706 Walnut Street
Suite 200
Knoxville, TN 37902
AL, AR, GA, KY, NC, MS, SC, TN
The parks of the Southeast abound with superlatives. Here you can find the world’s longest cave system (Mammoth Cave) and the highest visited national park in the country (Great Smoky Mountains). Touring the parks will expose you to Southern Appalachia, one of the most biodiverse regions of the world, while also introducing you to this continent’s tragic and triumphant history – from Native American occupation to the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and beyond. In a landscape long-settled by people, NPCA’s Southeast Regional Office works to protect the amazing resources of this region’s national parks while also striving to connect this area’s varied stories and landscapes.
Undaunted by lengthy battles, the staff of the Southeast regional and field offices tackle monumental challenges. They advocate for clean air and water at parks like Buffalo National River, for improved visitor experiences at places like Blue Ridge Parkway, and for preservation of the diversity and connectedness of the natural and cultural resources in their region. One of their biggest achievements includes a settlement agreement with Tennessee Valley Authority resulting in the largest cleanup and retirement of coal-fired power plants in U.S. history. With strategic community engagement, they stopped a road from fragmenting a vast roadless area in the Great Smokies and added 4,500 acres of the Fern Lake watershed to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.
Southeast Regional Office Field Reports
These field reports provide timely updates and perspectives on issues of interest to our members and supporters in North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
See more ›Hoping to build on these successes, the Southeast team’s current priorities include protecting Cumberland Island National Seashore from a commercial spaceport, expanding its coastal program at parks like Cape Hatteras, ensuring the biological connectivity of the parks in the Southern Appalachians, and establishing the first national park in Georgia – Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve. In addition, whether it’s an industrial-sized hog farm threatening the Buffalo River, our nation’s first national river, or mountaintop removal impacting the Big South Fork, the Southeast office will continue to focus on ensuring that our nation’s vital waters run strong and clear. Join the Southeast in their rewarding work to protect this region’s unique parks.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
To save the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse from rising sea levels and shoreline erosion, the lighthouse was moved over half a mile inland in 1999!
Field Offices in the Southeast Region
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Asheville Field Office
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- Address:
- 1 Rankin Ave., Second Floor, Asheville, North Carolina 28801
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More about the Southeast region
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Read more about Park Talks
Regional Events Park Talks Join our NPCA community for virtual "Park Talks" to learn about our work and ways you can get involved.
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Read more about Hidden Names, Hidden Stories
Magazine Article Hidden Names, Hidden Stories A journey to the depths of Mammoth Cave to record signatures left by Civil War soldiers.
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Read more about Welcome to the Family!
Magazine Article Welcome to the Family! Three new parks joined the system this fall.
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Read more about On the Road to Freedom: Understanding Civil Rights Through our National Parks and Heritage Areas
Land Based Trip On the Road to Freedom: Understanding Civil Rights Through our National Parks and Heritage Areas Join NPCA experts on this remarkable journey through some of the most significant sites associated with American civil rights. Along the way, you will have a unique opportunity to meet with NPCA partners, local historians, and even some of the faithful activists known as foot soldiers who actively played a role in the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. Learn firsthand about NPCA’s role in expanding cultural resource protections to help preserve the story of civil rights. This program allows you to experience cultural elements, such as food and music, that defined the period.
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Because all good things come from protecting our most valuable resource and gift. — Peyton Kent
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Read more about Prehistoric Sharks Discovered at Mammoth Cave, Among Other Scientific Surprises
Blog Post Prehistoric Sharks Discovered at Mammoth Cave, Among Other Scientific Surprises Paleontologists uncover remarkable findings at three separate park sites, with potential for more new discoveries
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Read more about Spooky, Beautiful Photos of Abandoned Park Towns
Blog Post Spooky, Beautiful Photos of Abandoned Park Towns National parks preserve landscapes with centuries of history. Sometimes beauty is in the remnants of what is no longer there.
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Read more about Erased by History: The Seldom-Told Stories at 6 Nationally Significant Sites
Blog Post Erased by History: The Seldom-Told Stories at 6 Nationally Significant Sites Black LGBTQ people have long made history in America. Why don’t we know the names of these people and places?
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Read more about The Power of Protest
Blog Post The Power of Protest These 7 sites honor the long history of Americans fighting for their civil rights.
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Read more about Celebrate Dark Skies at These 27 National Parks
Blog Post Celebrate Dark Skies at These 27 National Parks Lay out a blanket after the sun goes down and see a clearer view of the universe at these designated dark-sky parks.
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Read more about Trump Administration Signals To Reopen National Parks While Health Concerns Remain
Press Release Trump Administration Signals To Reopen National Parks While Health Concerns Remain "Until it is completely safe to reopen, national parks must remain closed for the safety of park staff, visitors and communities." -- Theresa Pierno
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Read more about Amid Public Health Threat, Park Superintendents Given Authority to Close Areas Within National Parks
Press Release Amid Public Health Threat, Park Superintendents Given Authority to Close Areas Within National Parks These are unprecedented times, and we need to make sure park staff and visitor's health comes first.
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Read more about Homecoming
Magazine Article Homecoming Exactly 40 years after completing the Appalachian Trail, nine hikers reunited in Maine. How had walking those 2,193 miles changed the course of their lives?
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Read more about Volgenau Wildlife Research Fellow
Staff Steven Goodman Steve is the Volgenau Wildlife Research Fellow with NPCA in Asheville, NC. He is the research lead for NPCA’s wildlife connectivity study in the Pigeon River Gorge near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He has 20 years’ experience as a Wildlife Biologist.
