowned botanist and UT professor (as well as former GSMA Board Member Emeritus), rallied his botanist troops and called for the creation of a new, improved UT herbarium. Botanists all across the country responded by collecting new specimens and donating plants from existing collections. One of the latter specimens was a plant collected by Albert Ruth on August 13, 1892, and labeled, somewhat vaguely,
Mitchella repens
[partridgeberry] collected in “Sevier County—in mountain woods.”
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U.S. Forest Service photo
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When Dr. Sharp looked at this particular specimen, his jaw dropped. Not because partridgeberry is uncommon (it is extremely common along sunny trail sides), but because the plant had obviously been mislabeled. Sharp was looking at
Linnaea borealis
(twinflower), one of the most delicate and beautiful flowers of the far north woods...
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Summer wildflower season is underway
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The intermission between our park's wildflower first act – the ephemerals – and the second act – summer season – is so quick you almost don't realize it's happening. Mountain laurel (below left), rhododendrons (below right) and flame azaleas (click on video to see) tend to get the most visitor attention, while sunny sunflowers, bellwort and touch-me-nots do their part to add a splash of yellow to the forest floor. To identify all the players that make an appearance during the Smoky Mountains wildflower season, make sure
Wildflowers of the Smokies
is in your day pack each time you plan an outing to the park.
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This archival video of flame azaleas blooming on Gregory Bald was captured in 2014. If lower-elevation bloom patterns this year are any indication of things to come, this season's wildflower show on the park's many balds should be spectacular.
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Copies of
Wildflowers of the Smokies can be purchased by calling our Mail Order Department at 865.436.7318, Ext. 226. All purchases support the park!
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By Peyton Proffitt
Every year, visitors from all over the world travel to the Smoky Mountain to view our wildflowers. My favorite, Indian Pink, are blooming now at Sugarlands Visitor Center.
Learning to identify wildflowers is just one way of enjoying the native flora of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Wildflower photography, learning about folk and medicinal uses of wild plants, connecting with the cultural history of the Smokies, and using native plants as a source for artistic inspiration are some of the activities wildflower enthusiasts and aspiring naturalists enjoy.
Some even desire to reproduce the beauty of this park in their own home gardens by self-propagating. Others want to pick a flower and save it as a reminder of their visit. Just last week, I saw an Instagram photo of a woman with yellow trillium in her hair.
All of these are considered poaching – unlawful acts that do great damage to the delicate ecosystem within our park.
So I beg you, do not pick wildflowers!
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If you wish to grow native plants in your garden, look for “100% nursery-propagated” or similar labels – and ask questions. Some species like lady’s slipper (above) and trilliums are extremely difficult to propagate, so if they are offered for sale, it should raise your suspicions.
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Touring Cades Cove
with pedal power
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Bicycles can travel on most roads within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. However, due to steep terrain, narrow road surfaces and heavy automobile traffic, many park roads are not exactly well suited for safe, enjoyable bicycle riding.
Cades Cove Loop Road is an exception. The 11-mile, one-way road is a popular bicycling area. It provides bicyclists with excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing and touring 19th-century homesites.
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From now until late September, the Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to motor vehicle traffic on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10 a.m. to allow bicyclists and pedestrians to enjoy the cove.
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Making space for our pollinators to thrive
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A collaboration between DLIA, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Great Smoky Mountains Association, the pollinator garden
was officially dedicated last month at Sugarlands Visitor Center. The project utilized native plants to rehabilitate 10 existing overgrown plant beds and to provide much-needed habitat for native pollinators.
“One goal of the project is to connect the visitors with the natural community and remind them of the important interactions between flora and fauna,” said DLIA Executive Director Todd Witcher. “Signage was developed to interpret the beds and to inform visitors about creating habitat for pollinators in their own backyard.”
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GSMA provided the design and artwork for the Pollinator Garden signage, which features illustration by Emma DuFort and production oversight by Lead Publications Specialist Lisa Horstman. - Photo by Frances Figart
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On #NationalDonutDay,
eat your fill of these
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Strawberry-Filled Doughnuts
June 1 is #NationalDonutDay. Whip up a batch of these deep-fried treats – filled with our strawberry preserves – as a perfect treat with a big cup of coffee.
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP active dry yeast
- 1/2 C milk, warmed
- 1 tsp. plus ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 1/4 C Foods of the Smokies whole wheat flour
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 TBSP butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3 C oil
- 1 C Foods of the Smokies Strawberry Preserves
Directions
- In a small bowl, stir together the yeast, warm milk, 1 teaspoon sugar, and set aside for it to proof for about 15 minutes. The yeast has proofed successfully if the mixture is foamy and has doubled in size after the wait time.
