AmeriCorps Outings, Education, and Forest Stewardship Coordinator(Asheville)

AmeriCorps Outings, Education, and Forest Stewardship Coordinator (Asheville)

MountainTrue, through AmeriCorps Project Conserve, is seeking a dedicated individual to fill a full-time position serving critical conservation needs in Western North Carolina. The member will serve 1700 hours from September 1, 2022 through July 31, 2023.

Position Summary:
The Outings, Education and Forest Stewardship Coordinator works closely with topic area experts on the MountainTrue staff to engage the public in environmental protection in Western North Carolina through guided hikes, outreach programs, on-the-ground stewardship on public lands, volunteer coordination, and environmental education. The coordinator will serve as the project lead for the OLLI Ecology of the Southern Appalachians course, our annual BioBlitz volunteer event, and our Guided Adventures series. This service position will require frequent travel and work outdoors to provide an opportunity to become more familiar with the Blue Ridge Mountains. The coordinator will support MountainTrue’s racial equity work by helping to create programming specifically designed to engage communities of color in environmental conservation. The activities undertaken by this position will inform, inspire, and connect a broad public to the natural world and its delicate and often threatened ecosystems, thereby increasing general support for conservation efforts in our region.

Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Excellent planning and organizational skills. Attention to detail is key in this position.
Education or experience in natural resources management, biology, or environmental science/studies/education/policy.
Experience working with diverse people (youth, retirees, rural, urban, people of color).
Strong time management skills.
Ability to work outdoors and maintain a positive attitude in challenging conditions and inclement weather.
Ability to manage multiple projects at once and maintain attention to detail.
Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently.
Be a quick learner, unafraid to ask questions, and also have the patience to tackle complex problems
Familiarity with web-based programs and applications and the use of social media.
Training and/or teaching experience a plus.
Excellent oral (including public speaking) and written communication skills.
Spanish language proficiency a plus.
Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.

Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, with occasional evening and weekend hours as needed

Position Responsibilities and Duties:

Conservation Education: 65%

Organize numerous hikes, tours, and other activities featuring MountainTrue programs and priorities such as old-growth forests, ecology, water quality, land use planning and development, and others. Coordinate with topic experts on staff who will be primarily responsible for content delivery.
Educate volunteers and members of the public through organized events and workdays provided throughout our service region of counties across Western North Carolina.
Manage event page content for website, make regular posts to social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram, build volunteer and ticketed event sign up forms for web, compose email communications to promote events and programs, and communicate with the general public looking to engage with our programs
Represent MountainTrue in the Everybody’s Environment Coalition and bring valuable learnings back to the organization to improve our diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Serve as the project lead and primary point of contact between participants in our OLLI Ecology of the Southern Appalachians class and the MountainTrue staff instructors.
Participate in the community as a MountainTrue team member contributing to the success of the organization.

At-Risk Ecosystem Impacts and Trails: 15%

Field inventory/data collection of non-native invasive plant species;
Manual and chemical treatment of non-native invasive plants, both along trails (National Forest, AT, state, municipal) and in conservation easements;
Chemical treatment to save ash trees from emerald ash borer
Leading volunteers to address maintenance needs on public trails.
Training volunteers to collect data on sedimentation from forest roads and trails

Volunteer Engagement: 20%

Assist in the recruitment and management of volunteers, teaching them restoration techniques including manual and chemical treatment of non-native invasive plants, informing them of the risks associated, and supervising them during workdays.
Coordinate our annual BioBlitz, which includes a 2 week virtual species hunt utilizing the iNaturalist app for identification and coordinating in-person identification events in different parts of WNC to recruit new participants and volunteers.

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects, and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require up to three overnight stays.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:

Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
Be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of service
Be available and commit to full-time service for the entire service term: members will serve a minimum of 1700 hours over the 11-month term, which is roughly full-time (40 hours per week).
Consent to a criminal history check and be cleared for service
Meet minimum education requirements (see individual service descriptions)
Meet additional qualifications as listed in the service descriptions
Meet essential functions for each position as listed in the individual service descriptions

Compensation & Benefits
For full-time (1700 hour) positions in the 2022-2023 program year, members will receive:

$19,880.00 living stipend (paid in equal installments via direct deposit, twice per month, minus taxes)
Health insurance reimbursement if eligible. Members are eligible for reimbursement for the full cost of a Health Insurance Marketplace bronze or catastrophic plan, OR up to $100 for a higher-level Marketplace plan. Members who maintain health insurance through a parent or spouse’s employer are not eligible for reimbursement.
Childcare assistance if eligible. See eligibility requirements for full-time members enrolled in AmeriCorps State & National programs on the AmeriCorps Childcare Fact Sheet
Education award of $6,495.00 upon successful completion of the program. This award can be used to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. Learn more about the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award on AmeriCorps.gov/americorps-education-award
Mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities. Training may include Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, Conflict Resolution, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and more

Project Conserve strives to foster a culture that celebrates and supports equity, diversity, and inclusion, learning and continuous improvement, and high-quality community service. AmeriCorps positions provide unique opportunities for members to develop leadership and professional skills to support their future career goals. Members participate in training and service days up to three days per month with the full Project Conserve team and on an ongoing basis as part of their host site service. Training may cover a broad range of topics including conflict resolution, wilderness first aid, and CPR/AED, project planning, non-native invasive species identification, trail construction, volunteer management, and education program development.

