Blue Ridge Parkway 75 Symposium

Dates

1 p.m. on Thurs, Oct 14 to noon on Sat, Oct 16
Conference times vary

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Cost

$195 per person

Contact

Dr. Bob Smith
Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources
540.231.7679
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Location

The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
110 Shenandoah Avenue, NW
Roanoke, VA 24016

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Imagining the Blue Ridge Parkway for the 21st Century: Sustaining Communities, Environments, and Economies

Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment in cooperation with Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc. is hosting “Imagining the Blue Ridge Parkway for the 21st Century: Sustaining Communities, Environments, and Economies.” This is the second in a two-part conversation about the past and future of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the first part held in April at Appalachian State University. The historic Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in Roanoke, Virginia, will be the host hotel for this October 14-16, 2010 symposium, which will be the leading program on linear parkway planning held in this region and will include some of the foremost authorities to address issues that directly impact communities along the Parkway’s 469-mile route. The program is designed to assist community leaders, businesses, economic development authorities, tourism offices, Parkway officials, and supporters of the Parkway in working together for a sustainable future for the Parkway.

This conference will address such important issues as: What is the Blue Ridge Parkway’s impact on your community? Are you capitalizing on that potential? Is there more that you can do to keep the Parkway’s scenic views scenic, foster economic development and tourism initiatives, and be a good steward to this important natural resource? The organization tasked with planning and carrying out the 75th Anniversary initiatives invites you to join in the discussion of how this national treasure can impact your community’s future, as well as how various groups and individuals can partner with the Parkway to ensure its future and to leave a legacy for generations to come.

Here is a link to the Conference Program (PDF file). Program and additional registration information are below.

Preliminary Program

Thursday, October 14

Welcomes

 

 

Kick-off Keynote Address

Peter Jenkins, Author of A Walk Across America Sponsored by Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

 

 

Sustainability’s Three-legged Stool

• Social Implications — Ricky Cox
• Environmental Implications — Rupert Cutler
• Economic Implications — David Gantt

Daily Wrap-up

Reception/Dinner on Own

Friday, October 15

Welcomes

Plenary Panel

• Parkway Purpose, Idea, and Creation — Carlton Abbott
• Corridor Conservation and the Community’s Role — Gary Johnson
• Gateway Tourism — Steve Galyean
• Cultural Assets in Your Community — Todd Christensen
• Sustainable Economic Tourism — Woody Crenshaw

 

Lunch with Keynote Address
Gerard Baker — Assistant Director for American Indian Relations, National Park Service, and featured in Ken Burns’s film series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea

 

 

 

 

Community Challenges and Successes

• Historic Orchard at Altapass — Bill Carson
• Last Chance Landscape — Clay Goodman
• Blue Ridge Heritage — Steve Swartz

Opportunities

• Technology — John McGee
• Heritage — Barbara Duncan
• Virginia Green — Tom Griffin
• The National Park Service and the Needs of the 21st Century Visitor — Monika Mayr

Daily Wrap-up

 

Dinner with Keynote Address

Richard Louv, Author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder; co-founder and chairman Children & Nature Network. Sponsored by Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Note: Non-conference participants can attend the Friday evening dinner and keynote address. Cost is $50 per person. Please pre-register at www.cpe.vt.edu/reg/brp21.

 

Saturday, October 16

Issues Workshop

• Green Infrastructure Planning — Linda Giltz
• Parks and Neighbors — David Hill and Joe Elton

Shared Responsibility:

• A conversation with the audience, Parkway staff, and Parkway Partners about maintaining the Anniversary’s momentum

Conference Wrap-up/Adjournment

General Registration

The cost for this symposium is $195, which includes meals (one dinner on your own), breaks, and program materials. A block of rooms is available at The Hotel Roanoke for $129 each per night. To reserve your room, please call the hotel directly at 540.985.5900 or toll free at 866.594.4722 and ask for the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway room block. Reservations can be made no later than Monday, September 13, 2010.

All conference activity takes place at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. Built in 1882, the fully restored, Tudor-style facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers world-class lodging, including newly renovated guest rooms and 63,000 square feet of state-of-the-art conference space. The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center is situated alongside downtown Roanoke in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, Roanoke Regional Airport, and Roanoke’s bustling Farmer’s Market.

To register, visit www.cpe.vt.edu/reg/brp21. Conference registration deadline is Friday, September 24, 2010.

Exhibitor Showcase

A broad base of vendors that supply goods or services to communities along the Parkway will have the opportunity to showcase their companies’ products and services at the symposium. Registration for exhibitors is $850 and includes two registrations and an 8’ x 8’ exhibit space. The deadline for registration is Friday, September 24, 2010. To register, visit www.cpe.vt.edu/reg/brp21ex.

For more information, contact:

Bob Smith
Associate Dean for Engagement
Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources
540.231.7679

Penny Lloyd
Virginia Coordinator, Blue Ridge Parkway 75, Inc.
c/o Roanoke County Public Information Office
540.772.2104

Symposium Sponsors

Norfolk Southern Foundation
Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
County of Roanoke
Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources and Environment