Drivers in North Carolina and Tennessee who buy the “Friends of the Smokies” specialty license plate have raised more than $15 million since the program started 20 years ago, supporting a range of projects that help sustain the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s cherished resources—including black bears, which are featured on both plates. Tennessee redesigned its plate last year and sales have jumped 30 percent, and is the state’s top-selling specialty plate. The “Friends” plates are also popular in North Carolina, with representation in all 100 counties. Last year, funding from the plates supported a new program to provide information at trailheads about trail safety, difficulty and proper preparation before beginning a hike.
“It’s amazing to think you can do something as simple as getting a license plate to support your national park. Having a bear on the plate is just a bonus,” says Friends board member Chase Pickering. friendsofthesmokies.org
The story above appears in our July/August 2019 issue. For more subscribe today or log in to the digital edition with your active digital subscription. Thank you for your support!