Cassius Cash

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Cassius Cash
Cassius Cash.jpg
Born (1968-12-10) December 10, 1968 (age 55)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Notable workSmokies Hikes for Healing
TitleSuperintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Cassius Cash (born December 10, 1968) is a federal career official who serves as the 16th superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, encompassing the eponymous mountain range in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. He started his career in the Forest Service, in wildlife management, and nearly two decades later transferred to the National Park Service.

Contents

He is the former superintendent of Boston National Historical Park and Boston African American National Historic Site. In 2015 he was selected as the first African American superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the United States welcoming 12.5 million visitors in 2019. [1]

Early life and education

Cash was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968, to a father who worked as a police officer in the Memphis Police Department, and a mother who worked as a cosmetologist. [2]

Cash attributes some of his earliest interest in the natural world to watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom documentary television series in his family home. [3] His interest was further solidified through participating in outdoor excursions with Memphis Boy Scouts Troop 511. [3]

After graduating from high school in Memphis, Cash earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from the historically black college, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and later studied wildlife management at Oregon State University. [4] Cash is a member of Phi Beta Sigma [5] and Sigma Pi Phi, Beta Theta Chapter.

Career

Cash began his federal career in 1991 with the United States Forest Service as a wildlife biologist at the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington State. He went on to work with the US Forest Service for 18 years in various leadership positions. [4] He served as an administrative officer at Nebraska National Forest, district ranger at the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, a civil rights officer at the National Forests in Mississippi, and was the deputy forest supervisor at the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon before leaving the Forest Service to join the National Park Service in 2010. [4]

Cash served as superintendent at Boston National Historical Park and Boston African American National Historical Park from 2010 to early 2015. While there, he worked with the City of Boston to open a new visitor center in historic Faneuil Hall, which now welcomes more than 5 million visitors a year. Cash also worked with several park partners to secure $4 million to reopen the African Meeting House, the oldest Black church still in its original location in the country. [4] He and his team worked to rebrand Boston's Freedom Trail and the Black Heritage Trail as the Boston Trail to Freedom in order to merge the histories of the American Revolution and history of abolition and to “highlight Boston’s ‘total’ contribution” to US history. [6] In 2014, Cash served as the deputy regional director and chief of staff in the National Park Service Northeast Regional Office. [7] By the end of his five years of service in Boston, Cash was noted as having made “a significant impact” during his term as superintendent there. [8]

In late 2014, National Park Service Regional Director Stan Austin named Cash as the superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. [4] Cash stepped into the Smokies superintendent position in February 2015, taking over after a series of acting superintendents and the earlier departure of the park's previous permanent superintendent, Dale Ditmanson, who retired in January 2014. [7]  In 2017, Cash also served a temporary assignment as acting superintendent of National Mall and Memorial parks in Washington, DC, for 120 days. [9]

Since arriving in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Superintendent Cash has managed the park through a number of notable events including the disastrous Chimney Tops 2 Fire, the 2016 National Park Service Centennial, and Smokies Centennial Hike 100 challenge, the 2018 completion of the ‘Missing Link’ of the Foothills Parkway, and the 2020 arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. [10]

In 2022, Superintendent Cash introduced a groundbreaking proposal that would address the financial needs of the park as its visitation has consistently increased by 57% over a ten year period, [11] while working with a flat budget and a declining workforce.

The initiative, called “Park it Forward,” proposed having visitors purchase a parking tag when recreating within the park. [12] Though controversial in some surrounding communities, the ‘Park it Forward’ parking tag program was approved on April 4, 2022 with the support of the majority of the national public.

The parking tag requirement went into effect March 1, 2023. [13] It was predicted that the program will generate between $6-8 million in its first year of implementation, with 100% of the revenue staying in the park. Several long-time supporters, including former Senator Alexander of Tennessee, [14] have personally shared with superintendent Cash, “The Park it Forward initiative will be as impactful as it was for when Great Smoky Mountains National Park was created.”

