Since travel and tourism is the second largest employer in the U.S. economy, we believe that ecotourism may be a part of the solution for the region. Ecotourism is defined as "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local  people." Certainly that definition reflects the efforts of the Alliance for the Cumberlands as the sponsor of the proposed Cumberland Plateau National Heritage Corridor. We would like to propose a program that would augment our efforts to achieve that national designation as well as providing on-site results to benefit the economies and environment of the region.

Let's Go Plateau!

In order to establish the Cumberland Plateau as a destination for eco-heritage based tourism, it is imperative that the communities of the region work together to create a brand that will appeal to a larger visitor market.  The Alliance for the Cumberlands has undertaken the establishment of a Marketing Consortium for the region with the task of creating a Marketing Plan for the entire 21 county region. You can view the final brand and website at www.letsgoplateau.com

TN's Cumberland Plateau Nature Trail 

As a demonstration of sustainable eco-tourism in the Cumberland Region, the Alliance for the Cumberlands has created a Nature Trail that encompasses the entire region.  This is a self-guided, motor tour of the best nature, wildlife, and scenic viewing opportunities of the region. To view the finished product visit http://cpnaturetrail.com. 

Proposed Cumberland Plateau National Heritage Corridor

Every day 100,000 vehicles cross the plateau on one of three Interstates. Just off those highways, there is more scenic public land than the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with far greater public accessibility. There also exists a wealth of cultural and heritage assets that are of national significance. By linking these existing federal, state and local assets and marketing them on a regional scale, this project has the potential to give the plateau a widely recognized identity as a tourist destination. Agencies, organizations, public officials, businesses, and individuals of the Cumberland Plateau region are uniting behind a proposal to seek federal designation of the Cumberland Plateau as a National Heritage Corridor. The National Heritage Corridor project is designed to enhance conservation of the region's natural, cultural and recreational assets while providing economic development for distressed rural counties through increased nature- and heritage-based tourism. The Feasibility Study for this project was funded jointly by the TN Dept of Transportation, TN Wildlife Resources Agency, and TN Dept. of Environment and Conservation and can be downloaded from this website.

 Scenic Byways designations

The American Byways program of the Federal Highway Administration can be used as a powerful tool to encourage local participation, planning, and marketing of a region as a distinctive destination.  Once established, the corridor route is also eligible for funding to enhance the intrinsic values for which it was established (Archaeological, Cultural, Historic, Natural, Recreational, Scenic). The Alliance for the Cumberlands, would like to see at least 4 separate routes within Tennessee established as American Byways.  Working with partners like Historic Rugby (co-sponsor of the Northern Cumberland Plateau Scenic Byway project) and the Upper Cumberland Development District (applicant for the Walton Road Scenic Byway grant), two of these route designations are underway.