Southeast

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.

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.

View our 62 parks ›

Field offices in the Southeast region ›