Awards

On May 24, 2021, Cash received the Agency Leadership Award from the Public Lands Alliance. [15]

On October 21, 2021, Cash received the National Park Conservation Association's 2021 Stephen Tyng Mather Award. Cash received the award for his creation of the Smokies Hikes for Healing program in 2020. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Smoky Mountains National Park</span> National park in Tennessee and North Carolina

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a national park of the United States in the southeast, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The park contains some of the highest mountains in eastern North America, including Kuwohi, Mount Guyot, and Mount Le Conte. The border between the two states runs northeast to southwest through the center of the park. The Appalachian Trail passes through the center of the park on its route from Georgia to Maine. With 13 million visitors in 2023, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Smoky Mountains</span> American mountain range along North Carolina/Tennessee border

The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains, and the name is commonly shortened to the Smokies. The Smokies are best known as the home of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which protects most of the range. The park was established in 1934 and, with over 11 million visits per year, is the most visited national park in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuwohi</span> Mountain, highest point in Tennessee, United States

Kuwohi is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina in the Southeastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cades Cove</span> Valley in Tennessee, United States

Cades Cove is an isolated valley located in the Tennessee section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The valley was home to numerous settlers before the formation of the national park. Cades Cove, the single most popular destination for visitors to the park, attracts more than two million visitors annually because of its well preserved homesteads, scenic mountain views, and abundant display of wildlife. The Cades Cove Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foothills Parkway</span> National parkway in Tennessee

The Foothills Parkway is a national parkway which traverses the foothills of the northern Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, located in the southeastern United States. The 72.1-mile (114 km) parkway will connect U.S. Route 129 along the Little Tennessee River in the west with Interstate 40 (I-40) along the Pigeon River in the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Le Conte (Tennessee)</span> Mountain in United States of America

Mount Le Conte is a mountain located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Sevier County, Tennessee. At 6,593 ft (2,010 m) it is the third highest peak in the national park, behind Clingmans Dome and Mount Guyot. It is also the highest peak that is completely within Tennessee. From its immediate base to its summit, Mount Le Conte is the mountain with the highest relief east of the Rocky Mountains, rising 5,301 ft (1,616 m) from its base, near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. For comparison, Pre-1980 Mount St. Helens in Washington was roughly 5,000 ft (1,524 m) above its base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Bald</span> Mountain within the Great Smoky Mountains

Gregory Bald is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains. It has an elevation of 4,949 feet above sea level. The mountain's majestic summit makes it a popular hiking destination. Another feature that attracts many visitors are the flame azaleas that bloom over the bald every summer. The azaleas reach peak bloom around mid-to-late June.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunderhead Mountain</span> Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, United States

Thunderhead Mountain is a 5,527-foot (1,685 m) mountain in the west-central part of the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the southeastern United States. Rising along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, the mountain dominates the western Smokies. The Appalachian Trail crosses its summit, making it a popular hiking destination. Rocky Top, a knob on the western part of the mountain's summit ridge, shares its name with a popular Tennessee state song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chimney Tops</span> Mountain in Tennessee, US

Chimney Tops is a mountain in the central Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. It is 4,724 feet (1,440 m) above sea level. Chimney Tops is a double-capstone knob on the eastern slope of the Sugarland Mountain massif, which stretches north-south across the north-central section of the Smokies. Mount Le Conte resides east of Chimney Tops and Mt. Mingus southeast of Chimney Tops. Thus, while the view from the summit is 360 degrees, Chimney Tops is practically "walled in" on three sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Cammerer</span> Mountain in the United States

Mount Cammerer is a mountain on the northeastern fringe of the Great Smoky Mountains, in the southeastern United States. The mountain is situated on the state line between Cocke County, Tennessee, and Haywood County, North Carolina. The Appalachian Trail traverses Cammerer's south slope, and a restored fire lookout at the summit offers panoramic views of the eastern Smokies, Cocke County, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silers Bald</span>

Silers Bald is a mountain in the western Great Smoky Mountains, located in the southeastern United States with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Its proximity to Kuwohi and its location along the Appalachian Trail make it a popular hiking destination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Kephart</span> Mountain in United States of America

Mount Kephart is a mountain in the central Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. The Appalachian Trail crosses the mountain's south slope, making it a destination for thru-hikers. The Jumpoff, a 1,000-foot (300 m) cliff on the northeast side of the mountain, has views of the central and eastern Smokies. A stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest coats the mountain's upper elevations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuckstack</span> Mountain in North Carolina, United States