- In a large bowl, pour in the flour and make a well in the center to add in the egg yolks, yeast mixture, ¼ cup sugar, butter, salt, and stir until the dough begins to come together and is sticky to the touch. Lightly flour a clean work surface and knead the dough until it is soft, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and place in the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Store in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
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- Lightly flour a work surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick, and using a round biscuit cutter or drinking glass, cut out 20 rounds. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover, and let rise for 15 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil to 370 degrees. Using a slotted spoon slowly add in the donuts, cooking 4 at a time, until golden brown making sure to turn at least once. Remove the donuts carefully from the oil using the slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet. While the donuts are still warm, roll in sugar, and set aside to repeat the process for the rest of the donuts.
- Fill a pastry bag with a #4 tip with the strawberry preserves. Using a wooden skewer to make a hole in the side of each donut. Place the pastry tip into the hole and pipe in about 2 teaspoon of the strawberry preserves. Repeat the same process with the remaining strawberry preserves donuts.
Recipe by LaKita Anderson,
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Shop the Smokies!
All purchases support the national park
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NEW BOOK - Where the North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia state lines converge, three of America's most beautiful national parks invite visitors to the embark on their own grand adventure.
In her preface to
The Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park by Carl Heilman II, GSMA Chief Executive Officer Laurel Rematore says, "These places preserve this country's history: its staggering beauty, remarkable ecosystem, and the human experiences intertwined throughout."
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Spring mugs
have arrived!
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HOT ITEM - Our Spring 2018 exclusive Great Smoky Mountains National Park pottery mug is our best looking yet. Featuring the Southern Harebell, this mug fits snuggly in two hands and delivers your most satisfying hot and cold beverages. Heck, if lunch is what you crave, a hot cup of soup will certainly hit the spot.
While our web store remains offline for maintenance, please call us at
865.436.7318, Ext. 222 to order.
All purchases support the Smokies.
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New Website Sneak Peek - It's going to be amazing! Our IT team continues to work hard on the launch of our new user-friendly, visually appealing website. Currently at SmokiesInformation.org, the entire Membership section – including membership renewals and Members Weekend registration – is operational; the store and member logins, however, are not functioning. Until mid-July, when we expect to launch our new, fully functional website, please call our Mail Order Department at 865.436.7318, Ext. 226 to place your orders for official Great Smoky Mountain National Park maps, books, trip-planning materials and educational products.
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National Park visitation to date
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Will Great Smoky Mountains National Park retain the title of 'Most Visited National Park' in 2018? Only time will tell...
January - 320,864
February - 399,156
March
-
689,235
April - 816,079
Total for 2018 = 2,225,334
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2017 visitation through April - 2,398,072
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Shop our Lookout League
Business Partners
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Partner of the Month:
Wildland Trekking
Hiking adventures in Great Smoky Mountains are an exciting way to experience the park's outstanding natural beauty and unique cultural history. The Great Smoky Mountains' magnificent forests, endless ridges, high peaks, cascades and waterfalls, wildlife, and clear mountain streams make it a hiker's paradise. Wildland Trekking's trips include a knowledgeable guide, top-of-the-line gear, exceptional cuisine, comfortable transportation and all permits for the park. Reserve one of these award-winning guided multi-day backcountry trips, lodge based trips, or day hikes today!
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THANK YOU
...to our new North Carolina Lookout League partners:
- Haywood County Chamber of Commerce
- Donno's Higher Ground Tattoo
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The most recent issue of Smokies Guide, Great Smoky Mountains National Park's official park newspaper, is available to read online and can be mailed to you for free (S&H charges apply). Call 865.436.7318, Ext. 226 for mailing details.
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We like to say, "It takes a village to raise a cub." Great Smoky Mountains Association's Cub Report e-newsletter is published on the last Wednesday of each month, with the exception of January.
These talented individuals contributed to this month's issue:
Laurel Rematore, Chief Executive Officer
Lisa Duff, Cub Report Editor
Ginger Alfrey, Frances Figart, Steve Kemp, Karen Key, Peyton Proffitt, Valerie Polk and Gary Wilson
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Got questions? We've got answers
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Share your thoughts on this issue
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In addition to our web store, Great Smoky Mountains Association operates 12 visitor contact stations in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
GSMA staff members are always available to help you find educational materials guaranteed to enhance your park experience. When you stop by, be sure to tell our team how much the Cub Report means to you!
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Oconaluftee Visitor Center (above) is located near Cherokee, N.C.
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Great Smoky Mountains Association
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