The Friends of South Cumberland reply on an active and growing individual and family membership to sustain our work.  Your membership is so very important.  If you are not a member, please join today.

We also appreciate the assistance and support of many other wonderful groups, corporations and foundations who share our vision and love for the park.  We have worked with or are currently working with all of these fine organizations:

Benwood Foundation
Crye*Leike 1st Realty
DuBose Conference Center
Greeter Building Centers
Land Trust for Tennessee
LaRoche Charitable Lead Trust
Lyndhurst Foundation
Mead Containerboard
Monteagle Sunday School Assembly
Mountain Outfitters
South Cumberland Regional Land Trust
Southeastern Climbers Coalition
Tennessee Parks & Greenways Foundation
The Access Fund
The Conservation Alliance
The Conservation Fund
The Nature Conservancy
The Rust Foundation
The Sierra Club Tennessee Chapter
Trust for Public Land
Turner Security Company
Turner Studios

Projects to Help and Support Your Park

Some of our accomplishments include:

• Addition of more than 4,000 acres to the park since 1993
• Construction of a Ranger residence at Grundy Forest
• Purchase and training of a search and rescue dog
• Funding for Americorp crews to maintain and improve park trails
• Purchase of canoes and trailer for teaching canoeing at Grundy Lakes and rappelling gear for Stone Door
• Purchase of safety equipment for our Rangers
• Construction of foot bridges in Savage Gulf and on the Fiery Gizzard Trail
• Removal of 100 tons of junk cars and trucks from Fiery Gizzard Gulf
• Construction of a picnic pavilion at the Visitor Center
• Construction of new rest rooms at Foster Falls and Grundy Forest
• Sponsorship of the annual children’s Easter Egg Hunt
• Purchase of computer equipment and FAX machines

Goals

Our long term vision for the park includes:

• Completion of the Park Master Plan, which includes the permanent protection or acquisition of land surrounding the park to create defensible wilderness boundaries

• Preservation of the Fiery Gizzard Trail through conservation easements or property acquisition to keep one of the nation’s top twenty-five backpacking trails open to the public

• Providing materials, funds and volunteer support for interpretive programs, construction projects, trail maintenance and park security

• Creating and supporting opportunities for citizen involvement and education

• Supporting ecotourism as an environmentally sustainable economic enterprise for Tennessee and the communities surrounding the park

• Preserving biodiversity and a true wilderness experience for current and future generations

Awards

The Friends of South Cumberland State Recreation Area, Inc. is the recipient of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation 2001 Civic Volunteer Award.

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