Blue Ridge Parkway

FRIENDS of the
Blue Ridge Parkway, Inc.

A non-profit, volunteer organization
dedicated to preserving and protecting the
Blue Ridge Parkway, a national treasure.
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Fisher Peak Chapter

The always-active Fisher Peak Chapter is busy making plans for Spring 2008. With over 80 active members, Fisher Peak exemplifies the chapter concept FRIENDS seeks to create.  Local community volunteers working together for the common good of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  To date the Fisher Peak Chapter has completed construction of six (6) miles of walking trails and are installing two new bridges to the Blue Ridge Music Center in July.

Spring 2008 Volunteer Opportunities

The Fisher Peak Chapter will do trail work Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Plans are to work on landscaping around the Interpretive Center at the Blue Ridge Music Center (milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway). Please meet at the service gate (the one that goes behind the amphitheater) off of Foothills Road.

Scheduled work dates:

April 19 at 9 a.m. - trail work, meet at trailhead parking lot off of Foothills Road
May 3 at 9 a.m. - trail work, meet at trailhead parking lot off of Foothills Road
May 17 at 9 a.m. - landscape cleanup around amphitheater at Blue Ridge Music Center
June 13 1 p.m.-5 p.m. and June 14 9 a.m.-1 p.m. - Leaf and String Festival in Galax...volunteers needed to staff the information table
June 28 at 8 a.m. - trail work, meet at trailhead parking lot off of Foothills Road
July 19 at 2 p.m. - trail work, meet at trailhead parking lot off of Foothills Road
 
For more information, email Dottie Bramley at pdbramley@valink.com.

Trail Work

 

The highly-awaited bridges (in the works for 3 years) to the Music Center were delivered on July 10 and installed that week.  The Chapter provided a crew of volunteers to help move the materials to the work sites at the creeks and to help assemble two bridges.  

 

 

Split Rail Fences

The Fishers Peak Chapter turned out in force May 14 to train with NPS staff on restoring split rail fences on the Parkway.  These fences have deteriorated over the years because of winter weather, age, and farm animals.  Three chapter members from Fishers Peak joined five from Rocky Knob Chapter and four from Roanoke to repair the fences at Milepost 155, Smart View.

The Chapter will take on the restoration of fences from the North Carolina state line north to Orchards Gap (about 30 miles of fences).

 

Notre Dame Students

Dottie Bramley (Fishers Peak Chapter) led a group of Notre Dame students in trail maintenance in preparation of the opening season of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  FRIENDS is particularly proud of these and other college students who gave their spring breaks to help out on the Parkway.  And they worked very hard!

Notre Dame Students at Fisher's Peak
 To read more about how Fishers Peak works with Notre Dame Students over their spring break to clear the trails, click here.

Blue Ridge Music Center

There is another “music trail” not far off the Blue Ridge Parkway – the six miles of footpath through meadow and woods constructed by the Fishers Peak Chapter of FRIENDS. These dedicated volunteers have spent countless hours at the Blue Ridge Music Center and Museum (milepost 213 south of Galax, Va.) creating a trail system for hikers and music fans alike.

Future efforts will involve placement of signage along the trails so that day hikers can easily follow the loops and a variety of trail combinations. Eventually, and with the cooperation and oversight of Parkway naturalists, interpretive stations will be in place. These will seek to connect the natural history of the area with the cultural, particularly with the musical history that the museum depicts in its exhibits and performances.

Trails stalwart and master gardener Pete Bramley has the responsibility and the vision for natural landscaping in the park area. Done well, this can be both an aesthetic and educational opportunity that will involve the Fishers Peak chapter volunteers, and a project towards which FRIENDS members’ contributions can be put to good work.

Along the trails, the trails team has already constructed several boardwalks. These cross smaller protected trout feeder streams or sensitive wetlands where common and threatened wildflowers grow in profusion during the cool mountain summers.

The natural and cultural history of this beautiful area is now just a pleasant walk away from the museum and music center. Your financial support is needed now to enhance existing trails with sitting benches and natural landscaping, and for future phases of trail development.

You can contribute by contacting FRIENDS’ office at 1-800-228-7275 or by mailing a check to FRIENDS, P. O. Box 20986, Roanoke, Va. 24018. Please note on your check that the contribution is for Blue Ridge Music Center trails.