read the friends newsletter - Friends of South Cumberland

NEWSLETTER OF THE
Friends of south
Cumberland
   ‒  
Folding Old Shady Valley
Nursery into the State Park
major addition to South Cumberland State Park, with major implications for economic development, is shaping up in Beersheba Springs
near Stone Door Natural Area.
The property consists mainly of the old Shady Valley Nursery —  acres
of fields, woodlands, and a deep-water lake. The nursery entrance is on Highway , but its land extends more than two miles all the way to the park
boundary very close to the Stone Door State Natural Area parking area.
The significance of the purchase can be imagined if one considers recreational opportunities in the meadows that lead to the pristine lake at the back
of the property. These possibilities and others have drawn several parties,
including the State of Tennessee, into a partnership.
As discussions have
proceeded
over the past
two years,
three main
partners have
made financial commitments — the state, through the Department of Environment and
Conservation ($,), Big Creek Utility District, which seeks access to the
lake water ($,), and Friends of South Cumberland ($,).
Additional funds will be needed for the purchase, but those involved in
negotiations say a final agreement is near. Several Beersheba area residents have
agreed to assist financially through Friends of South Cumberland. Those residents, along with TDEC officials and park staff, have also begun discussions
about the planning and funding of facilities in the years ahead. Those plans
may include shifting the park entrance from circuitous Stone Door Road to
Highway  near the center of Beersheba Springs.
Other adjacent land purchases could buffer the area and enhance development. All the parties are in agreement that the land itself remain or become as
natural as possible and that the land use be sensitive to issues of conservation
and the protection of Savage Gulf State Natural Area. A major goal is to draw
more tourists and campers for extended visits, therefore offering new opportunities for Beersheba Springs and Grundy area businesses. (Also see page .)
A
Woody Honored
at Governor’s
Awards Ceremony
enry “Woody” McLaughlin, a founding member
and former president of
the Friends of South Cumberland,
is the  recipient of the Robert
Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor presented each year at the Governor’s
Environmental Stewardship Awards
Ceremony.
The award was presented to
Woody by both Gov. Bill Haslam
and Bob Martineau, commissioner
of the Department of Environment
and Conservation, at a June 
luncheon attended by more than
 state officials and other award
winners.
H
Continued on page 3
Inside this Issue
Annual Meeting – 2
Ferris Challenge Gift – 4
Trails & Trilliums – 7
Summer Botanizing – 8
Jim Prince Awards – 10
Manager’s Report – 11
Hike Into History – 12

Summer 2016
This newsletter is a publication of the
Friends of South Cumberland State
Park, a non-profit organization.
Friends of South Cumberland was
founded in 1993. Its mission is to aid
and assist the park management and
staff in meeting its objectives and to inform, educate, engage, and inspire its
members and the public to protect, conserve, and enjoy all the resources of the
park.
Dues for each calendar year are:
Student: $15
Individual: $25
Family: $35
Corporate: $100
Mack Prichard Society $250
Dues may be sent to:
Friends of South Cumberland
P.O. Box 615
Sewanee, TN 37375
Officers
Latham Davis, President
Naullain Kendrick, Vice-President
Katie Goforth, Secretary
Baker Walker, Treasurer
Glenn Himebaugh, Historian
Directors
Sam Baggett
Eric Dempsey
Rick Dreves
Jack Furman
John Greeter
John Hille
Ben Myers
Linda Parrish
Mary Priestley
Flo Wilson
Ty Burnette
Staff
Rhonda Atkins
Margaret Matens
Friends Website:
www.friendsofsouthcumberland.org
Dear Friends Members,
Due to circumstances beyond his control, our long-time newsletter editor,
Glenn Himebaugh, was unable to do his usual excellent work on the summer edition of the Friends Newsletter. This issue, though a poor substitute, is a chance to salute Glenn and wish for his quick return, along with
his designer sidekick, Carey Coker.
Please indulge us. We hope you enjoy this interim edition.
Latham Davis, president
Annual Meeting Crowd Enjoys Picnic,
Hears Updates, and Elects Officers
he Friends Annual Meeting was held June  at the Park Visitor’s Center
pavilion following a covered dish picnic and music by the Bazzania Band.
In addition to the financial report and elections, two Jim Prince Awards
were presented, one going to Jim Poteet the other to Marietta Poteet (Details on
page 10).
