Preserve Shenanhoah Park

Wilderness Renewal

In 1976, 40 percent of Shenandoah was designated as wilderness by Congress. Wilderness is defined in The Wilderness Act as: "...an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man..." Shenandoah is part of a national system of wilderness areas in our public lands.

Wilderness areas provide refuge for wildlife and humans. In wilderness there are opportunities for inspiration, solitude, education and recreation. Whether by the edge of a stream or at a mountain vista, we can feel a part of the natural world. Though these areas were inhabited by people in the past, evidence of human use in Shenandoah is preserved for discovery by future generations.

Even if you never enter a wilderness area, you can still reap the benefits of its existence. Clean springs feed water into local reservoirs and rivers reaching all the way to the Chesapeake Bay. Scientific studies provide information on ecosystems relating to areas close to home.

Shenandoah's wilderness area is an experience as well as a place. While you explore the park, take notice of your surroundings and reflect on the significance of our "enduring resource of wilderness."

A problem specific to Big Meadows is that of water. The wetland area of Big Meadows is one of the few high- elevation swamps in Virginia and is home to certain plants and animals that are rarely found elsewhere in the state. In the past 10 years, however, water usage in the Big Meadows area has doubled from 6 million gallons per year to more than 12 million gallons per year.

Occasional periods of drought have further complicated the problem. Please follow a few simple practices to help conserve water in the park:

• Take short showers instead of baths.

• Turn off faucets while washing dishes, washing your face and hands, or brushing your teeth.

• Report stuck valves or dripping faucets to park or concession employees.

Most resource managers now fully recognize that fire is a naturally occurring phenomenon that has a place in a healthy ecosystem. Pinecones from Table Mountain pine, for example, need fire to release seeds that will grow into new trees. For that reason and many others, the NPS staff occasionally uses prescribed burns to maintain the vitality of forests and meadow areas.

Uncontrolled fires, however, represent one of the biggest threats to preserving Shenandoah's natural and cultural resources. In spring and fall, the park is especially vulnerable to the negative effects of human-caused fires. For more information, see "Park Regulations & Safety" on pages 18—23.

Wildlife poachers, degraded air quality and acid rain are just a few of the other threats to the biological diversity of Shenandoah. To deter poachers during the hunting season, the National Park Service closes portions of the Skyline Drive after sundown. This policy makes it more difficult for poachers to enter the area and hunt wildlife at night. Hunting is prohibited in any season.

The opportunity to enjoy the scenic views of the Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont region is an important part of the visitor experience at Shenandoah. The NPS carefully monitors visibility in the park. Some of the characteristic blue haze is natural as trees release tiny water droplets and other gaseous molecules into the air. Sadly, 70 to 80 percent of the visibility-degrading haze seen in Shenandoah is human-made. Within the last half-century, visibility has decreased by about 50 percent.

Sulfates and nitrogen oxide from power plants and other industries in Virginia and in nearby states are carried to Shenandoah on air currents. Congressional legislation requires the air over Shenandoah to be the cleanest possible. To help combat a growing problem, NPS staff monitor the park's air quality.

Acid rain results when sulfur and nitrogen by-products in the air combine with water vapor and return to the earth as acids. The acids may damage sensitive plant foliage and change the chemical balance of streams and soils. If an imbalance occurs, living things may fail to reproduce or die. Since 1979, park staff have worked with the University of Virginia and other organizations in cooperative studies to detect and measure acid rain and its effect on the ecosystem.

With your help, and under the care of the National Park Service, all of this natural beauty will be here to explore for many years to come.

Your Money At Work

As you enter Shenandoah National Park, you pay an entrance fee or show an annual pass previously purchased. What you are "buying" with your entrance fee is an experience unique to the heritage of this country as well as a share in the stewardship of Shenandoah National Park.

The Fee Demonstration Program allows parks to retain 80 percent of collected entrance fees for various projects as permitted by Congress. During the course of this program Shenandoah will invest over $10 million in improvements. So what will you find as you visit?

• A new film and exhibit at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center orienting you to the world of Shenandoah National Park.

• A new ADA-compliant restroom at Byrd Visitor Center.

• Comfort Stations (restrooms) in the campgrounds have been rehabilitated.

• The history of Skyland has come to life in the restoration of Massanutten Lodge, with new exhibits and historic furnishings inside.

• The "summer White House" of Herbert Hoover, known as Rapidan Camp, is nearing the end of a nine-year restoration period.

• A new ADA-compliant amphitheater at Big Meadows with state-of-the-art equipment.

• Park archival collections are being preserved.

• Along the Skyline Drive, vistas of the Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont Plain are being cleared of decades of vegetation growth.

As a partner in the stewardship of Shenandoah National Park, you are helping to ensure its survival for generations to come.