Conservation

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       CONSERVATION   by  John Quinlan

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The MHH Board has approved a NEW Conservation Policy for the club, you can see it  HERE
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More on MHH Conservation Issues-Proposed Interstate 3 and Corridor ‘K’ Linkage-Two Related Disasters.

Background: At the last MHH board meeting, 1 December 2010, your board adopted the above two linked conservation issues; in addition to the Fires Creek in-holding issue which itself has become more heated due to the USFS rerouting of the Rim Trail.

The following will strive to offer more information concerning Corridor ‘K’ and Interstate-3. Construction of Corridor K would literally pave the way for Interstate 3 to slice through the mountains in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, bringing with it air, water, and noise pollution, forever changing local communities, landscape and wildlife habitats, not to mention the waste of taxpayer money for projects that do not have a justified need or purpose. Imagine the impact of an interstate going through Helen, GA northward through the Unicoi Gap, bisecting the A/T, carving its destructive path to Hiawassee, then  turning north to Hayesville, and then west to Murphy and ultimately on towards Knoxville. Aside from even the horrendous adverse environmental impacts, the costs for such a monumental conservation disaster would further exacerbate our country’s financial (deficit) condition.

The overall plans for Corridor K, generally aimed at linking Chattanooga with Asheville, were conceived and put into play over 40 years ago. Although there has been environmental analysis as sections have come up, there was never an environmental analysis, environmental planning, or any real environmental consideration of the entire route. Because of this lack of planning and forethought, the sections that have not been constructed are planned through the most difficult terrain and some of the most sensitive habitat and scenic areas of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

These sections, if constructed, would cause profound environmental and scenic destruction and would cost billions in taxpayer money to build. These uncompleted sections have been put on hold for precisely these reasons. Their environmental and economic costs are just too high. Recently there have been efforts to revive these projects. This effort is ill-advised and ignores the environmental impacts and the high cost of these projects when existing roads need maintenance. If this road were to be punched through, one of the hardest sections of I-3 to construct would already be completed.

These mountain slopes also contain numerous headwater streams that constitute and drain into fishing streams including prime trout waters. These streams are also upstream of municipal water supplies and recreation lakes. Significant portions of the land that the route would pass through are publicly owned, primarily national forest lands. These lands constitute valued wildlife habitat, including bear habitat, rare plant and animal habitat, and threatened and endangered species.

In the Ocoee area of eastern Tennessee, the corridor K route would pass between Big Frog and Little Frog Wilderness areas, passing virtually adjacent to the Little Frog Wilderness. Noise and deterioration of visual quality are likely to be apparent along the slopes of this area. The planned route would also pass very close to the Olympic Whitewater Center, degrading the recreation experience in the area. Bicycle and hiking trails near the Center would be destroyed and likely could not be relocated satisfactorily. Several trails would be destroyed, disrupted, or impacted, including the Benton MacKaye Trail, which would be crossed by the Corridor K route.

Nevertheless, the Corridor K project is listed as project of the Appalachian Regional Commission and appears to have some support from elected officials at various levels of government. Most of their misguided rationale stems from the dollars they hope to bring to their states to impress their constituents.

The cause for citizens to be concerned is clear and there are numerous opportunities for MHH club members to get involved.  

More information, as well as volunteer and/or donor opportunities can be obtained from the former Stop_I-3 organization, now called WaysSouth, using the web site:

   http://www.corridork.org
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Fires Creek Update. As you may have heard/read, the Southern Area Forest Coalition (SAFC) was a awarded a grant for the maintenance of Fires Creek. As a result of this grant, MHH was granted approximately $1500 to use for the purchase of trail maintenance equipment. The monies were granted in two increments spanning the time of Richard Sullivan and John Quinlan as Trail Directors. Each of these Directors used all of the monies in a coordinated manner to achieve the best trail maintenance equipment result.
 
One small example of the wonderful commitment by MHH will suffice to demonstrate this point. SAFC, as they wrote their grant, expected to use the award to permit 350-400 hours of trail maintenance effort at Fires Creek. Your club volunteers amasses approximately 1000 hours each year alone-most often without any monies or other inducements! A separate set of "kudos" should go to the members of MHH who volunteer their time to enhance our trails.
 
The outcome is that we are now in a great equipment position to field more volunteers in the constant challenge of caring for the trails that we all love. This challenge embodies both the concept of environmental stewardship as well as pure maintenance. More to the point in our area, this effort is not simply a trail maintenance effort, but speaks directly to conservation issues, such as erosion control, moreover embracing this view  helps to advance the efforts embodied in the American Great Outdoors Program. This a National Program that seeks to promote a better understanding by all of our citizens of this finite treasure that we enjoy and for which we are responsible to ensure that both advocacy and commensurate stewardship responsibilities go hand in hand. One cannot simply be pro environmental without understanding that said position entails appropriate action, by the individual,  for "on the ground care" (Stewardship).

