This Land, Your Land

The National Park Service has published a full opening and closing schedule for the Blue Ridge Parkway's 2011 season.

Seasons on the 469-mile scenic roadway generally run from late-April through October.

Most Parkway campground seasons run May 13 – October 31. In North Carolina, Linville Falls opens April 1 and, because of ongoing construction, the season at Doughton Park is delayed until mid-May.

The full schedule includes picnic grounds, visitor centers, restaurants and other concessions, such as the Pisgah Inn Lodge and Restaurant opening March 29, and the Parkway Craft Center at Moses Cone opening March 15.

Three geldings and two fillies born in 2008 and a gelding born in 2007 are available for adoption from the fabled Shackleford Banks horses on the Cape Lookout National Seashore, the National Park Service says.

"Banker horses represent an enchanting piece of history," the NPS says. "Their herd members hold a genetic link to Colonial Spanish horses, and they are recognized by the Horse of the Americas Registry. They are part of the cultural history of the Outer Banks where they have lived for centuries."

Adoptions are administered by the Foundation for Shackleford Horses, Inc., and are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. An adoption fee is charged and there are facility requirements.

For more information and/or an adoption application contact Anita Kimball at (252) 241-5222 or, after 6 p.m., Joy Lawrence at (252) 728-7111. To make an appointment to see the horses, contact Kimball. In Florida, contact Bob Cubbage at (352) 817-3576.

Soprano, a Shackleford horse available for adoption.

The state Wildlife Resources Commission said this week that white-nose syndrome, a disease fatal to bats, has been found at a third location in North Carolina.

The disease, which has killed hundreds of thousands of bats in the East, was confirmed last week in Yancey County. It was previously discovered in a retired Avery County mine and in a cave at Grandfather Mountain State Park, which is also in Avery County.

Biologists think the fungus that causes the disease is inadvertently spread from cave-to-cave by spelunkers exploring infected caves. Most federal land management agencies, numerous states, private landowners and The Nature Conservancy, which owns several caves in North Carolina - such as the now-closed cave in Bat Cave Preserve - have closed public access to caves in an attempt to slow the spread of the fungus.

The fungus believed to cause white-nose syndrome has been detected on nine species of bats thus far in North America, the Wildlife Resources Commission says in a news release. In North Carolina, 17 species of bats are known to occur and eight of those are species on which the fungus has been detected nationwide. So far in North Carolina, three species have been documented with white-nose syndrome.

While there are no known direct human health effects of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, the impact upon humans, other wildlife and agriculture as a result of declines in bat populations could be substantial. Bats play a significant role as night-flying insect predators.

The WRC has a lot of additional information about white-nose syndrome, including a response plan, FAQs, video and photos.

Restoration work at the Bodie Island Lighthouse has been halted because money to complete it is not available, the National Parks Service said Monday.

Work begun in December 2009 was suspended this past January when damage that exceeded expectations was discovered. The NPS said it would have to find additional funding, and said this week the $3.09 million project was being suspended indefinitely.

The NPS needs another $1.6 million to repair cracks found in the braces supporting the balcony near the top of the light, according to The News & Observer.

Scaffolding will start coming down this week, and the lighthouse, which is at the northern end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, will be shuttered to protect it from the weather. Its Fresnel lens and light are in storage.

A visitor center and bookstore at the base of the lighthouse remain open year-round from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A nature trail boardwalk at the lighthouse is also open year-round.

The National Park Service has placed the project in its FY 2012 Line Item Construction funding request.

Get a look at two alternatives for ferry terminals to provide service to Cape Lookout National Seashore in a public meeting at the Duke University Marine Lab Auditorium on Pivers Island at 7 to 9 p.m. next Tuesday.

The National Park Service is planning passenger ferry service from either 10th Street in Morehead City or from Front Street in Beaufort to Shackleford Banks and to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse area of South Core Banks.

Officials will announce the preferred departure site Tuesday as part of the draft Passenger Ferry Departure Site Environmental Assessment/Assessment of Effect, the National Park Service says.

Cape Lookout National Seashore is currently reachable by private boats or private ferries.

The study examined eight potential sites since last August, and each site's characteristics and requirements, including accessibility issues and opportunities for partnering with the Towns of Beaufort and Morehead City, the NPS news release says.

The public can comment on the EA/AoE from March 1 until March 31.

Comments by mail may be sent to: Wouter Ketel, Management Assistant, Cape Lookout National Seashore, 131 Charles Street, Harkers Island, NC 28531.