Smokies to Remain Open Through Jan. 4 with Basic Services, Limited Staffing – Your Sports Edge

Report on Collaborative Funding for Great Smoky Mountains National Park Operations

Executive Summary

This report details a multi-stakeholder partnership formed to maintain basic operations at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during a federal government shutdown from November 3, 2025, to January 4, 2026. This initiative serves as a critical stopgap measure, directly supporting several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The collaboration ensures public access and essential services, mitigating the immediate economic and social impacts of the shutdown, though long-term conservation efforts remain at risk.

Multi-Stakeholder Partnership and Operational Framework

Upholding SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

In a direct application of SDG 17, a diverse coalition of public, private, and non-profit entities has been established to fund the park’s continued operation. This partnership model demonstrates a collective commitment to preserving a vital natural and economic asset. The primary partners include:

• Friends of the Smokies
• Sevier County Government
• City of Gatlinburg
• City of Sevierville
• City of Pigeon Forge
• Blount County
• State of Tennessee’s Department of Tourism
• The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Financial Agreement and Scope of Services

The agreement provides approximately $80,000 per week to fund essential services with reduced staffing. This funding ensures the continuity of basic visitor services, which is crucial for regional stability and supports progress toward multiple SDGs. Maintained operations include:

1. Public Access: Key areas, including the Cades Cove Loop Road, visitor centers, and picnic areas, will remain open on their normal seasonal schedules.
2. Essential Services: Restrooms, campgrounds, and emergency services will be maintained.
3. Program Continuity: Previously scheduled events, including the Cades Cove Loop Lope fundraiser, school activities, and special use permits for weddings, will proceed.

Analysis of Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 15: Life on Land

The partnership provides crucial funding to maintain a protective presence in the park, safeguarding terrestrial ecosystems from immediate threats associated with unmanaged access. However, the shutdown and subsequent staff furloughs have forced a pause on critical conservation work. This suspension of activities, such as treating hemlocks, repairing trails, and preserving historic structures, presents a significant challenge to the long-term achievement of SDG 15 targets related to halting biodiversity loss and protecting natural heritage.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a primary driver of the regional tourism economy. By keeping the park open during its high-visitation holiday season, the partnership directly supports SDG 8 by sustaining local businesses and jobs dependent on tourism. This action mitigates the shutdown’s negative economic impact. Concurrently, the furloughing of numerous park employees undermines the “decent work” aspect of this goal, highlighting the instability caused by the federal shutdown.

SDG 11 & SDG 3: Sustainable Communities and Good Health & Well-being

The park is a cornerstone of regional identity and contributes to SDG 11 by protecting significant natural and cultural heritage for local communities. Ensuring continued access allows the public to utilize this green space for recreation and wellness, which aligns with SDG 3. Events like the Cades Cove Loop Lope actively promote physical activity and community engagement, reinforcing the park’s role in public health.

SDG 4: Quality Education

The funding agreement makes specific provisions for the park’s education staff to continue working part-time. This measure ensures that scheduled school field trips and student events can continue, supporting SDG 4 by providing valuable environmental education opportunities that would otherwise be lost.

Conclusion

The collaborative funding model for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an effective, temporary response that aligns with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals. It demonstrates the power of partnerships (SDG 17) in sustaining local economies (SDG 8) and preserving access to educational and wellness opportunities (SDG 4, SDG 3, SDG 11). However, this solution does not replace the need for full federal funding. A permanent resolution to the government shutdown is required to restore all furloughed staff and resume the vital conservation work necessary to fully achieve the objectives of SDG 15 and ensure the park’s long-term ecological health.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article connects to SDG 8 by highlighting the economic importance of tourism centered around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The effort to keep the park open, despite a government shutdown, is aimed at sustaining the local tourism industry, which supports jobs and economic activity. The article mentions the park attracts over 1.6 million visitors in October, indicating its significant economic role. The furloughing of park employees also directly relates to the “decent work” aspect of this goal.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  This goal is addressed through the focus on protecting cultural and natural heritage. The article explicitly states that the shutdown will cause work on “preserving historic cabins” to pause. The partnership between various cities (Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge), counties, and other entities to keep this major natural and cultural asset accessible and protected demonstrates a community effort towards sustainability.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  SDG 15 is central to the article, as the core function of a national park is to protect terrestrial ecosystems. The text expresses concern that “critical work – treating hemlocks, repairing trails” will be halted due to furloughed staff. This directly impacts the conservation and maintenance of the park’s biodiversity and natural habitats, which are key components of SDG 15.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The entire article is a case study for SDG 17. It details a multi-stakeholder partnership formed to solve a problem. A nonprofit (Friends of the Smokies), local governments (Sevier County, Blount County), cities, a state government (State of Tennessee), and an indigenous group (the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) have collaborated to provide funding and keep the park operational. This demonstrates a public, public-private, and civil society partnership in action.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 8.9: Promote sustainable tourism

   This target is directly relevant as the partnership’s primary goal is to keep the park open for visitors, thereby supporting the local tourism economy. The article mentions that the funding ensures visitor centers remain open and events like the “Cades Cove Loop Lope” can proceed, all of which are crucial for promoting tourism that is sustainable and beneficial to the local community.

2. Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

   The article identifies the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as a significant natural heritage site. The concern over the pause in “preserving historic cabins” directly points to the need to safeguard cultural heritage. The funding initiative, while partial, is an effort to mitigate the negative impacts of the shutdown on the protection of this heritage.

3. Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats and halt the loss of biodiversity

   This target is implicated by the negative consequences of the shutdown. The cessation of essential conservation work, such as “treating hemlocks,” poses a direct threat to the park’s ecosystems and biodiversity. The article’s tone of concern highlights the urgency of these conservation activities to prevent habitat degradation.

4. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

   The article provides a clear example of this target. It describes the formation and operation of a partnership involving diverse stakeholders—from the “Friends of the Smokies” nonprofit to various government bodies and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians—who have pooled resources to achieve the shared goal of keeping the park open.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Financial resources mobilized for conservation and tourism

   The article provides specific financial data that can serve as an indicator. It states the total cost to keep the park open is “$80,000 per week,” with the State of Tennessee contributing “$25,000” and other partners providing “$7,000 weekly.” This quantifies the financial commitment of the partnership.

2. Number of visitors to the national park

   Visitor numbers are a key indicator of tourism’s economic impact. The article mentions that the park “attracts an average of more than 1.6 million visitors each October,” providing a baseline metric to assess the success of keeping the park accessible.

3. Status of conservation and preservation activities

   The article implies a qualitative indicator by describing which activities are paused versus which can continue. The fact that “treating hemlocks, repairing trails, and preserving historic cabins will pause” serves as a negative indicator for progress on conservation, while the continuation of basic visitor services is a positive indicator.

4. Number and diversity of partners in the collaboration

   The article lists the specific partners involved: “Sevier County, the cities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Blount County, the State of Tennessee’s Department of Tourism, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Friends of the Smokies.” The count and diversity (nonprofit, state, county, city, indigenous group) of these entities serve as an indicator of a strong multi-stakeholder partnership.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: yoursportsedge.com