GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Stretching over 200,000 hectares of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) is one of the largest protected areas in the Eastern United States. Designated an International Biosphere Reserve for its extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life, GRSM is home to over 3,500 plant species (http://whc.unesco.org/sites/259.htm) and at least 300 vertebrate animal species. GRSM is also noted for the beauty of its mountains and waterways and provides numerous examples of the remnants of pioneer culture. Its beauty is no secret; GRSM is an exceptionally popular destination for nature-loving tourists, attracting over nine million visitors each year.

The influx of great numbers of visitors, and settlers before the park was established, has a downside as well. With popularity came development, reduction in plant and animal habitat, introduction of non-native invasive plants and animals and well-intentioned if misguided management practices. One of these well-intention practices was the policy of extinguishing all fires. Before its role in many ecosystems was recognized, fire was seen as a destructive force with no redeeming qualities. As we have had more opportunity to study the process of fire we have come to realize that not only does fire have redeeming qualities, it is absolutely necessary for the maintenance of many plant and animal species. This was originally recognized by the NPS with the completion of the Leopold Report in 1963 (Leopold, 1963). A primary goal of GRSM management is to preserve the native plants and animals found in the park. In order to achieve this goal it is necessary to preserve the natural processes that perpetuate them, including fire. Today, Great Smoky Mountains National Park employs Wildland Fire Use (WFU), in which naturally ignited wildfires are allowed to burn in designated areas under prescribed conditions.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park was selected for this study based on the availability of data, the existence of a fire management plan that includes WFU and the desire to respond to the Park's request for additional fire research in Southern deciduous forest types as called for in their Resource Management Plan (RMP). Among the areas of fire research called for in the RMP are inquiries into "the natural role of fire" and "the use of fire as a management tool".

Leopold, A. S., S. A. Cain, D. M. Cottam, I. N. Gabrielson, and T. L. Kimball. 1963. Wildlife management in the national parks. Trans. North Am. Wildl. Nat. Res. Conf. 28:28-45.