Flo Wilson received the Golden Shell Award from Interim Park Ranger George
Shinn for all her good work coordinating the renovation of the Visitor’s Center.
President Latham Davis and George Shinn gave updates about the Friends and
the park, and Chris Padgett, state park operations area manager, was the keynote
speaker.
Baker Walker of Monteagle was elected the new treasurer, replacing Jack Furman, who, in turn, was elected to a three-year term as a director-at-large. Baker, a
CPA, is a former treasurer and board member at Clifftops. At the same time,
Katie Goforth was re-elected secretary, and Glenn Himebaugh was re-elected historian. President Latham Davis and Vice-President Naullain Kendrick continue
into the second year of their two-year terms.
In addition to Jack Furman, John Hille of Monteagle and Sam Baggett of Beersheba Springs were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Directors. John
had previously joined the board as chairman of the Friends Development Committee, and Sam
is active in leading the campaign
for the acquisition of Shady
Valley Nursery at
Beersheba and
Stone Door. Reelected to board
seats were
Naullain
Kendrick and
Latham Davis.
T
Flo Wilson presented with the Golden Shell by George Shinn.
Photo by Rick Dreves
FSC Newsletter

. . . Receives Top TDEC Award
land consisted of , acres. The state had acquired the
gulfs in the initial purchases, but not most of the bluffs or
—continued
overlooks. The land protection efforts began with the need
to acquire the bluffs and access to insure the character of
Commissioner Martineau said: “Woody’s tireless, goodthe park would remain. Much of it has been protected, and
natured approach to fostering relationships while achieving
the park now spans over , acres.”
real conservation results has been essential to preserving priIn  the Park Master Plan identified key areas adjaority lands and protecting special places we enjoy today at
cent
to the park that were under threat of development.
South Cumberland State Park. We are grateful for his comThe Friends decided to launch
mitment and quiet leadership. We
the Saving Great Spaces Camsalute the dedicated teamwork
paign with a goal of $,.
demonstrated by the Friends of
Woody’s business acumen, his
South Cumberland that have
range of contacts, and his determade a lasting difference for that
mination were major factors in
state park and those who love it.”
the board’s decision to take on
Woody is chairman of the
this challenge. Woody was presiNashville-based property managedent during the multi-year camment firm Parthenon Properties.
paign, and he was invaluable in
He has degrees from the Univercontacting local, state, and federal
sity of the South, the University of
leaders to secure their help.
Florida, and the University of VirWhen the campaign conginia. In addition to his wide procluded, the Friends had raised
fessional and community honors
more than $,, and Woody
and interests, Woody has been
was instrumental in helping to
active on the state and national
obtain an additional $ million in
level with Ducks Unlimited.
federal
funding, $. million in
Woody’s love affair with South
grant funding from the Tennessee
Cumberland began while he was a
Heritage
Conservation Trust
student at Sewanee. Years later he
Pookie and Woody McLaughlin at the Friends
Fund, and $. million from the
and his wife Pookie purchased a
Annual Meeting.
(Photo by Rick Dreves)
state
Lands Acquisition Fund. In
vacation home in Monteagle to be
the end, the campaign leveraged nearly $ million and
close to the park. His appreciation of the South Cumberadded , acres of parkland. Recently Woody was instruland, especially the Fiery Gizzard Trail, brought him into
mental in helping secure a -acre tract of land that
contact with others who shared his passion. In , after
includes the view from the Stone Door Overlook.
the state passed legislation enabling the formation of state
Woody said, “As the critical parcels are protected for
park friends groups, the park manager invited Woody and a
future generations, and other attractions like the Mountain
few others to an organizational meeting. In  the
Goat Trail are expanded, I foresee economic benefits from
Friends of South Cumberland was formed, and Woody’s
the Park. The more urban our state becomes, the greater
knowledge of the real estate world and his Nashville conthe importance of the Park for citizens to visit and
nections made him a leading force on the inaugural board.
‘recharge their batteries,’ to appreciate the wonders of
Woody’s vision helped shape the mission of the Friends,
nature, and to learn about the ‘real world.’ The key results
and he remained on the board for  years. He has served
are not for our current pleasure, but for the enjoyment and
twice as president and remains a member of the Land Coneducation of generations to come.” o
servation Committee. In addition, Woody was instrumental
in identifying other people to join the FSC and worked in
partnership with groups like The Land Trust for Tennessee
For more news of events and programs, watch for the
and the Conservation Fund. In recognition of the valued
monthly email Trail Tracker or go online to
role Woody played in the Friends’ first decade, he was prewww.friendsofsouthcumberland.org
sented with the Jim Prince Award, the organization’s highest
honor.