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Read more about Southeast Regional Office Field Reports
Report Southeast Regional Office Field Reports These field reports provide timely updates and perspectives on issues of interest to our members and supporters in North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
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Read more about Communications Manager
Staff and Media Personnel Kyle Groetzinger Kyle Groetzinger joined NPCA in June 2019 as Communications Manager for the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Sun Coast, and Texas regions, as well as NPCA's national cultural resources team.
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Read more about Ozone Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet Ozone Fact Sheet Ozone threatens the health of park visitors and contributes to the disease and death of park species such as the black cherry tree in the East and aspen and ponderosa pine in the West. National park ecosystems across the country are already showing damage from ground-level ozone pollution.
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Read more about 10 Ways to Be a Park Advocate
Resource 10 Ways to Be a Park Advocate Want to be an advocate for parks, but don't know where to start?
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Read more about A Legacy Threatened
Report A Legacy Threatened NPCA's photo book shows the damage to parks caused by the 2017 hurricanes.
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Read more about Diamond in the Rough
Report Diamond in the Rough An Economic Analysis of the Proposed Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve
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Read more about Southeast Regional Senior Program Manager
Staff Jeffrey Hunter Jeff Hunter is a senior program manager with National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) in Asheville, NC where he works on issues related to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
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Read more about Outreach and Engagement Manager
Staff Tracy Kramer Tracy is proud to work for NPCA because “What’s good for our national parks is good for the people, the land, our shared history and most importantly – our shared future. Leaving our national treasures unimpaired for future generations is important work and I’m excited to be a part of it."
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Read more about Senior Program Manager
Staff Chris Watson A Senior Program Manager in the Southeast region, Chris Watson works on landscape connectivity, beyond boundary protection, future parks/park expansions, urban parks and wildlands, and Native American cultural connectedness to the parks.
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Read more about Senior Advisor
Staff Don Barger Don founded the Southeast Regional Office in 1992, and currently serves as an advisor — visiting, loving, and fighting to protect the special parks of this region.
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Read more about Director, Communications
Staff and Media Personnel Alison Zemanski Heis Alison Heis joined the organization in 2010 and oversees media outreach and communications for the East Coast, Midwest, and NPCA's national water initiatives. She leads communication outreach focused on strengthening NPCA’s brand through corporate partnerships and our emerging celebrity engagement efforts.
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Read more about Campaign Director, Southeast Region
Staff Emily Jones Emily’s work as campaign director for the Southeast region revolves around building momentum within local communities and garnering congressional support to ensure our national parks become a national priority.
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Read more about Judgment on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation at Buffalo National River
Report Judgment on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation at Buffalo National River Judgment on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation at Buffalo National River
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Read more about Vicksburg National Military Park Expansion
Report Vicksburg National Military Park Expansion NPCA has advocated for an addition to Vicksburg to the national park site for three years.
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Read more about Manhattan Project National Historical Park
Fact Sheet Manhattan Project National Historical Park At the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the National Park Service will interpret and facilitate discussion surrounding the complex stories of the Manhattan Project and the resulting impacts of atomic power and nuclear technology in the three major park site areas.
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Read more about Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality on Buffalo River
Letter Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality on Buffalo River Correspondence between Earthjustice and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality regarding the Buffalo River.
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Read more about Opposition to Legislative Proposals at Cape Hatteras, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton
Letter Opposition to Legislative Proposals at Cape Hatteras, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton NPCA urges Members of the House to Oppose H.R. 2954 when it comes to the House floor tomorrow. Specifically, NPCA opposes provisions to remove protections at Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Title V) and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (Title VII).
Explore Our Parks
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A–H
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park ›
- Andersonville National Historic Site ›
- Andrew Johnson National Historic Site ›
- Arkansas Post National Memorial ›
- Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area ›
- Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument ›
- Blue Ridge Parkway ›
- Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site ›
- Buffalo National River ›
- Camp Nelson National Monument ›
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore ›
- Cape Lookout National Seashore ›
- Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site ›
- Charles Pinckney National Historic Site ›
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area ›
- Chickamauga And Chattanooga National Military Park ›
- Congaree National Park ›
- Cowpens National Battlefield ›
- Cumberland Gap National Historical Park ›
- Cumberland Island National Seashore ›
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield ›
- Fort Frederica National Monument ›
- Fort Pulaski National Monument ›
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site ›
- Fort Smith National Historic Site ›
- Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park ›
- Freedom Riders National Monument ›
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park ›
- Guilford Courthouse National Military Park ›
- Horseshoe Bend National Military Park ›
- Hot Springs National Park ›
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I-O
- Jimmy Carter National Historical Park ›
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park ›
- Kings Mountain National Military Park ›
- Little River Canyon National Preserve ›
- Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site ›
- Mammoth Cave National Park ›
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park ›
- Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument ›
- Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument ›
- Moores Creek National Battlefield ›
- Natchez National Historical Park ›
- Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail ›
- Natchez Trace Parkway ›
- Ninety Six National Historic Site ›
- Obed Wild & Scenic River ›
- Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park ›
- Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail ›
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P-Z
- Pea Ridge National Military Park ›
- President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site ›
- Reconstruction Era National Historical Park ›
- Russell Cave National Monument ›
- Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail ›
- Shiloh National Military Park ›
- Stones River National Battlefield ›
- Trail of Tears National Historic Trail ›
- Tupelo National Battlefield ›
- Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site ›
- Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site ›
- Vicksburg National Military Park ›
- Wright Brothers National Memorial ›
Preserve Our Parks
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