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Great Work on Fires Creek. By Mark Shelley, SAFC Director

Tucked away in the extreme southwest corner of North Carolina amid some of the most remote and pristine scenery in the eastern United States, the Fires Creek area offers varied opportunities for superb interaction with the natural world.

Tusquittee Roadless Area, is the largest inventoried roadless area in the state of North Carolina. Its 13,000 acres was once part of a larger 17,000 acre roadless area, but was carved down to its current size by two decades of Forest Service road building and logging.

The premier trail in the area is the 26 mile long Fires Creek Rim Trail, which traverses the unusual horseshoe shaped bowl of mountains, crossing over Tusquitee Bald, which lies at 5,240 feet. It is part of an extensive trail system that is heavily used by hunters, fishers, backpackers, and horseback riders, and which highlights the area's important recreational values.

SAFC partners with the High Mountain Hikers whose mission it is to promote and facilitate hiking activities in the Southern Appalachians and to encourage involvement in the maintenance of trails and conservation of forest environments. Each month, this hiking club schedules work trips in both NC and GA. The club has been instrumental in reopening Chunky Gal Trail, opening and blazing a new trail to Boteler Peak, and is working presently to get the entire Fires Creek trail system upgraded.

SAFC, partially through a grant from Nature Valley, has contributed funds for the purchase of much-needed equipment for use by Mountain High Hikers.

Recreational values in this exemplary area are threatened by a 50 acre parcel of private property which is completely surrounded by publicly owned land. The owners of the property have indicated their intent to develop the land. This would be the only development inside of the basin and the area is high on steep slopes in the headwaters of a stream feeding Fires Creek. This will impair the pristine water quality in the area, severing the Rim Trail near its midpoint and ultimately disturbing the peaceful backcountry setting of this remote area.

SAFC encourages community involvement in the maintenance of the trails through this magnificent area and requests that the Forest Service purchase the private in-holding, protecting this conservation priority.

Partners: High Mountain Hikers, Wildlands CPR, WNCA, SELC, WildLaw,

 

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POLITICAL LEADERS' ADDRESSES FOR MHH 

GEORGIA

 
416 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3521
Web Form: chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email
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Isakson, Johnny - (R - GA)  
120 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3643
Web Form: isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm
 
GEORGIA. CONGRESSMEN TO US HOUSE
  • Barrow, John, Georgia, 12th
  • Bishop Jr., Sanford D., Georgia, 2nd
  • Broun, Paul C., Georgia, 10th
  • Gingrey, Phil, Georgia, 11th
  • Graves, Tom, Georgia, 9th
  • Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" Jr., Georgia, 4th
  • Kingston, Jack, Georgia, 1st
  • Lewis, John, Georgia, 5th
  • Linder, John, Georgia, 7th
  • Marshall, Jim, Georgia, 8th
  • Price, Tom, Georgia, 6th
  • Scott, David, Georgia, 13th
  • Westmoreland, Lynn A., Georgia, 3rd
  • Governor Sonny Perdue

    State Capitol Building

    Room 245

    Atlanta, GA 30334

    http://gov.georgia.gov/00/gov/contact_us/0,2657,78006749_94820188,00.html

     

    NORTH CAROLINA

    Burr, Richard - (R - NC)  
    217 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
    (202) 224-3154
    Web Form: burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Conta...
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    Hagan, Kay R. - (D - NC)  
    521 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
    (202) 224-6342
    Web Form: hagan.senate.gov/?p=contact
     
    NORTH CAROLINA. CONGRESSMEN TO US HOUSE
  • Butterfield, G.K., North Carolina, 1st
  • Coble, Howard, North Carolina, 6th
  • Etheridge, Bob, North Carolina, 2nd
  • Foxx, Virginia, North Carolina, 5th
  • Jones, Walter B., North Carolina, 3rd
  • Kissell, Larry, North Carolina, 8th
  • McHenry, Patrick T., North Carolina, 10th
  • McIntyre, Mike, North Carolina, 7th
  • Miller, Brad, North Carolina, 13th
  • Myrick, Sue, North Carolina, 9th
  • Price, David, North Carolina, 4th
  • Shuler, Heath, North Carolina, 11th
  • Watt, Mel, North Carolina, 12th
  • TENNESSEE

    Senator Lamar Alexander

    455 Dirksen Senate Office Building

    Washington, DC 20510

    202-224-4944

    http://alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

    Senator Bob Corker

    185 Dirksen Senate Office Building

    Washington, DC 20510

    202-224-3344

    http://corker.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm

    Representative John J. Duncan, Jr. (Knoxville), Dist. 2

    2267 Rayburn House Office Building

    Washington, DC 20515

    202-225-5435

    http://www.house.gov/writerep/

    Representative Zach Wamp

    1436 Longworth House Office Building

    Washington, DC 20515

    202-225-3271

    http://www.house.gov/wamp/IMA/get_address4.htm