HOOPER BALD RESTORATION PROJECT, MULTICHAPTER
April 1, 2015      Spring Cleanup

Go take a hike.  It's an easy uphill half mile hike from the parking lot on the Cherohala Skyway (mile post 8) to Hooper Bald. (About 15 miles west of Robbinsville, NC)  Help George McLellan and other native azalea enthusiasts with some pruning.  Bring gloves, hat, loppers, lunch, saw, sandwich, etc.  Wednesday April 1st is the work day.  The Blackberry canes are springing up all over and need cutting back.  George will have a weed wacker and a mower, and he needs to know that there will be other people to help him because Jim Brant and Don Hyatt can't come this year.  Please contact George by phone if you are going to help.  Call before March 30th because he has a long drive to get to Hooper Bald from eastern Virginia.  

George McLellan: 
    Cell Phone: (804)-693-4253
    Home Phone: (804)-824-1012
 
Spring Cleanup on Hooper Bald 
March 31 – April 2, 2015 
George McLellan and Jim Brant have spearheaded a multi-chapter restoration project on Hooper Bald, trying to preserve a rare native stand of flame azaleas, R. calendulaceum. The mountain top which is on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee is easily accessible from the Cherohala Skyway, south of the Smokies. This area has some of the largest flowered forms of the species we have seen in the wild. For several years we have been cutting back encroaching vegetation so the native azaleas have room to grow. We also planted new seedlings back into the wild that we hope will establish. 
As some of you know, Jim is recovering from back surgery and we wish him a speedy recovery. Since it is not likely that he will make the spring cleanup session, George could use some help. He has selected April 1st as the target date, with March 31 and April 2 as travel dates. We intend to stay at the Microtel Inn in Robbinsville on 3/31 and 4/01.
Microtel Inn - Robbinsville 
11 Rodney Orr Bypass 
Robbinsville, NC 28771 
(828) 479-6772Of course, the trip is not all work since there will be time to admire the ephemeral spring wildflowers like trillium and hepatica in nearby Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. We hope some of you can join us!

George McLellan: 
    Cell Phone: (804)-693-4253
    Home Phone: (804)-824-1012

EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENT sent 3/16/15