Photo: Fresh sand deposited on Lawndale swimming beach after flooding in early January. Photo by David Caldwell.
Mother Nature brings abundance to greenway construction site
“Several years ago, the Stagecoach Greenway was just a hope and a dream. Now, the Lawndale trail is well on its way to becoming a reality. The Lawndale park, the trail’s southern terminus, is currently under construction with a tentative grand opening date in May.” Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell visited the site during a storm on January 9 that delivered five inches of rain to the First Broad River basin. The river in Lawndale rose from 1.2 feet that morning to 16.6 feet that evening, inundating the site of Lawndale Park. The floodwaters did minor damage to some infrastructure but also brought a fresh new deep layer of white sand to the beach that will open for visitors this summer!
Welcoming our newest MountainTrue team member
Join us in giving a warm welcome to the newest addition to our Southern Regional Office team, Oliva Gray! Olivia is currently serving as our NC Climate Action Corps Community Stewardship Coordinator and will apply her knowledge of food systems to assist Green Riverkeeper Erica Shanks and the Southern Region team in accomplishing MountainTrue’s sustainable agriculture goals. Olivia graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Economics. Throughout college, she interned at a number of regenerative nonprofit farms and fell in love with the environmental nonprofit world. Upon graduating, she landed her first AmeriCorps position with the University of Hawai’i Maui College, where she focused on campus and county-wide food security efforts. Welcome, Olivia!
Hike with Get Outside WNC to support MountainTrue!
MountainTrue is honored to be the Winter 2024 Beneficiary of Get Outside WNC, a local organization created by West Henderson High School senior Jenna Watson. Jenna is raising money for MountainTrue this winter by leading group hikes on scenic trails. Jenna’s hikes cost $10 per person and run through March 3, so join her outside! Jenna started Get Outside WNC to expose hikers to the physical and mental benefits of hiking. She says, “By sharing the beauty of our local environment with both new and seasoned hikers, I hope to spread my passion for nature, build community, and raise awareness of the fragility of the WNC environment.” So far, Jenna has led hikes to raise money for MountainTrue at Bearwallow Mountain, Moore Cove, and Triple and High Falls. Get Outside WNC’s upcoming hikes include:
- Raven Cliff Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 18, near the North and South Carolina border in Caesars Head State Park
- Twin Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, in Pisgah National Forest
Sign up and learn more about upcoming hikes here. And be sure to follow Jenna and Get Outside WNC on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!
Summer ‘24 internships with our French Broad Riverkeeper team
MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper and Clean Water team are hiring two French Broad Water Quality Interns for summer 2024. Both French Broad Water Quality Interns will assist our team with a variety of tasks needed to help improve ecosystem health within the French Broad River Basin. Both positions are based out of our Asheville office, with travel throughout the French Broad Watershed. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!
New French Broad Paddle Trail website
The French Broad Paddle Trail has a new website! Created and maintained by MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper program, the new website covers access, camping, and general recreation information for the French Broad River between Rosman, NC, and Newport, TN. Check it out at www.frenchbroadpaddle.com and contact Jack Henderson at jack@mountaintrue.org with questions.
Hendersonville Comprehensive Plan: Gen H Open House
The final Gen H Open House will be held next Tuesday, February 13, from 4-6 p.m. at the Henderson Public Library (301 N Washington Street). At the event, you can provide input on possible land use scenarios, see ideas for character areas that will describe how land uses translate into the character or the look and feel of places in the community, provide ideas for key focus areas within the city, and review the goals and vision for the Gen H plan. Learn more about the Gen H Plan here.
Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners
MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as several other counties across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.
Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?
MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.