40 Years of Victories Challenge
Complete the challenge and earn one of our commemorative 40 Year MountainTrue Merit Badges by honoring past victories and taking action to continue our legacy of success!
Here are the rules (in no particular order):
1) Visit one of the places listed below that represent significant MountainTrue victories. Take a picture of yourself in that place and send it to susan@mountaintrue.org along with a brief explanation of why that place matters to you.
2) Before the end of 2022, respond to at least three MountainTrue action alerts, thereby continuing our legacy of advocating to protect the places we share! Our current action alerts are listed below.
Not sure where to start? Check out our staff examples below for some inspiration!
Examples
Significant Places
Rivers in the Southern Blue Ridge
Western North Carolina and North Georgia
In honor of our ongoing Clean Waters Program work across the region. MountainTrue tip: take a photo while you enjoy your favorite form of river recreation in any of the rivers that MountainTrue’s four riverkeepers and Clean Waters staff work to protect — check out MountainTrue’s Swim Guide results to see if the water is safe before you go!
Lake Julian
Arden, NC
In honor of MountainTrue’s fight for the Clean Smokestacks Act of 2002, as well as our fight to shut down the coal plant in 2020. MountainTrue tip: take a picture with the coal plant in the background!
Panthertown Valley
Glenville, NC
In honor of the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance (JMCA), who helped form the Friends of Panthertown back in 2005. JMCA is one of MountainTrue’s three predecessor organizations.
Bluff Mountain
West Jefferson, NC
In honor of the Western North Carolina Conservation Alliance’s (WNCA) successful fight to prevent a timber harvest in this special place. WNCA is one of MountainTrue’s three predecessor organizations.
Lake Chatuge
Hayesville, NC and Hiawassee, GA
In honor of the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition’s (HRWC) Lake Chatuge Ecological Health Rating Improvement win. In 2019, HRWC merged with MountainTrue to become MountainTrue’s Western Regional Office.
Town of Highlands
North Carolina
In honor of the country’s first BearWise certified community. MountainTrue tip: get a picture with one of the three BearWise Community signs. One is located in the parking lot for Sunset Rock on Main St./Horse Cove Rd. across from the Highlands Nature Center.
Pedestrian Bridge at Jean Webb Park
Asheville, NC
In honor of the Asheville Design Center’s (ADC) Design Build Project in 2013. ADC is now MountainTrue’s Healthy Communities Program.
Fires Creek Recreation Area
Hayesville, NC
In honor of HRWC and WNCA’s fights to protect this special place.
Four Seasons Swamp on US 64
Hendersonville, NC
In honor of the successful fight by the Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) to protect this special place. ECO is one of MountainTrue’s three predecessor organizations.
Lakeshore Tunnel
Bryson City, NC
In honor of HRWC’s Northshore Road Victory.
Bee Hotel at UNCA
Asheville, NC
In honor of ADC’s Design Build Project, for which the bee hotel was built in 2016.
Oklawaha Greenway
Hendersonville, NC
In honor of ECO’s work to establish and expand this greenway.
Current Actions
Learn More + Get Involved: Lake Chatuge Spillway Repair Project
TVA to hold public meetings about a multi-year, year-round drawdown of Lake Chatuge As we reported in our April e-newsletter, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced the launch of an...
Take Action: Tell NCDEQ that North Carolina Needs an E.coli Standard
Protect the Nolichucky River! Tell NC DEQ: Require Stronger Environmental Protections for CSX’s Railroad Rebuild
Photo courtesy of Jubal Roe.Keep advocating to protect the Nolichucky! Please comment now to ensure stronger environmental requirements for CSX as they rebuild their railroad through North...
Take Action: Oppose Weakening Macon County’s Watershed & Flood Protection Ordinances
This action has expiredLet Macon County Commissioners know that you oppose weakening Macon County’s Watershed Protection and Flood Damage Prevention ordinances by allowing higher density for...
Take Action: Protect Hellbenders
SOS: Save Our Salamanders! Friday, December 13 was a lucky day for eastern hellbender salamanders. Following years of advocacy from environmental organizations and conservation-minded individuals,...
Protect the Nolichucky River: Tell NC DEQ: Require Responsible Railroad Build Back by CSX
This action has expiredPhoto courtesy of Jubal Roe.We need you to tell North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to require railroad company CSX to apply for a permit to rebuild in...
Action Alert: Help Us Remove Debris From Our Rivers After Hurricane Helene
This action has expiredOur rivers are in a state of emergency. The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has left our waterways choked with millions of tons of debris and pollution. While our communities...