Beauty and a challenge. Grassy Ridge Mow-off volunteers who camped for the weekend enjoyed a rainbow after enduring rainy weather.
Roa n Hi g h l a n d s Stewa rd ship
Ongoing Management of Appalachian Grassy Balds in TN and NC The growing popularity of the Highlands of Roan brings increasing challenges for preserving fragile high elevation ecosystems and rare plants. SAHC leads a broad coalition of partners to continue caring for our flagship conservation focus area and meet these challenges. We are so grateful for the hard work and dedication of a wonderful group of volunteers who came together – and braved variable weather – for our volunteer work days at Grassy Ridge and Round Bald. Volunteers handmowed 25 acres on Round Bald, Engine Gap, and Grassy Ridge. Staff also assisted Appalachian Trail Conservancy and U.S. Forest Service with planning for another approximately 20 acres that were managed on Hump Mountain and Bradley Gap. We also extend a special thanks to the NC Forestry BRIDGE crew for packing equipment on-and-off Grassy Ridge, and for their mowing work on Round
NC BRIDGE crew volunteers
Bald and Engine Gap. “Every year there is a huge sense of pride in being a part of a habitat restoration project that has been going on for 40 years to restore some of the most fragile ecosystems in the Southern Appalachians,” says Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett. “The commitment of volunteers and partners who come and help us every year is inspiring. At the same time, one of my favorite things is meeting new volunteers on the mountain and introducing them to this remarkable landscape.” “In the face of climate change, and knowing that these ecosystems are incredibly sensitive and imperiled, anything we can do to increase their resiliency and health is of the utmost importance,” continues Marquette. “We have made great strides in grassy balds management since the 1980s, but impacts to habitat are continually changing. For example, we see more invasive species now because there is
28 | View from the Highlands 2023 Vol. 2 | Conservation in Action
more foot traffic and visitation here than there was in the 1980s. To address that, we have installed the boot brush station at the Carvers Gap trailhead and continue to promote Leave No Trace guidelines. We encourage folks to look for the grassy ridge mow-off next year and come join us.” Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) provided funding for grassy balds management through their License Plate Grant Program.
Gray’s Lily Research Intern Ellie Huber, AT thru-hiker and a senior at Appalachian Sate University, documented hundreds of individual Gray’s lily plants on SAHC preserves this summer, increasing our knowledge of the species populations along Pyatt Creek and Roaring Creek. She further documented conditions that may impact populations in the future and made management recommendations, which could include enclosures to reduce deer browse or treatments to increase sunlight.
