The nonprofit foundation that oversees Grandfather Mountain Nature Park is concerned about proposed changes to park rules. The regulations are designed to improve public safety and the wellbeing of wildlife, but would be difficult to implement.
The changes are coming from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. They would require expanding particular animal habitats and raising the height of fences.
Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation Executive Director Jesse Pope says this would have a big impact on three areas in particular: bear, otter, and cougar habitats.
In some places, he says, there's no way to add additional land, and meeting the fence regulations would be costly.
“These changes would need to be made within 12 months of the new regulations going into effect," Pope says. "So that would be the major challenge for us, as a non-profit organization, is to try to come up with the funding to be able to make $500,000-to-$700,000 in repairs and renovations.”
Pope says he's optimistic that there will be changes made to the proposed regulations.
Friday is the last day of the public comment period on the issue.