week of  2/6/02
 
 
 


Meetings to gage public support of land swap
By Don Hendershot
Scoping Meetings
° Feb. 12 at Cherokee Elementary School, U.S. 441 in Cherokee.
° Feb. 13 at Ellington Hall, University of Tennessee, 2431 Center Dr. in Knoxville.
° Feb. 14 at Blue Ridge Parkway Folk Arts Center, Milepost 382, Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville.
° All meetings will be held from 6-9 p.m. The public is invited to comment, in person, in writing or both. Public statements will be limited to three minutes. The public record will remain open until Feb. 28. For more information call 888.820.3644 or email NPSlandexchange@saic.com. Address written comments to National Park Service, Southeast Region, Attn: Anita Jackson, 100 Alabama St. SW, Atlanta, Ga., 30303.


After 20 months of research, studies, and surveys the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the National Park Service are ready to solicit public comment on a proposed land swap between the tribe and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The process to date has been quite guarded with GSMNP staff prompted to direct all inquiries to to the NPS’s southeastern regional headquarters in Atlanta and the tribe’s desire to wait for preliminary natural resource, archaeological, cultural and environmental studies to be completed and reviewed before moving forward with public meetings. The interest level regarding the swap is expected to rise dramatically during the course of three public scoping meetings scheduled for Feb. 12 in Cherokee, Feb. 13 in Knoxville and Feb. 14 in Asheville.

The land in question, the Ravensford tract, is approximately 170 acres of bottomland adjacent to the Oconaluftee River, along Big Cove Road, and presently separates Big Cove from the rest of the Qualla Boundary. Principal Chief of the EBCI, Leon Jones feels opponents of the land swap have mislead the public regarding the location of the tract. In a commentary to the Asheville Citizen-Times Jones stated, “The Ravensford Tract is not, as claimed by a guest commentator in the Citizen-Times, ‘between the Oconaluftee entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway.’ The field south of the pioneer homestead is well known to anyone who has visited the Park, and our proposal does not affect it. The Ravensford Tract is behind the river along Big Cove Road. It is not visible from the Oconaluftee entrance and is screened by trees and ridges from the Blue Ridge Parkway.”

The tribe has openly sought the property since the early 1970s. In 1971, the tribe proposed a golf course for the site to generate much needed revenue for the tribe. With the advent of high stakes gaming and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino the tribe has been able to shift its priorities. The tribe seeks the Ravensford tract today to build schools and to reunite Big Cove with the rest of the reservation.

Opponents acknowledge the tribe’s need for new school facilities but insist the tribe has the resources to find another suitable site. They contend the tract, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, is too rich in natural and cultural resources to be removed from the park.

Bob McCollum, chairman of the North Carolina National Parks, Parkway and Forests Development Council believes this special designation mandates the NPS to protect the Ravensford tract. Other environmental and conservation organizations including the Sierra Club, Western North Carolina Alliance, Land O’Sky Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and the National Parks Conservation Association are on record opposing the swap.

The tribe has received support from local and national government officials. Supporters include the Swain County Board of Commissioners, U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor (R. N.C.) and U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, (R. N.C.).

Taylor’s press secretary Will Haynie said the congressman strongly supported the tribe’s efforts and that representatives from his office would attend the meetings.

Wayne Boyles, spokesman for Sen. Helms said it was “crystal clear” that the tribe needed new schools. He said the senator’s office would continue to help the tribe.

Resource specialist for the Blue Ridge Parkway, Gary Johnson, said Parkway staff would also be present at the meetings. The tribe has identified 218 acres along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Waterrock Knob as being suitable for exchange.

Paul Winegar, NPS spokesman for the southeastern district said that while land swaps of this nature were rare, they were not unprecedented. He noted that exchanges between the NPS and Native American tribes have been facilitated in the western U.S. but Winegar said this proposal is still in the early stages.

He said the February meetings were scoping meetings, not public hearings. “It’s an invitation for everyone to give us their comments and concerns. This is a listening thing, not a public debate,” he said.

Winegar said there will be handouts, exhibits and short overviews presented by the NPS and EBCI. He said staff from both organizations would be present to answer questions. After the short presentation the floor will be open for public input.

According to Winegar, the information from the scoping meetings will be used to draft an Environmental Impact Statement describing the proposed swap and other alternatives. There will be time for public review and public comment on the EIS before any decisions are made.

David Nash, attorney general for the EBCI, said the tribe is looking forward to the scoping meetings. He invites all interested parties to come and “add their thoughts” to the process.