Advocates for the Oak Ridge Reservation (AFORR) will hold their annual meeting at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, November 15, in the Midtown Community Center (Wildcat Den), 102 Robertsville Rd., Oak Ridge.

Niki Nicholas will speak on “Opportunities for the National Park Service in East Tennessee.”  NikiNicholas became the Superintendent of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Kentucky and Tennessee and Obed Wild and Scenic River in Tennessee this year. Prior to that appointment, Nicholas served as the Chief of Resources Management and Science at Yosemite National Park in California for seven years and Senior Manager for Environmental Impact Reduction Technologies at the Tennessee Valley Authority. Thus Superintendent Nicholas has both strong knowledge of the resource management and familiarity of the Southeast Region.

Superintendent Nicholas will talk about the Big South Fork River and Recreation Area. She will also mention how lessons from its development might apply to the proposed Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which would be located in Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, NM, and Hanford, WA. The new historical park would provide an opportunity to interpret and discuss an incredibly important piece of American and world history. Like the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and the Obed Wild and Scenic River, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park would provide an opportunity for visitors to experience an important part of America and also stimulate local economies. 

Superintendent Nicholas understands the need to preserve natural and cultural resources while allowing for education and enjoyment by park visitors. National Park Service Southeast Regional Director David Vela has said, “she knows and values the importance of working with local communities to create awareness and support.”

The public is invited. For more info, please contact:  Bill Johnston (865-386-1365,bill.johnston22@comcast.net) or Frank Hensley (865-250-1158, fwhensley@aol.com)  

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