The Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association has received a grant to implement “Charting a Course: Tennessee Overhill communities in the 21st Century.” The goal is to provide workshops for business and community leaders in Polk, McMinn and Monroe counties to help with economic development.

The Appalachian Regional Commission awarded seven grants as part of its Gems of Appalachia competition for the gateway communities that are entry points to two of Appalachia's most important natural assets: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee National Forest. The projects are designed to promote sustainable tourism while  protecting natural ecosystems, landscapes, and cultural heritage. The competition is part of ARC's overall effort to advance asset-based economic development in Appalachia.

The Overhill grant application notes that the Cherokee National Forest communities have seen many changes over the past several decades with decreases in timber production, mining, furniture manufacturing, and textiles. These changes have spurred communities to develop new economic development strategies, including a greater emphasis on tourism. The people who visit the forest also like to shop, dine, and see the attractions in gateway communities, which makes it more important than ever for communities to develop strategies and policies that take advantage of the Forest while planning for preservation of the community assets.

The application noted the need for small businesses to learn effective ways to manage and market their businesses and for communities to find ways to preserve their natural, historical, and cultural assets through appropriate community planning so the assets that attract visitors today will remain through the 21st century.

According to Overhill Executive Director Linda Caldwell, the project is geared to help gateway communities sustain economic vitality while preserving their unique character.  “We are aware that it is the small town charm and rural countryside that draws people into our gateway communities, yet very little has taken place in terms of planning to keep it that way,” she said. “Based on what we hear over and over again at community meetings, people in the Tennessee Overhill are not opposed to planning or preservation. They want to do something but they are not sure what.” She said decision makers are not always comfortable with the preservation tools that they currently know about. The goal is for community leaders, elected officials, property owners, and businesses in McMinn, Monroe, and Polk counties to learn about the possibilities and options that are available to address their concerns. “They will learn about strategies and best practices for preserving farms and small towns that include conservation easements, forest legacy programs, successful downtown preservation, and more.”

If the gateway communities cannot sustain healthy businesses and generate revenue for local governments they will decline,  Caldwell said, with or without preservation.  “For that reason it is important that community leaders, businesses, and non-profits also develop skills such as downtown development, retail recruitment, and marketing. Those subjects will be incorporated into the training program.”

The plan calls for workshops with experts presenting information on saving towns, saving farms, retiree recruitment and marketing on a shoestring. Business and community leaders will be invited to participate, Caldwell said, adding the goal also includes getting leaders together to share ideas. There will also be several community exchange field trips that will allow Overhill communities to see what is going on in other small communities while building awareness of how individual communities fit into the larger region.

Caldwell said the project will begin in 2009.

Other ARC Gems of Appalachia grants were awarded to Great Smoky Mountains Association in Tennessee to develop audio and video podcasts on natural and cultural history, recreational opportunities, and local  tourist attractions;,Stecoah Valley Arts Center (North Carolina) to expand a summer arts series of events featuring Scots-Irish and Cherokee entertainment as well as food and educational themes; Jackson County Chamber of Commerce (North Carolina) to develop a comprehensive music and arts initiative for Sylva-Dillsboro area; Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association to add video and audio tours to its website and develop GIS configured biking trails and interface with other trails; Cocke County Partnership (Tennessee) to create a water recreation system for Douglas Lake and French Broad, Pigeon, and Nolichucky rivers; Unicoi County (Tennessee) to develop a strategic economic development plan with emphasis on sustainable tourism, compatible land use planning, and smart growth practices.

ARC Federal Co-Chair Anne Pope congratulated the winners, noting that they were "building on the unique beauty and heritage of the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Their creative proposals will not only help to economically develop the Region's magnificent natural assets, they will help safeguard them for years to come."

Senator Lamar Alexander stated that he was pleased to join in the announcement of over $250,000 to boost the economy by bringing more tourists to east Tennessee. “A good way to prepare for the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2009 is to clean up our front yard in these gateway communities and celebrate our heritage. We must protect our great American outdoors and cherish our local history so it is still there for our children and grandchildren."

Senator Bob Corker said, "The Great Smoky Mountains and Cherokee National Forest are truly natural wonders. Through sustainable tourism we can both preserve these scenic wilderness areas and generate economic growth for the Appalachian region.  I applaud the ARC for its continued support of the people and communities throughout East Tennessee."

The Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership that works with the people of the 410 county Appalachian Region in 13 states to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.