Volunteers Sought for Invasive-Plant Inventory in Southern Nantahala Wilderness
Asheville, N.C. (August 3, 2009) — The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) is seeking volunteers to participate in an invasive plant workshop on Friday, August 14 and to conduct invasive plant inventory Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16. These workdays will occur on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness. The focus of this volunteer effort is to educate people about the threats of invasive exotic plants, and how to identify and inventory invasive species to help managers control these populations in the future. Backpacking, camping, and a three day commitment are encouraged, due to the remote location of this work project.
On August 14, participants will meet at 4pm at the entrance to Standing Indian Campground in the Nantahala National Forest, Wayah Ranger District. A workshop, led by expert instructors, will outline the threats that invasive exotic (IE) plants pose to native biodiversity and how to identify over twelve of the most common species in our region. The workshop will offer training in the tools and techniques used to inventory IE plants, including an introduction to GPS technology and Eddmaps, an online database used to map IE plant populations nationwide. Guide books will be distributed to participants to aid them in future identification and control of IE plants.
The group will car-camp Friday night in preparation for the inventory work on Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday morning, the group will backpack 2.9 miles on the Beech Gap Trail. At Beech Gap, we will drop our packs, set up camp, then hike 2.8 miles on the AT, taking inventory of any invasive exotic plants. We will then return to camp on the AT for a daily total of 8.5 miles. On Sunday morning, we will hike 3.0 miles from Beech Gap to Standing Indian Mountain on the AT, taking inventory of any invasive exotic plants. After returning to Beech Gap, we will backpack out 2.9 miles on the Beech Gap Trail, for a daily total of 8.9 miles. These hikes will be strenuous due to hilly terrain, long distance, and carrying heavy packs. The weekend will offer the opportunity to learn not only about invasive plants, but also about the native flora that make this area so valuable.
ATC will provide all equipment needed for the inventory and workshop. Volunteers are asked to bring a backpack, sleeping bag, tent or tarp, lunch for two days, breakfast for two days, bowl and spoon, at least two quarts of water, raingear, sturdy hiking boots or shoes, and appropriate clothes for hot or cool weather. ATC will provide dinners for Friday and Saturday night, camp stove(s), and water filter. Carpooling can be arranged leaving Asheville at 2pm Friday afternoon, returning Sunday evening around 6pm.
Individuals or groups interested in volunteering, or seeking more information can contact the ATC Resource Management Coordinator as soon as possible by emailing jodell@appalachiantrail.org or calling the regional office at (828) 254-3708.
ATC has long been a national leader in coordinating volunteers to conserve public lands, bringing under its umbrella about 6,000 men and women each year to contribute more than 200,000 hours in maintaining and managing the Appalachian Trail and its 250,000-acre buffer.
With the coordinated effort of partners including Western North Carolina Alliance, Equinox Environmental, Inc., the U.S. Forest Service, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the management of invasives removal is greatly increasing.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to the preservation and management of the natural, scenic, historic, and cultural resources associated with the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in order to provide primitive outdoor-recreation and educational opportunities for Trail visitors.
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