“When we started,” Woody explained, “South Cumber-

Challenge Gift Funds New
Fiery Gizzard Trail Chief
ost members are now aware of the project to
reroute a portion of the Fiery Gizzard Trail near
Raven’s Point around two private land holdings.
The new route that is in rough terrain and drops steeply
into the nearby Anderson Cove, has presented a huge
undertaking for rangers. Many volunteers have shown up to
help, but rangers – mainly Jason Reynolds and Park Greer –
must be on hand and carry much of the burden of construction, as well as design.
This spring, George Shinn, interim park manager,
appealed for more help, asking the Friends for $, to
hire an experienced trail leader from the Student Conservation Association. In turn, the Friends sought help from a
long-time member, Doug Ferris of Memphis and Monteagle.
Doug offered to make a challenge gift of $,, if
other Friends members would provide a matching $,.
With the help of John Hille, chair of the Friends Development Committee, an appeal letter was
sent to  members who had made
significant gifts in the past. In two
weeks, members had matched Doug
Ferris’s gift.
“The success of this quick drive is a
testament to the appeal of Doug Ferris, but it’s also evidence of how much
people care about South Cumberland
State Park,” said Friends president
Latham Davis. “We have wonderful
members who provide support in
many ways. Volunteers are needed
now more than ever.”
The new SCA trail crew chief is
Dustin Atkin. He will help complete
phase two of the reroute. He
was born in Germany, where
his father was stationed in the
Army. At the end of his father’s
service, his family moved back
to middle Tennessee, where
Dustin graduated from Blackman High School and later
Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in plant
biology. After graduation he
worked for a year in west
Doug Ferris
Texas as a geologist.
Photo by Jodie Nunley
Photo by Rick Dreves
Dustin Atkin takes a break from trail work with a group
of Friends volunteers. Below: Volunteers lowering the final
stone step into place to complete one of the staircases on
Phase Two of the Fiery Gizzard Reroute.
Photo by Rick Dreves
M
Dustin enjoys spending his free time in the outdoors,
with a keen interest in the plants of the Southeast. A few
of his hobbies include backpacking, ultimate frisbee,
bicycling, skiing, brewing beer, gardening, canning, and
cooking. He hopes with this position he will be able to
make an impact on insuring future trail access and, at the
same time, gain experience that might lead to a career in
public service. He said he appreciates being able to work
for a park that has such great public support and a dedicated staff.

Friends Receive REI Grant for
Trail, Rescue Equipment
riends of South Cumberland has been awarded a
$, grant from REI (Recreation Equipment Inc.)
to provide park rangers with rescue equipment and
additional trail building tools.
“This grant will be a great help with our immediate trail
reroute effort, and will help the park staff care for our 90
miles of trail for years to come,” said George Shinn, interim
park manager.
Naullain Kendrick, FSC Board member and key contact
with REI, said, ”REI has been a wonderful partner to us in
the past year, especially helping with the Fiery Gizzard reroute efforts. We are looking forward to continuing our
relationship with them on even more projects. Special
thanks to Liz Staudt and Brenda Mikec and all the staff at
the Brentwood store.”
Because South Cumberland is a rugged wilderness park,
it attracts a wide range of users – including climbers, cavers,
and backcountry campers. As visitor numbers increase, so
do the number of rescues. In  park rangers were
involoved in  rescues. Already this spring, rangers have
conducted seven rescues.
The REI grant will allow the rangers to purchase a Rescue Litter (stretcher) for transporting injured or incapacitated hikers and a Universal Litter Wheel that will fit a
wide range of litters, including ones now in use at the park.
Additional funds will be used to purchase chainsaws, shovels and other tools needed for the ongoing Fiery Gizzard
trail building and for maintenance on other trails.
F
Gizzard Volunteers Needed!
Funds from a Lyndhurst Foundation grant continue to
be used for materials and equipment on the Fiery Gizzard
Trail. The work continues during the summer, with opportunities to volunteer every Saturday morning.
