The Friends recognize the Big South Fork as both a National Treasure and one of our most important Local Resources. We further understand, however, that the natural, scenic and pristine qualities that we all enjoy depend ultimately on the existence of a practical and sustainable economy for this region. Only in a place where people and responsible companies can earn a decent living can we expect those same people and companies to take proper care of a resource like the Big South Fork. Likewise, only in such a place can we hope to show our guests the kind of hospitality that they will require in order for them to demand the Big South Fork as an indispensable fixture of the American Landscape.

So our triple mandates are Economy, Ecology and Responsible Use. Toward those goals the Friends of the Big South Fork seek to:

• Facilitate the responsible growth of Eco-Tourism, Upscale Retirement and other environmentally and economically sound Development around the Big South Fork.
  
• Carefully Promote the BSF as a Reliever Destination to the heavily visited Great Smoky Mountains, helping to keep both Parks within the limits of sustainable use.
  
• Proactively Assist the National Park Servicein Protecting, preserving and interpreting this National Resource, and particularly in educating the public to the many resources it offers.
  
• Recognize the important and continuing role played by traditional business and industry in sustaining our local economy. We enjoy the enthusiastic support of good corporate citizens from a variety of industries, and we welcome all responsible companies to our table, applauding their best management practices and ecologically sound operations. We are pleased to provide our partners with continual opportunities to express their longstanding commitment to this area, its natural environment, workforce and economic future.