Birds From the spruce-fir forests at the highest elevations down to the valley bottoms, the Blue Ridge Parkway provides nesting habitat for northern and southern birds alike. Additional dozens of other species pass through the Parkway on their spring and fall migrations. In all, more than 250 bird species have ...

Natural Features & Ecosystems The Parkway winds 469 miles along the crests of the Southern Appalachians providing seemingly endless views of many parallel ranges connected by cross ranges and scattered hills. Beginning in Virginia the Parkway follows the Blue Ridge Mountains for the first 355 miles. Then it skirts the ...

Nonnative Species Managing and preserving natural resources, including Southern Appalachian ecosystems, individual native species and cultural landscapes, along a 469-mile ribbon of land with some 1,200 miles of boundary is extremely difficult. Because of its linear character, Blue Ridge Parkway lands are susceptible to invasion by exotic plants and animals ...