If you would like to volunteer, meet at the Fiery Gizzard
(Grundy Forest) parking lot at  a.m for a three-to-four
hour shift. Tools and transportation to the worksite will be
provided. Groups who are interested in helping on another
day besides Saturday, should contact Jason Reynolds,
[email protected], or call the South Cumberland Visitor’s Center.
For a good overview of the kind of work volunteers are
doing on the Fiery Gizzard reroute, watch the informative
video at hikeintohistory.org/fiery-gizzard-update-3.html.
Friends Sell Silver Tract to State
-acre parcel of forested land on the bluff of Big
A
Creek Gulf in Savage Gulf State Natural Area has
been transferred to the state and officially into
South Cumberland State Park.
Referred to as the Silver Tract, the land was purchased by
Friends of South Cumberland in  and this spring was
sold to the State of Tennessee for $,.
The acquisition was particularly significant because the
tract lies almost directly across Big Creek Gulf from Stone
Door, clearly visible to every visitor at the Stone Door overlooks and the rim trail. It is close to another bluff section,
called the Jones Tract, purchased by the Friends just last
year.
The Friends bought the Silver Tract for $,, but
the state appraisal, following the  drop in land values
nationwide, was well below the purchase price. Bill Avant,
coordinator of land management for the Department of
Environment and Conservation, guided the purchase
process in reaching a price that reimburses a large part of
the Friends’ investment.
“It has taken a long time to get to this point, but we are
thankful for the efforts of Bill Avant,” said Latham Davis,
Friends president. “Working with current TDEC officials
has been a pleasure.”
Essentially, in the process, the Friends have made a
$, gift to the park. Also worth noting is that the
funds coming back to the Friends were raised in the Saving
Great Spaces Campaign, concluded in . They are part
of a continuing but diminishing fund used for land acquisition.
Of the $,, the Friends Board of Directors has
committed $, toward the purchase of another tract
called Denny Cove, near Foster Falls. The Friends are partnering with the Southeastern Climbers Coalition and others for the purchase. 
Friends Educational Outreach
Extends Its Branches
Park Visitor’s Center Renovation
lthough not all of the Visitor’s Center exhibits are
complete, we are inviting next year’s fourth grade
classes to come by for hands-on learning about
plants, animals, cultural history, and geology. In addition,
we will support the Grundy County Farm Day for third
graders by providing gift bags containing educational materials and goodies for the teachers.
If you haven’t seen the Visitor’s Center yourself, you will
find it’s worth a trip. The exhibits are both educational and
inspirational. Many volunteers are involved in the design
and painting.
A
Photo by Mary Priestley
T
he Friends’ educational outreach, always robust, has
been in overdrive recently. Tried and true programs
– the fifth grade hikes to the Great Stone Door and
the Tennessee Naturalist Program for adults – continue to
be strengths.
This year we debuted the new park video in fourth grade
classrooms across Grundy County. The video, created by
Eric Dempsey, was a big hit with the fourth graders, many
of whom pledged to come by the Visitor’s Center to see it
again. Together, these programs reached approximately 
children.
Margaret Matens, with the help of many volunteers, has
taken her wildlife programs to several groups this spring
and summer – the Trails & Trilliums children’s choir, Tracy
City Elementary’s Camp Discover (where Mary Priestley
also helped by coordinating the nature journaling), and the
Beersheba Springs summer program, reaching more than
 children.
Fun at the world premier of the park video at Grundy
County's Swiss Memorial School: videographer Eric
Dempsey and daughter Briley get the green carpet treatment, including "interviews" by young "reporters." Kimber
Thomas, left, and Peyton Meeks.
New Season for Naturalist
Program Begins in September
he Friends chapter of the Tennessee Naturalist Program is now accepting applications for its ‒
class, starting in September. This program, now in
its fifth year, is an opportunity for interested adults to take
 hours of classes about natural history and  hours of
volunteer experience.
Find out more about how you can be a part of our fifth
year of this wonderful program. Look for the Naturalist
Program link on our website, friendsofsouthcumberland
.org, or contact the new leader, Deb Dreves, at
[email protected].
Deb is not only a TNP graduate but an experienced
hiker and is capable of organizing even a
large room of cats (or squirrels). So take
the leap and join in. T
This is the full class of  graduates of the
Tennessee Naturalist Program. A new class
gets underway in September.
