“Around 1988, one day, after photographing all morning on the Roan, I made a brief stop at the old Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center.  As I was about to leave I happened to notice a little brochure with an interesting watercolor image of a rhododendron blossom on the front.  The name on the brochure cover was the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. . .  Since then I have become ever more interested in the protection of the Highlands. . .   I am involved in the development of an ecotourism company, which will place particular emphasis on guiding people into the Highlands in the hope of fostering greater understanding of the importance of preserving a place, which to me, is like no other on Earth.”