OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW

 
United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Blue Ridge Parkway
199 Hemphill Knob Road
Asheville, North Carolina 28803
IN REPLY REFER TO:

A44 

 
Memorandum

To: Board Members, Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway Board Members

From: Neal D. Labrie, Acting Superintendent 

  
Subject: Agreement Renewal Request Decision

I am writing to let you know that the National Park Service (NPS) has reached its decision regarding Friends of
the Blue Ridge Parkway’s request for an agreement renewal. We have decided to let the current agreement expire
on December 31, 2020, with no intent to renew.

Our goal of a more effective partnership program never wavered, prior to and throughout the partner
consolidation negotiations and in the time since we learned those talks had ended. In recent weeks
and months, we have carefully considered your renewal request and explored various alternatives and scenarios
for resolution to the issue of having multiple philanthropic partners serving a single park. Our decision to let the
Friends agreement expire was based on careful evaluation of the critical role partners play in support of the park,
the limited NPS staff and resources to support the program management, the due diligence required of multiple
philanthropic partners, and how the mission of the park will be best achieved in the years to come. 

This decision was not reached lightly, and it has the support of NPS leadership. We recognize that this is not the
resolution the Board anticipated, but it is our intent to work with Friends to ensure a smooth transition for its
many members and supporters. Their contributions have made a lasting impact on the park, and we continue to
value them. Moving forward our goals as we approach the expiration date are as follows:

• Efficiently close out the NPS’s financial and legal relationship with Friends, in coordination with
the Department of the Interior’s Office of the Solicitor.
• Ensure continuity of volunteer operations at the field level with minimal disruptions. The Parkway is
prepared to coordinate and oversee current Friends volunteer activities and work plans directly.
• Communicate the NPS decision to internal and external audiences. We have begun crafting a
communications plan and seek your participation in its implementation in the coming weeks. Later
today we will deliver additional notifications to Friends chapter chairs, park staff and other
stakeholders.

Our team is committed to working with Friends staff and volunteer leadership in the coming months to consider
how we thoughtfully and effectively unwind this long-standing relationship. We will welcome the opportunity for
discussion and questions at your board meeting on October 29, 2020.