Photo by Rick Dreves

Trails and Trilliums Celebrates the Natural World and Friends
took photographs and registered attendees for this event.
picture perfect weekend made our th Trails and
And to each of you who came out to celebrate wonderful
Trilliums Festival a sun-shining success. Over 
weather, our woods, our talents and the worthwhile cause
joined in the celebration raising more than $,.
of the Friends of the South Cumberland, our heartfelt
Many thanks are in order!
thanks. Join us next year April ‒ for Trails and Trilliums
First to our host, the Monteagle Sunday School Assem!
bly, and our sponsors including, the South Cumberland
Linda Parrish
Community Fund, Tower Community Bank, Lodge Manufacturing, John Canale, Dot Neale
and Doug Ferris, Margaret Donahue
and the Corner Market Catering
Company.
To our local artists, musicians,
and vendors who said yes when
invited to participate in ART for the
PARK.
To our most fabulous committee
chairs: Naullain Kendrick, Ty Burnette, Dede Clements, Betty Barton
Blythe, Rich Wyckoff, Nancy Allsbrook, Jessie Mc Neel, Jodie Nunley,
Eric Dempsey, Rhonda Atkins, and
Scott Parrish.
To our amazing -plus volunteers, who presented programs, led
hikes, created a dazzling art exhibiArt in the Park at the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly dining hall.
tion, hosted two evening events,
Photo by Rick Dreves
A
Latest Class of Tennessee
Naturalists Graduate
he Tennessee (South Cumberland ) Naturalist Program just recently completed another year of
classes. The Friends are grateful to all the instructors from the South Cumberland State Park and the University of the South who give so selflessly of their time and
make our chapter of the TNP the best in the state.
Graduating from the program as Tennessee Naturalists
this year were Frank Gladu, Richard McClure, Henry
Miller, and Janis Wilkey. They completed  hours of classwork and 40 hours of volunteer work. This group is to be
especially commended as all of them completed all of their
hours on projects within the South Cumberland State Park.
Kelley Baggett, Cornelia Coode, Nathaniel Mann, and
Todd Wright received certificates for completing all the
classwork and are working on their volunteer hours.
T
Volunteer Kelley Baggett holds a corn snake while her granddaughter admires a box turtle during a Friends wildlife presentation in June at the Beersheba Springs library.

Mid-Summer Botanizing
on the Buggytop Trail
by Mary Priestley
t had been years since I visited Carter State Natural
Area, and when fellow Friends member Sandy Rice
suggested a hike, I jumped at
the opportunity. I had been
wanting to see Ranger Jason
Reynolds’s work on rerouting
part of the trail, but I was truly
taken aback at what a beautiful
job he had done of both planning and execution! The formerly muddy and eroded trail
now winds down through a
fairyland of fern- and wildflower-capped limestone boulders. But where did he get those
massive stepping stones, and
how on earth did he place them
to make such a stable and easy
descent? I always knew Jason
knew trail-building, but this guy
is gifted!
Botanists refer to this season
as the “great greet interlude,”
the period between the twin
flushes of spring and late summer bloom. Spring ephemerals
like trout lily and spring beauty have died back to their
underground bulbs and corms. The other plants are all
busy photosynthesizing. Some are plumping up their fruits;
others manufacturing sugars for winter storage; and still
others developing flowers for late-summer bloom.
So what’s blooming in June and July? The shrubby
cedar-glade St. Johnswort is loaded with big golden flowers.
It’s joined by a couple of composites of similar hue – prairie
coneflower and starry rosinweed. The contrast between
those two cousins – the delicate coneflower and the rough,
sturdy rosinweed – is almost amusing. Another yellowflowered plant, just now coming into bloom, is the hemiparasitic false foxglove. Although it makes its own food
through photosynthesis, this plant taps into the roots of
nearby oak trees for water and nutrients.
Mountain hydrangea is happy here – the large “fake”
flowers on the periphery of the flat-topped inflorescences
attract pollinators to the smaller fertile flowers that they
I
surround. Orange butterfly weed has been outstanding this year, and
there are several plants
around the overlook
above the cave entrance.
Down at the entrance
itself, alumroot has
found perches under,
around, and in the cracks
of the limestone walls.
It’s just now beginning to
bloom.
And, when late summer rolls around, there
will be more: the rare Cumberland
rosinweed is in bud, as well as
Eggert’s sunflower and eared goldenrod.
