The 2016 Year's End Newsletter

Wildfire Note:

As most of you know the Chimney Tops 2 Fire was reported in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, TN on Wednesday, November 23, 2016. The wildfire began burning in a remote location (Chimney Tops) of the park in steep terrain with vertical cliffs and narrow rocky ridges making access to the wildfire area difficult for firefighting efforts. On Monday, November 28, exceptional drought conditions and extreme winds caused the wildfire to grow rapidly, causing many new wildfire starts from embers carried miles away and downed powerlines in and adjacent to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cobbly Nob Fire was one of these fires. On Wednesday, December 7 the Sevier County District Attorney announced that two juveniles from Tennessee, who are not residents of Sevier County, were arrested in connection with the fire. Although these arrests have been made, the investigation into this incident is still ongoing.
The wildfires in the Smokies have been devasting to people as well as wildlife, and the park we all love so much.  The best way to help is to donate your time and money to the organizations helping victims and to organizations helping the park recover.

Executive Director Update

The 100th Anniversary celebration of the National Park Service is coming to an end, and Discover Life in America (DLIA) is embarking on the final leg of the Smokies’ All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI).  As we reflect on the enormous success of this project, we look to the future.   While we will continue to refine the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s (GSMNP) portfolio of life with information needed for the next 100 years, DLIA has its eyes set on expanding conservation efforts.  These include sharing this ATBI model for understanding regional, national, and even global biodiversity and fostering awareness.

Your contributions, financial, and in time and effort, have made DLIA a world-renowned research and conservation organization. We thank you for supporting this groundbreaking work.  We ask for your continued support as we expand our initiative.

 

Our model, which you have helped us build, has resulted in:

  • Developing and mapping an atlas of biodiversity of the park so that park managers, scientists, and citizens can access vital information about park species
  • Acquiring a better understanding of the places we study, enhancing our ability to preserve these treasures for perpetuity
  • Training and engaging over 3,000 citizen scientists of all ages, tapping into everyone’s internal “sense of wonder” to participate in new discoveries; and
  • Forming a partnership with the E. O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation where we will use the Smokies model for global biodiversity conservation.
 
* * We have identified almost 1,000 species new to science and more than 9,000 new species for the GSMNP. * * 
 
 

What does the future of DLIA hold?

We look forward to:
  • Further discovery of new species – there are literally thousands more to uncover!
  • Medical breakthroughs that may follow the discovery of new species
  • Creating a “Global Biodiversity Census” that will move biodiversity research and conservation forward exponentially; and
  • Educating and engaging the next generation of scientists through involvement in numerous citizen science programs.
 
Your donation is needed now more than ever.  Continue to celebrate 100 years of National Park Service excellence by continuing your support for the DISCOVERY of Life!  With your help, this ground-breaking work contributes to knowledge about the vast diversity of life on our planet.  Your gift is an investment in education, science, and the future of our most beloved places.  Please give today. (see end of this newsletter for ways to give)  
Latest Smokies Wildfire Update:
 
Chimney Tops 2 - December 13 Fire Update
Size: 17,140 ac                 Containment: 94%
Click HERE for the Latest Official Report
 
 
 

Events for 2017
EVENT DATE
Biodiversity Days at Duke March 2-4
Park Science Colloquium March 23
TVA Wild Area Bioblitze At Norris Dam, TN April 22
TVA Wild Area Bioblitze At Chickamauga Dam, TN April 29
Smokies Biodiversity Days June 16-18
Science at Sugarlands May thru October
Norton Creek Firefly Celebration June 2,3 and 4
The Salamander Ball September 24th
Click HERE to see DLIA Website Schedule!

Nature is beautiful!
Bring it inside


(Cecropia Moth)

16” x 20” Scanned images of species collected during the Discover Life in America
All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory
$75 Ready for framing - Available on high-quality bright white photo paper or on canvas.

View and order at: http://shopdlia.org/catalog/2
SPECIAL OFFER: return your order with minimum $100 donation – get $15 discount!

Want Three Easy Ways to Support DLIA?

Way #1: Direct Donations through Paypal: Click HERE to donate and become a partner in discovering new species!
Way #2: while shopping at Kroger: Kroger shoppers can sign up for "Kroger Rewards" that will contribute to DLIA every time you shop! 
Click HERE to sign up.
Way #3: while purchasing through Amazon Smile: Amazon will donate to DLIA with every purchase!
Click HERE to sign up and choose Discover Life in America.

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