CASE STUDY 3 - Gregory Balds in the Great Smoky Mountains
Many of the mountaintops in the southern Appalachians are not heavily forested but are actually open meadows called "balds." How the balds originated is not clear; perhaps they were formed by fires started by lightening, or maybe caused by intentional clearing by Indians or settlers who wanted summer grazing pastures. But one of these clearings, Gregory Bald, is a very special place for azalea fanciers. Located on the Tennessee-North Carolina border in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park near Cades Cove, this exposed mountaintop rises to an elevation of 4,949 feet and is home to some of the most extraordinary deciduous azaleas on earth.
The mountain's summit makes it a popular hiking destination. Not only the hiking, but also the flame azaleas that bloom over the bald every summer is an attraction feature. Azalea lovers from all over the world come here to witness the many acres of fire red, wine red, orange, salmon, yellow, white, pink, and multi-colored azaleas that reach peak bloom around mid-to-late June.
Gregory Bald is a type of mountain known as a grassy bald. These grassy balds are covered by a thick layer of wild grass. The summit of Gregory Bald can be reached via several well-maintained hiking trails.
Gregory Bald is a large grassy meadow, and is one of two balds maintained by the park. It's not clear whether this high elevation meadow was created by nature, or was cleared by some of the early settlers. Without periodic maintenance from the National Park Service, both Andrews Bald and Gregory Bald would be reclaimed by natural forest growth.
Take aways-
1) We need to identify and preserve the best forms of the very unique azaleas that inhabit the bald. The park service had been doing an excellent job in restoring the bald, but what can be done to preserve and distribute some of the finer forms that are growing there? We must not lose these treasures.
2) We should continue to look for subtle clues as to the origins of the azaleas that made their way to this mountain. Historians should try to collect old photographs of the bald and botanists could try to determine the age and map the location of these original plants.
1) We need to identify and preserve the best forms of the very unique azaleas that inhabit the bald. The park service had been doing an excellent job in restoring the bald, but what can be done to preserve and distribute some of the finer forms that are growing there? We must not lose these treasures.
2) We should continue to look for subtle clues as to the origins of the azaleas that made their way to this mountain. Historians should try to collect old photographs of the bald and botanists could try to determine the age and map the location of these original plants.