On our way out, we passed a
group of about  energetic
teenagers, here from Chattanooga’s
Baylor School for a day of caving. If
there were returnees in the crowd,
I’ll bet they appreciated Ranger
Jason’s fine trail work. I’d say they
looked too excited, though, to
notice the lovely wildflowers along
the way. Happy 40th for Savage
Gulf Trail System!
It was  years ago this month – July,  – when
work began on building the trail system in the Savage
Gulf area of the park. As you’re out on the trails in Savage this month, thank all the folks from  years ago
whose hard work made your hike so awesome!
An article about the trails of Savage Gulf State Natural Area is published in the new July/August issue of
the Tennessee Conservationist, a magazine of the Department of Environment and Conservation. The author is
Jenni Frankenberg Veal, a freelance writer based in
Chattanooga and founder of the outdoor family travel
website www.YourOutdoorFamily.com.

The Story of a Stone Door Squirrel
By Margaret Matens
Photo by Margaret Matens
I
n May, I got a phone call from Aaron Reid,
the park ranger at Stone Door. He was faced
with a problem and hoped I could help.
Several hikers had been strolling along the trail to the
overlook when a small squirrel ran towards them and
climbed up one of their legs. After recovering from the initial surprise, the hikers noticed a shoe box nearby that had
holes punched in the lid. It was clear that someone had left
a baby squirrel in the woods in the hope that it would “go
wild” on its own.
Though Stone Door is certainly a great place for a grown
squirrel to live, there are some important steps that must
happen before a baby can be thrust out into the South
Cumberland wilderness.
A baby mammal that is raised by people will “imprint”
on its human mother. In the wildlife rehabilitation world, a
lot of swapping goes on to ensure that every baby squirrel
or ground hog or fawn is placed with others of its kind and
not raised as a “singleton.”
The little squirrel who was abandoned at Stone Door
was already in jeopardy because it did not have any siblings
with it. Secondly, the well meaning folks who raised it did
not realize how strongly it had imprinted on humans. They
likely imagined the little fellow going off into the forest and
living a normal squirrel life. Instead, it headed straight for
the first humans it saw and asked for help.
When Aaron and his wife Jessica brought the squirrel to
me, I had a singleton near its age to pair with it. Soon
“Parker” (because he came from the Park) was contentedly
sleeping curled up with Pepper, his adopted sibling. By day
two, the squirrels were playing together non-stop. Play in
mammals is always a preparation for the skills they will
need to survive in the wild. These two were learning dexterity, climbing skills and vocalizations that are vital to survival.
A mama squirrel builds an elaborate cylindrical nest of
leaves and sticks. The babies remain in or near the nest high
in a tree until they are half-grown (which is why you seldom see baby squirrels). They don’t venture out of their
den tree until they are big enough to evade predators and
have learned to find food.
Most orphaned babies are the result of trees being cut
down or strong winds blowing down a nest. Often the
mother will retrieve the babies and move them to a new
nest, so you should allow some time before picking them
up. Baby squirrels are called kits or pups. Male squirrels are
Elise Landau playing with Parker, a little squirrel abandoned in the park near Stone Door.
called bucks, female squirrels are called does, and a group
of squirrels is called a scurry.
Parker needed what rehabbers call a “slow release”
instead of a “fast release.” When the squirrels were about 
weeks old, I began leaving their cage door open a crack.
The cage is on an upstairs porch with access to trees.
For nearly a month the young ones will venture out during the day, but come back to their cage before dark and
will depend on the food and water I provide. At night I
lock their cage door to protect them from nocturnal predators. Gradually Parker and his buddy will make the transition to living in the wild and finding their own food.
I know the kindhearted people who bottle-fed Parker as
an infant thought the park was a perfect home. And it
would be. But a little more care was needed before he was
ready for the big wild world.
The TWRA website has a list of permitted wildlife rehabilitates by county. If you find orphaned or injured wildlife,
call the ones closest to you or call a park ranger. Successfully raising an orphaned mammal or bird so that it can
survive in the world is a complicated process and varies for
each species. Parker was lucky that the hikers who found
him (or were found BY him) intervened so that he was
given the time he needed to learn to be a real squirrel. 
