ACTION ALERT
Draft Management Plan Could Eliminate Climbing Opportunities in the Moses Cone Memorial Park, NC
Blue Ridge Parkway National Park
YOUR COMMENTS NEEDED BY DECEMBER 15TH!
The National Park Service has released a draft Developed Area Management Plan (DAMP) for the Moses Cone Memorial Park in the Blue Ridge National Park. The plan evaluates two alternatives for the park. The park’s 2nd alternative would eliminate climbing in the Moses Cone Memorial Park, specifically access to China Creek Orchard home of the Blowing Rock Boulders.
Your voice and comments are needed now to keep climbing at the Blowing Rock Boulders. The plan can be viewed at: www.ncbouldering.com/BCC/PIN.pdf.
Here are some points you may wish to include in your comments:
1. State why climbing at Blowing Rock Boulders is important to you.
2. You support the vision of this plan to enhance the historical preservation of the Cone Manor Estate and its contributions to Western North Carolina history.
3. The closure of the Blowing Rock Boulders a.k.a. China Creek Orchard is not necessary to support this plan or its vision.
4. Alternative 1, “Use What We Have” strikes the best balance between the Park’s goals of preservation, protection, education and recreation.
Your comments may be sent through the mail to the following address:
Superintendent
Blue Ridge Parkway
199 Hemphill Knob Road
Asheville, NC 28803
or submit online at the following address:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?parkID=355&projectID=10347&documentId=17103
For those who live in and around Boone, NC, the Boone Climbers Coalition has reserved a meeting room at the Watauga County Public Library in downtown Boone Wednesday, December 13th from 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm to answer questions and hopefully allow you to make comments online using the library computers.
Your opinions on all elements of the proposed alternatives are valuable for developing a reasonable plan; and especially so if you want to continue climbing at Blowing Rock. Please make your voice heard and send comments to Developed Area Management Plan for the Moses Cone Memorial Park. For information, please contact Anthony Love, Boone Climbers Coalition at: loveab@appstate.edu