KNOXVILLE -- The purpose of the Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism Summit, held at the Knoxville Convention Center earlier this week, was to discover, learn and network about the trend of sustainable tourism.

The concept of sustainable tourism is sustaining the environment, culture and heritage of a region, while at the same time sustaining the economic growth through tourism.

This third in a series of articles about the summit will deal with some of the specific case studies.

One of the case studies was that of Blount County.

Summit attendees learned that Blount County is the only Preserve America County in Tennessee. Preserve America is a White House initiative to encourage and support community efforts for the preservation and enjoyment of natural resources.

Preserve America recognizes and designates communities that protect and celebrate their heritage.

It was pointed out that although the phrase "sustainable tourism" wasn't used back then, the idea of sustainable tourism originated in Blount County in the 1850s. It was then that a resort was built at Chilhowee Mountain at Montvale to allow visitors to experience the Smoky Mountains.

So when the Smoky Mountain National Park was created in 1934, visitors had a tourism destination and the culture that had been in the Appalachian Mountains for hundreds of years was made accessible to those traveling through the area.

The Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s helped Blount County by creating an infrastructure that includes campgrounds, buildings, bridges, trails and scenic landscapes.

During its first full year, the park attracted approximately one million visitors, and today, tourism has a total economic impact of $229 million in the county, bringing in $13 million in local taxes and providing $66 million in payroll to the 2,700 tourism-related jobs.

Just a few years ago Ed McMahon, an authority on sustainable development, land conservation and urban design, spoke to the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau about development and tourism going hand in hand.

Realizing a need to get control of tourism's growth, a new mission was developed: "The Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau will sustain the heritage and natural resources of Blount County as a unique destination for leisure and business travel."

It was then that Blount County officials learned about the Preserve America designation that would also help with funding for its mission.

The Visitors Bureau sought partners to carry out their mission and educated the county about sustainable tourism.

Blount County officials feel their county benefits from the Preserve America distinction because of the ability to attract visitors by raised visibility.

Blount County is also eligible for federal funding and the community has been united by focusing its tourism and growth goals.

One of the case studies was Sam Beall, proprietor of Blackberry Farms, who spoke about his project.

The 4,200-acre Blackberry Farm now can house 126 guests in 63 estate rooms and cottages. The beauty of the farm has inspired its owners to help preserve the land adjacent to the national park, as well as make the features of the inn compatible with the surrounding scenery and heritage.

The Bealls welcome between 6,500 to 8,000 guests annually. They raise crops and animals to provide food for their guests.

Beall said that the family has striven to create an authentic experience for its guests; one that focused on the charm, cuisine, Southern hospitality and beauty of the area.

As Blackberry Farm grew, the Beall Family carefully modeled each new addition to ensure it would blend into the existing atmosphere, while providing guests with a Smoky Mountain experience.

Blackberry Farm has become an internationally recognized model for luxury accommodations, but it strives to stay true to the place and people of the area.

After seeing first-hand what planned growth and a vision created at the Blackberry Farm, the Beall family and seven other East Tennessee families came together to purchase and protect an additional 5,000 acres.

The property, once intended to be part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, lies on both sides of an eight-mile ridge on Chilhowee Mountain in East Miller's Cover, near Walland.

The property, referred to as "The Three Sisters" because of the view of three mountain peaks from Maryville College, was purchased by the eight families.

During one of the last sessions of the summit it was pointed out that the Knoxville Convention Center is "green on the inside and out!"

The center hosts thousands of tourists and guests annually, but has several "green" features:

* Energy efficient paper products made from recycled paper;

* Automated paper towel and foam soap dispensers which reduce waste;

* More living plants added to the interior of the facility;

* Working with vendors to supply the center with green chemicals for cleaning;

* Changing to use of more biodegradeable products in the food and beverage department;

* Retrofitting lighting to use more energy-efficient bulbs;

* Energy-efficient window tinting to reduce cooling needs;

* Outdoor landscaping improved by planting more perennials which have a lower water requirement compared to annuals.

* Recycle bins located throughout the center for guest and employee use.

Tammy Kinser, the Greene County Partnership's director of tourism, said that the summit was one of the best learning sessions that she has attended.

She said, "I think that this summit showed me the impact of a business or industry going green, and I learned that it can have a profound impact on them, but can most certainly affect tourism as a whole.

"I was certainly pleased to see the support of so many government officials and businesses. People now recognize that tourism is of economic importance, and they want the industry on the forefront of the green approach."

Bob Cantler, general manager of the General Morgan Inn and the Morgan Square Development Group, said, "The lineup of people participating in the summit as panelists and speakers was incredible. I certainly received validation for plans that we have for the Rediscover Greeneville project," Cantler said.

"I felt like the networking of the other participants that are working to revitalize their communities was productive, and it was interesting to see what others are doing to be environmentally responsible. I think when we get the opportunity to talk with others it helps us be able to think outside the box.

"It was nice to hear the leaders and commissioners acknowledge the General Morgan Inn and East Tennessee for things they have going on," Cantler said.