Ken Jenkins Receives “Friend of the Forge” Award During Wilderness Wildlife Week

Natural history photographer Ken Jenkins, the man who conceived the idea of Pigeon Forge’s annual Wilderness Wildlife Week, has received the city’s first “Friend of the Forge” award.

Pigeon Forge created the award to acknowledge individuals who have contributed to the city’s success as a tourism destination.

“Not only did Ken Jenkins bring us the idea for Wilderness Wildlife Week, but he also has been a driving force in its growth and development as an event to attract visitors in January. With the 2010 Wilderness Wildlife week, we have marked 20 years of a great idea,” said City Manager Earlene Teaster.

After the first year, which offered four programs on one day, Jenkins advocated expanding to an entire week, according to Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

“We made the jump immediately, and visitors really latched onto the idea. This year, we had more than 230 sessions, almost 60 hikes, dozens of volunteers and more than 150 expert presenters,” Downey said.

Wilderness Wildlife Week has become a major component of the city’s four-month-long Winterfest celebration, drawing visitors from many states for programs about Great Smoky Mountains National Park and scores of topics related to the outdoors.

Jenkins received an engraved “Friend of the Forge” award as the 2010 Wilderness Wildlife Week began. Later this year, a tulip poplar, the Tennessee state tree, will be planted in his honor along the Pigeon Forge Greenway.

“I was surprised and honored, and I must say that the tulip poplar is a very touching and appropriate gesture. Wilderness Wildlife Week thrives because of Pigeon Forge’s backing and the support of so many volunteers. It is a joy to see how it has evolved,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins, who photographs nature’s beauty around the world, says he is firmly rooted in the Great Smoky Mountains and that the mountains were his inspiration for Wilderness Wildlife Week.

He has two galleries – Beneath the Smoke and Heaven’s Eye – in Gatlinburg. You can see and purchase Ken’s work at his website, KenJenkins.com and at Ken Jenkin’s author page at Amazon .