Blue Ridge Country May/June 2023 - 82

LEADERS BY NATURE: THE MOUNTAIN Q & A
TRACY SWARTOUT:
'Coming Home' to the Parkway
Tracy Swartout, the Blue Ridge Parkway's first female superintendent, was deputy
superintendent at Mount Rainier National Park, superintendent at Congaree National
Park and was the southeast region's superintendent of the year in 2012. She holds a B.A.
in environmental geography from the University of South Carolina and a Master's of
natural resource management from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.
Interview by MARY LEIDIG | Photo courtesy UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
How were your childhood and work for National
Parks essential to landing your " dream job " of Blue
Ridge Parkway superintendent in 2021?
Growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, as an only
child, I spent a lot of time entertaining myself outdoors,
and with my grandparents. Both grandfathers were veterans.
My parents were civil servants-my father, an air
quality specialist for South Carolina; my mother, in administration
for the U.S. Attorney's office. This influenced
me in two ways. I have always believed in public service
and a strong work ethic. I have a lifelong appreciation for
nature and the joy and meaning it brings to our lives.
What would the region be like without the parkway's
" 469 miles without a stop sign " ?
It was created to link Shenandoah and Great Smoky
Mountains national parks, designed as a leisurely drive-
connecting dozens of small communities and visitors to
culture, history and experience of the region. People drive
a while and stop a while-for 469 miles. Nearly 16 million
people travel it each year. Driving the parkway connects
you with the soul of Southern Appalachian communities.
About 40 years' worth of infrastructure work will be
completed in the next four years. How is this possible?
Investments in critical park infrastructure and operations
allow it to continue to serve the nation in its important
role as a driver of tourism and support local
economies. Funding comes from the Great American
Outdoors Act and National Parks and Public Lands Legacy
Restoration Fund.
GAOA helps address extensive maintenance backlog in
national parks and provides funding for five years. Projects
include enhancements for 100 miles of roadway in
both states, and replacement of the historic Laurel Fork
Bridge. This will ensure the parkway is ready for its next
50 years. Projects are phased with staggered closures, allowing
access to most recreation areas. This funding is
about 10 times as much as is typical.
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What do you and your family enjoy together?
We enjoy the outdoors with our dogs. Our family enjoys
hiking in national forests, canoeing, paddle boarding and
mountain biking. We also love camping, live music and
the arts. My husband and son play and create music, and
my daughter and I enjoy ceramics and quilting. Our lives
are filled with art, music and the outdoors!
How are National Parks in the " forever business " ?
On the parkway, we acknowledge we are the stewards of
this place, but National Parks Service oversight represents
a sliver of time in thousands of years of stewardship in
our area by native peoples. This includes tribal partners'
continued good work of stewardship today.
National Parks are in the forever business since our
mission is to ensure protection of resources into the future.
We are uncovering stories never fully told along the
parkway. This helps all people see themselves in the stories
told in our national parks. We're doubling down on
efforts to research and understand diverse experiences so
we can represent our history, and welcome all people now
and in the future. We are more fully interpreting tribal history
and stewardship, and deepening scholarship on the
impacts of segregation as parkway areas were planned and
operated. These histories deserve telling.
We're also trying to show how climate change impacts
are visible along the parkway and how issues such as
heavy visitor use, when combined with climate-induced
stressors on delicate vegetation, can be adjusted to better
protect resources.
Tell us about some of the parkway's timeless features.
Some touches that make this road beautiful include handbuilt
split rail fences, incredible stonework and carefully
designed overlooks. Hundreds of miles of historic road
corridor, trails and historic buildings are maintained by
our talented, dedicated park crews. They carry on the
work of preserving this place, making it enjoyable for future
generations.
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Blue Ridge Country May/June 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country May/June 2023