Shuckstack is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains of Swain County, North Carolina, in the southeastern United States. It has an elevation of 4,020 feet (1,230 m) above sea level and rises approximately 2,300 feet (700 m) above Fontana Lake to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Black (Great Smoky Mountains)</span> Mountain in United States of America

Old Black is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. While often overshadowed by Mount Guyot, its higher neighbor to the south, Old Black is the 5th-highest mountain in Tennessee and the 7th-highest in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Appalachian Trail crosses its western slope, connecting the Cosby-area trail system with the heart of the eastern Smokies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Guyot (Great Smoky Mountains)</span> Mountain in the southeastern United States

Mount Guyot is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the southeastern United States. At 6,621 feet (2,018 m) in elevation, Guyot is the fourth-highest summit in the Eastern U.S., and the second-highest in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While the mountain is remote, the Appalachian Trail crosses its south slope, passing to within 1,000 feet (300 m) of the summit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrews Bald</span>

Andrews Bald is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the southeastern United States. It has an elevation of 5,920 feet (1,800 m) above sea level, making it the highest grassy bald in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The mountain is one of two grassy balds maintained in the range by the National Park Service. The other is Gregory Bald, in the western Smokies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spence Field</span>

Spence Field is a mountain highland meadow in the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. It has an elevation of 4,920 feet above sea level. The Appalachian Trail traverses the field, and a backcountry shelter just off the trail provides an overnight stopover for through-hikers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Collins</span> Mountain in North Carolina and Tennessee, USA

Mount Collins is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. It has an elevation of 6,188 feet (1,886 m) above sea level. Located along the Appalachian Trail between Kuwohi and Newfound Gap, the mountain is a popular destination for thru-hikers. A backcountry shelter and a major trail junction are located along the mountain's northeastern slope. The mountain's summit is covered by a southern Appalachian spruce–fir forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oconaluftee (Great Smoky Mountains)</span> River in North Carolina, USA

The Oconaluftee is the valley of the Oconaluftee River in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Formerly the site of a Cherokee village and an Appalachian community, the valley is now North Carolina's main entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakeview Drive</span> U.S. Road with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Lakeview Drive is a 6.5-mile-long (10.5 km) road in North Carolina, split in two segments, located along the north shore of Fontana Lake, wholly within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The scenic road, which was never completed, features an unused road tunnel and connects to various hiking and horse riding trails in the area.

References

  1. ↑ "Park Sets Visitation Record with 12.5 Million Visitors - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  2. ↑ Duda, Clay (April 13, 2016). "Cassius Cash, the Smokies' First African-American Superintendent, Aims to Help the Park Evolve". The Knoxville Mercury. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. 1 2 "National Park Superintendent got his start in Scouting". Scouting magazine. April 4, 2016. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cassius Cash Named Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved July 10, 2020.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  5. ↑ "Crescent FALL/WINTER 2014". Issuu. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Introducing the New Smokies Superintendent". Smoky Mountain Living. April 1, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Meet the new Smokies superintendent". Citizen Times. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Cash leaving Boston National Historical Park for Tennessee". The Boston Globe. December 14, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  9. ↑ Ahillen, Steve. "Great Smoky Mountains National Park superintendent to take over National Mall post temporarily". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Meet the man in charge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park". CBS News. October 28, 2016. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  11. ↑ https://www.wate.com/news/smoky-mountains/visitors-to-smokies-in-2021-set-all-time-record/
  12. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/news/park-invites-public-to-comment-on-fee-program-changes-for-2023.htm
  13. ↑ Gatlinburg, Mailing Address: 107 Park Headquarters Road; Us, TN 37738 Phone:436-1200 Contact. "Fees & Passes - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved February 20, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ Alexander, Lamar. "Small parking fee is obvious solution to two big problems in the Smokies | Opinion". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Superintendent Cash Recognized for Leadership by Public Lands Alliance". www.smokiesinformation.org. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Great Smokies Superintendent Receives Award for Hikes for Healing Program". National Parks Conservation Association. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
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