National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service:  U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
Big South Fork National River & Recreation AreaMountain Laurel blooming in the spring.
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Our Staff & Offices
Angel Falls is one of the major rapids on the Big South Fork River.
National Park Service
Angel Falls is one of the major rapids located on the river between Leatherwood Ford and Blue Heron.
 

Park Management and Administration
Encompasses activities related to park-wide administrative, managerial, and support functions, as well as safety and planning. In addition, this area is responsible for working with external constituencies in order to develop valuable park partnerships. Altogether, the Management and Administration area provides a host of essential services to enable park employees to focus on their functional duties.

Superintendent  Vacant
Secretary  Effie Houston
Administrative Officer  Jeannine McElveen
Budget Analyst       Janice Pelton
Adminsitrative Clerk  Angie Graham
Personnal  Henrietta Upchurch
GIS/IT Specialist  Ron Cornelius 
IT Specialist  Teresa Ledford


 

Interpretation
The Interpretive Division conducts a variety of activities that allow people from elementary age through adulthood to experience and learn about the park's resources and threats to those resources.  Big South Fork's interpreters manage and staff the park's two primary visitor centers at Bandy Creek and the Stearns Depot.

Interpretive events and media publications serve to encourage the development of a personal stewardship ethic and to broaden public support for preserving park resources. Interpretive rangers present Big South Fork to visitors through formal interpretation at the park includes campfire and evening programs, talks, demonstrations, special events and with informal interpretation.

Big South Fork's interpretive media infrastructure encompasses outdoor exhibits, visitor center displays, site bulletins and booklets, an annual park newspaper, an informational rack card, and maintenance of the park website.

Chief Interpretation

Steve Seven

Park Ranger (Interp.)

Howard Duncan

Park Ranger (Interp.)

Sue Duncan

Park Guide - TN

Brenda Deaver

Park Ranger (Interp.)

VACANT

Park Ranger (Interp.)

Sherry Fritschi

Park Guide - KY

Lynn Thornton

Park Ranger (Interp.)

E. Karen Thompson

 

Resource Management
Resource Protection at Big South Fork encompasses activities related to the management, preservation, and protection of a variety of natural communities and processes, historic structures, cultural landscapes, museum artifacts, and archaeological sites.

Activities within Natural Resource Management include ecosystem monitoring, research, restoration efforts, species-specific management initiatives, wildland fire management, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) management, and general resource protection.

The Cultural Resource Management program protects a legacy of American Indian and European-American heritage spanning over 12,000 years.  In terms of total sites, Big South Fork is the most important archaeological location in the Southeast Region of the National Park Service.  The 1,335 documented archaeological sites at Big South Fork represent only 20% of the estimated total for the park.

Chief Resource Management

Tom Blount

Biological Science Technician

Myra Marcum

Archaeologist

Tom Des Jean

Biological Science Tech.

Etta Spradlin

Wildlife Biologist

Steven Bakalatez

Botanist

Marie Kerr

Hydrologist Jim Hughes
Community Planner Phyllis Trabold


 

Visitor & Resource Protection
Big South Fork's law enforcement rangers are primarily responsible for providing safety and security for the park's visitors and infrastructure.  Specific visitor safety programs include emergency medical services, search and rescue, and law enforcement.  In addition law enforcement personnel closely work with Resource Management to provide archeological site patrols, resource damage detection, and criminal investigation and prosecution as necessssary.

Big South Fork is an area of concurrent jurisdiction, meaning that within the boundaries of the park, the park's law enforcement personnel and the State jointly exercise law enforcement authority.

Chief Ranger

Frank Graham

Park Ranger (Visitor Protection)

Randy Scoggins

Park Ranger (Visitor Protection)

Barry Melloan

Park Ranger (Visitor Protection)

Kristy Kozel Slaven

Park Ranger (Visitor Protection)

Kevin Moses

Park Ranger (Visitor Protection)

Raymond Little

Park Ranger (Visitor Protection)

Tommy Barnes

Park Ranger (Visitor Protection)

Jimmy Barna

Visitor Use Assistant Supervisor

Tish Casada

Visitor Use Assistant (Seasonal) - TN

Charles Beets

Visitor Use Assistant (Seasonal) - TN

Dan Smith

Visitor Use Assistant (Seasonal) - KY

Doug Singleton

Forestry Technician

VACANT

Forestry Technician

VACANT

Forestry Technician

VACANT

Forestry Technician

VACANT

Forestry Technician

VACANT

 

Facility Management
The Maintenance functional area encompasses all activities designed to improve or prolong the life of the park's assets. The preservation of these resources allows for visitors to safely enjoy their activities at Big South Fork.  Park personnel confront distinct challenges created by the large geographic separations between park facilities, often traveling long distances to service roads, trails, or buildings.

The Roads Maintenance program includes services that ensure the safe and effective use of all roadways for park visitors and staff. It is responsible for maintaining all paved and unpaved surfaces, road shoulders, and bridges throughout Big South Fork.

Buildings Maintenance is dedicated to prolonging the life and improving the interior and exterior condition of the more than 80 buildings at Big South Fork.

Big South Fork has an extensive trail system with close to 400 miles of trails for many different recreational opportunities, including hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Trails Maintenance activities include repair and rehabilitation of trails in order to prolong the life of these precious assets.

Supervisory Facility Operations Specialist

Stephen Handley

Maintenance Support Assistant

Paula Crowley

Engineering Equipment Operator Supervisor

VACANT

Maintenance Mechanic

Zane Roberts

Engineering Equipment Operator

Rudy Slaven

Engineering Equipment Operator

Darrell Trammell

Maintenance Worker Supervisor

Wallace Linder

Maintenance Worker

Phillip Tinch

Tractor Operator

Dennis Stephens

Maintenance Worker

VACANT

Maintenance Worker

Donnie Williams

Maintenance Worker

Walt Singleton

Maintenance Mechanic Supervisor

Wayne Seabolt

Electrician

Darrell Smith

Utility Systems Operator

David York

Carpenter

Dale Beagle

Maintenance Mechanic

VACANT

Maintenance Worker

Jeff Beaty

Utility Sys. Repairer

Jo Etta Taylor

Maintenance Worker

VACANT

Seasonal

Bo Smith          

Maintenance Worker Supervisor

VACANT

Maintenance Worker

David Swanson

Maintenance Worker

VACANT

Maintenance Worker

VACANT

Horseback Riders in Big South Fork  

Did You Know?
With two equestrain campgrounds, a stable operation and over 180 miles of horseback riding trails, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is truely a riders paradise.
more...

Last Updated: July 16, 2008 at 19:50 EST