Poteets Win Jim Prince Awards
J
Letter from the Prez
im Prince Awards this year have gone to two longfew months ago one of our astute
time, faithful members of the Friends of South Cummembers
(all of our members are
berland – Marietta Poteet and Jim Poteet, each
astute)
asked
me how the Friends justify commitdeserving the Friends’ highest honor.
ting $, to the purchase of land that does not fit the
The award recognizes leadership in outdoor conservation
Friends’
mission of acquiring only land to protect the bluffs
in the South Cumberland. Past winners include Mack
and coves of the natural areas. What gives with the Friends
Prichard, Marvin Runyon, and Gov. Phil Bredesen.
helping to buy an old nursery that lies well back from the
For years Marietta Poteet has been a tireless volunteer in
bluffs of Savage Gulf?
Friends programs – always available as a hike leader and
It’s a fair question. Buying land and watersheds along the
organizer for Trails and Trilliums, spring school hikes,
escarpments and in the gulfs of Savage and Fiery Gizzard
Mountain Top programs, trail maintenance projects, the
Cove has been our priority for years. Our mission is to supVisitor’s Center renovation, the South Cumberland
port
the park, but to say only that is to evade the question.
Marathon, and Cumberland Wild. She is a dependable volIn recent years, it has become evident that we were leanunteer in the Back the Rangers program. She completed
ing
too much on one leg of a three-legged stool. It’s true
Hike All  in  Challenge (easily) and completed the
that South Cumberland is known and loved far and wide
Tennessee Naturalist Program sponsored by the Friends.
for its beautiful back-country hiking and camping. Short
In addition, Marietta is current treasurer and membertrails also provide quick access to streams, waterfalls and
ship chair for the Tennessee Trails Association. She has been
wildflowers. However, we realize there is a larger commua leader in the Sierra Club. She is also a board member of
nity that does not connect with nature the same way. Yet
the South Cumberland Community Fund.
they are also our constituents.
Jim Poteet has been active at the leadership level in
With this in mind, the Friends are doing more than ever
numerous conservation-minded groups, including the Tenin
education.
We are bringing more school children to the
nessee Trails Associaion, serving TTA as state vice president
park,
and
the
hike series this year is titled “Hike into Hisin  and president in  and .
tory.” It’s an effort to make people more aware of what the
In recognition of his contributions to TTA, Jim received
South
Cumberland can mean to all of us.
the Bill Stutz Award in , the Tennessee Trails Award in
The pending purchase of Shady Valley
, and the Lifetime
Nursery
at Beersheba Springs may provide
Achievement Award in
another leg in our effort to support the
.
park. Local business owners and governThough earlier living
ment leaders have long complained, rightly
in Nashville, Jim
or wrongly, that South Cumberland State
became aquainted with
Park
does little for the local economy. As
the South Cumberland
envisioned, the Shady Valley project will
and hiked, camped,
provide
a new kind of camping and outand caved in Savage
door recreation for families and tourists –
Gulf in the early s.
close enough to Stone Door for a hike but
He has continued
without being a detriment to the wilderhis volunteer work in
ness areas of Savage Gulf.
numerous Friends projThis will be an opportunity for the local
ects, including Cumcommunities
to provide more restaurants,
berland Wild,
shops, and overnight accommodations. It
fifth-grade hikes, and
will also be an opportunity for the park
Trails and Trilliums and
and the Friends to help people learn more
has been instrumental
about and appreciate the wonderful wilderin the acquisition of
ness that should be preserved and progrants for other Friends
tected.
projects.
Jim and Marietta Poteet, right, with Latham Davis
Latham Davis
on the Fiery Gizzard Trail in a previous year.
A

From the Park
Manager’s Desk
t has been a very busy spring across South Cumberland.
We are excited for the rest of the year, with events and
family fun throughout our park. For ideas and tips on
making the most of your visit, please check the Friends
website or the South Cumberland State Park website for
upcoming programs and events.
Across the entire park, South Cumberland continues to
change. Park staff is consistently looking for a better way,
from improving the statewide online reservation system for
our park to enabling our Friends group in special projects
like the renovation of the park museum.
The park has many challenges ahead from our new park
operations to the many new land acquisitions coming later
this year. Most things are difficult before they are easy, and
the park staff is so thankful for our Friends support, collaboration, and leadership in these difficult times. Look
around at all our new activities this summer from our Junior Ranger Program going on weekly to engage children to
learn more about our natural wonders to the Friends-led
“Hike into History” challenges for all ages to learn more
about the cultural and historical places within the park.
This is the year to get out and enjoy your park.
