Support Your Park
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SHARED RESPONSIBILITY The protection of the Parkway and surrounding region is an immense task, with much at stake. Decades of eroding budgets have reduced staffing and made it more and more difficult to maintain the parkway's aging and considerable infrastructure to monitor and preserve its many natural and cultural resources, and provide educational services for visitors. The trend is undeniably clear: fewer staff members must confront mounting threats and try to carry out a dual mission of preserving the Parkway and serving the visiting public. They cannot do it alone. Their success will depend on mobilizing an army of concerned citizens. The Parkway of tomorrow will be defined by the extent to which people today are willing to speak out on behalf of the Parkway and to invest in its future. Fortunately, many non-profit partner groups now work hand-in-hand with the Parkway staff. While these organizations have differing missions, they share an overarching goal: to preserve and enhance the national treasure that is the Blue Ridge Parkway. Blue Ridge Parkway Association: Promotes travel along the Parkway and provides print and electronic information to visitors about adjacent accommodations, attractions and communities. blueridgeparkway.org Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation: Raises funds to support many Parkway programs and projects. brpfoundation.org Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway: Promotes volunteerism and leads tree plantings to screen adjacent development. blueridgefriends.org Blue Ridge National Heritage Area: Helps operate the Parkway's Visitor Center (Milepost 384) and promotes the preservation and enjoyment of western North Carolina's cultural and natural heritage. blueridgeheritage.com Eastern National: While not a membership organization, this partner operates bookstores at Parkway visitor centers. Bookstore proceeds support numerous education and research programs on the Parkway. easternnational.org Carolina Mountain Club: Provide trail maintenance at the Parkway's southern terminus.carolinamountainclub.org Conservation Trust for North Carolina (ctnc.org) and the Western Virginia Land Trust (westernvirginialandtrust.org) Provide funds to preserve key tracts of land along the Parkway and seek private landowner support.
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Did You Know?
There are twenty six tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but only one in Virginia. This is primarily because the North Carolina mountains are more rugged than those in Virginia.