A Report from Southern Highlands Reserve
Hurricane Helene brought unprecedented devastation to the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, and the aftermath of this natural disaster is still unfolding. It destroyed lives, homes, and businesses and changed the shape of rivers and mountains on ancient lands.
Storms making landfall hundreds of miles away have rarely reached the mountains with great force, but this region is no stranger to heavy rainfall. When air masses collide with the Blue Ridge Escarpment, the air temperature drops as it rises, causing water to condense quickly and fall in heavy precipitation over the mountains. The region has weathered these conditions for thousands of years and is considered a temperate rain forest with annual rainfall of 80 to 130 inches per year. The high elevation combined with high precipitation creates extraordinary biodiversity and a unique habitat for rare and endangered species.
As storm events continue to intensify, conservation of natural resources is more important than ever. Southern Highlands Reserve offers a case study in how to prepare for intensifying climate events. Staff have been following trends through 20 years of data collected on site and have taken great care to prepare the garden to withstand winds, stormwater, temperature variations, and other environmental factors. Our design techniques and preemptive measures performed under extreme circumstances and can be replicated in residences and communities. Our native plant garden, along with our new raingarden and bog, is a living laboratory practicing daily the dance with Mother Nature that communities will need to learn to live in harmony with changing conditions.
At SHR, Helene downed 20 trees and a large amount of debris, and staff and volunteers have spent hundreds of hours on cleanup. The trees lost are mostly deciduous (red oak), and cleanup remains in a holding pattern until arborists are available. The continental divide bisects SHR’s Core Park, and staff are committed to best management practices for storm water mitigation. SHR recorded more than 40 inches of rain that week, and most of the Core Park stormwater mitigation techniques performed. At the site of the new greenhouse, the newly installed rain garden and bog performed well. Staff proactively dug a trench down a steep mountain road that leads to the construction site. Along with cisterns that collect water and feed the rain garden, these design elements managed the stormwater runoff from all events that week — including Helene’s grand finale of 20 inches of rainfall in less than 24 hours.
Historically, traditional gardens have influenced design concepts and philosophies about the position of humans within the natural world, but now we need the expertise of horticulturists and landscape architects outside the bounds of gardens. Helene downed more than 10,000 trees on public land and caused hundreds of mudslides, according to preliminary estimates. This means numerous species have been displaced in a devastating biological impact that will also cost billions for economic recovery. Reestablishing ecosystems can be difficult if not addressed in a timely manner, as invasive and pioneer species contain within their genetic coding the instinct to move in during the aftermath of a disturbance. Commercial and residential development that considers possible storm events can save our natural resources as well as time and money.
SHR’s mission to preserve our region’s natural resources also includes educating visitors about the importance of the role we play in the web of life. In the aftermath of Helene, we’ve seen the indomitable Southern Appalachian Mountain spirit rise and hold strong, reminiscent of barn raisings and neighbors gathering to help a widow harvest her farm’s crops before the rains set in. We are interconnected, and we work best when we work together. SHR staff are also always thinking about how best to relay the urgency and importance of working with the natural world to preserve the beauty and magic of our region. Now more than ever, the task ahead of us is clear and our resolve is strengthened.