Unfortunately, some problems persist. The Hemlock
Wooly Adelgid continues to grow in light infestations
within the Fiery Gizzard and Savage Gulf. Thankfully, the
park is working with Dr. James Parkman of UT Knoxville,
who is releasing a predator beetle within the park this summer and will continue to treat different areas in the fall.
The Fiery Gizzard Trail continues to be in peril. Again,
thankfully, with our Friends group support of gaining a
Southeast Conservation Association worker to lead trail
work this summer and a $, REI grant, a $, Trails
and Greenways grant, along with a $, Lyndhurst
Foundation grant is going a long way to help the park have
the resources to accomplish the task. The volunteerism of
folks to help the reroute has been wonderful, as the park
has met all goals thus far and we are hopeful that the trail
will be completed way before the deadline of December 1
this year.
The GREAT news is that park visitation is way up across
South Cumberland, and the bad news is that … park visitation is way up across South Cumberland. Our park is
unfortunately being loved to death. If you have visited any
area of our park in recent months, you have most likely
found yourself struggling to find a parking place, unable to
I
locate an unreserved campsite, and searching for maps and
park brochures at trailhead kiosks, all problems resulting
from high levels of visitation. Park staff is in the process of
determining new strategies to address this new problem.
Overuse of campgrounds, clogged climbing areas, overflow of parking, and the many other negative impacts associated with multitudes of visitors must be managed to
protect and preserve this beautiful place for generations to
come. Please be patient with park staff as they work hard to
solve these problems to continue to provide a safe and
enjoyable experience for all our park guests.
George Shinn
Interim Park Manager
Twenty Volunteers Needed
for Park Trail Assessment
major assessment of the condition of our trails in
the park will be made on September  and
. George Shinn, interim park manager, has asked
the Friends to provide volunteers to help walk and assess
the condition of the trails, and report any sections needing
maintenance. He needs  volunteers for each day – Tuesday (th) and Wednesday (st). If you can help with this
important project or for more information, please contact
Jodie in the park office today at --.
A
South Cumberland Featured
in Tennessee Conservationist
outh Cumberland and the Friends of South
Cumberland got the spotlight in an article by
Margaret Matens in the May/June edition of the
Tennessee Conservationist magazine.
Margaret’s article focuses on the efforts to tell the
public about the joys of hiking and camping in the
park. Particular attention was given to the hiking challenges, beginning with “Hike  in ” and moving
on to last year’s “Waterfall Challenge” and the current
“Hike into History.”
Nine photographs were included in the three-page
article, one of them a vintage photo of Gov. Winfield
Dunn eating lunch in the back of a jeep at the bottom
of Savage Gulf. Governor Dunn is expected to attend
the Friends big fall event Nov.  at Beersheba Springs.
More details soon.
S
Join a Hike into History
ike Into History events continue into the fall.
The Discovery Hikes (designed for families and
“casual” hikers) include ones focused on Native
Americans, Moonshine Stills, Pioneers, and more. You
can pick up information at the Visitor’s Center or go to
hikeintohistory.org.
The Adventurer Series hikes (all-day, ranger-led treks)
are for experienced hikers. Coming on July  is a Natural
History Hike that will follow the Collins Gulf Rim trail
to explore caves and other off-trail geologic wonders.
Register at the FSC MeetUp page: meetup.com/ Friendsof-South-Cumberland-State-Park.
The schedule of Adventure Hikes:
• Natural History of the South Cumberlands – Guided
hike: July , : a.m. [register online]. Trailhead:
Collins West (off st Avenue) Gruetli-Laager.
• Native Americans in the South Cumberlands –
Guided hike: August ,  [register online]. Trailhead:
Buggytop (Carter State Natural Area, Highway ) Sherwood, Tennessee.
• Railroads in the South Cumberlands – Guided hike:
September (date to be announced). Trailhead: Savage Day
H
Loop (at the Savage Ranger Station, off TN ) Palmer,
Tennessee [map]
• Pioneers in the South Cumberlands – Guided hike:
October (date to be announced). Trailhead: Stone Door
Ranger Station (follow signs from TN-) Beersheba
Springs, Tennessee.
• A special Living History event is planned for October in Beersheba Springs. Please check website date as we
get closer to the event.
• Old Growth Forests of the South Cumberlands –
Guided hike: November (date to be announced). Trailhead: Savage Day Loop (at the Savage Ranger Station,
off TN ) Palmer, Tennessee. o
FSC Newsletter
P.O. Box 816
Sewanee, TN 37375