HOW TO APPLY

To Apply
Please go to conservingcarolina.org/americorps/projectconserve/ for more information and to apply. Contact Susan Bean with any questions at (828) 258-8737 x218 or susan@mountaintrue.org. MountainTrue is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to individuals with known physical/mental disabilities.

AmeriCorps Forest Keeper Coordinator (Asheville)

MountainTrue, through AmeriCorps Project Conserve, is seeking dedicated individuals to fill 4 full-time positions serving critical conservation needs in western North Carolina. Each full-time member will serve 1700 hours from September 1, 2021 through July 31, 2022. Members serve with host site organizations working to protect the unique natural resources of the southern Blue Ridge Mountain region.

Members connect people with nature and enhance quality of life through conservation education, volunteer recruitment/coordination, and trail creation/improvement. Members also improve environmental conditions in WNC through activities including habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, and public land and river improvements projects.

Project Conserve strives to foster a culture that celebrates and supports equity, diversity, and inclusion, learning and continuous improvement, and high-quality community service. AmeriCorps positions provide unique opportunities for members to develop leadership and professional skills to support their future career goals. Members participate in training and service days up to three days per month with the full Project Conserve team and on an ongoing basis as part of their host site service. Training may cover a broad range of topics including conflict resolution, wilderness first aid and CPR/AED, project planning, non-native invasive species identification, trail construction, volunteer management, and education program development.

Forest Keeper Coordinator Position Summary:
This position includes a combination of volunteer recruitment and coordination, on-the-ground stewardship on public lands, education, and data management. A primary task of the FKC is to build and improve upon a Forest Keeper program to recruit, cultivate, educate and retain dedicated volunteers who monitor and improve our public lands. The position will include opportunities to learn from and network with conservation professionals from a variety of non-profit organizations and government agencies. This service position will require frequent travel and work outdoors to provide an opportunity for the Forest Keeper Coordinator to become more familiar with the Blue Ridge Mountains. This service position will be supervised by the Ecologist & Public Lands Director who will provide training, support, and guidance. The Forest Keeper Coordinator will also benefit from knowledge, expertise, and training by other staff through the teamwork approach practiced among the diverse projects with MountainTrue.

Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must have: Education or experience in natural resources management, biology, or environmental science/studies/education/policy. Strong organization, communication, and project management skills. Ability to work independently. Gregarious personality. Ability to work outdoors and maintain a positive attitude in challenging conditions and inclement weather. Respect for diverse groups and interests.
Would prefer: Community organizing/engagement or event planning skills and experience. Education/knowledge in native and non-native plant identification.
Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.

Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. A number of weekend hours of work will, however, be required, so an appropriate number of weekdays/hours will be excused to offset these as determined by the member’s supervisor. (Approximately 2-3 weekend days per month; more in spring and fall, less in winter.)

Position Responsibilities and Duties:

Conservation Education: 25%

This aspect will primarily consist of educating volunteers and members of the public through organized education events and workdays. This could also include participation in/presentation at conferences; high school and college PowerPoint presentations and workshops; designing and producing posters and brochures educating about, or promoting events relating to, nature education, forest ecology and management, climate change, non-native invasive plants and insects, and other education projects of interest and need.

At-Risk Ecosystems and Trails: 25%

Field inventory/data collection of non-native invasive plant species;
Same for the non-native invasive insect, emerald ash borer, which also includes ash tree (several species) ID and measurement training;
Manual and chemical treatment of non-native invasive plants, both along trails (National Forest, AT, state, municipal) and in conservation easements;
Participating in tree live-staking in riparian zones.
Working to address reported issues in the public lands of WNC with ecological sensitivity.

Volunteer Infrastructure Program: 50%

The Forest Keeper Coordinator will be responsible for assisting in the recruitment of volunteers for the Forest Keeper program as well as other opportunities to improve the public lands of WNC. This will include reaching out to diverse groups, and offering regular training/recruitment events.
In addition, they are responsible for the management of those volunteers, which includes teaching them restoration techniques, informing them of the risks associated, and supervising them during the workdays.
The Forest Keeper Coordinator will also help coordinate our annual BioBlitz, which will entail the recruitment and management of up to 50 volunteers.
As part of this work, the FKC will maintain social media presence (Instagram, Facebook) and help promote events and programs.
The Forest Keeper Coordinator is expected to keep detailed records of volunteer personnel (including names and contact, liability waivers, hours served, and frequency of participation) in keeping with Project Conserve standards.

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require up to three overnight stays.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:

Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
Be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of service
Be available and commit to full-time service for the entire service term: members will serve a minimum of 1700 hours over the 11-month term, which is roughly full-time (40 hours per week).
Consent to a criminal history check and be cleared for service
Meet minimum education requirements (see individual service descriptions)
Meet additional qualifications as listed in the service descriptions
Meet essential functions for each position as listed in the individual service descriptions

Compensation & Benefits
For full-time (1700 hour) positions in the 2021-2022 program year, members will receive:

$16,350 living stipend (paid in equal installments via direct deposit, twice per month, minus taxes)
Health insurance reimbursement if eligible. Members are eligible for reimbursement for the full cost of a Health Insurance Marketplace bronze or catastrophic plan, OR up to $100 for a higher-level Marketplace plan. Members who maintain health insurance through a parent or spouse’s employer are not eligible for reimbursement.
Childcare assistance if eligible. See eligibility requirements for full-time members enrolled in AmeriCorps State & National programs on the AmeriCorps Childcare Fact Sheet
Education award of $6,345 upon successful completion of the program. This award can be used to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. Learn more about the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award on AmeriCorps.gov
Mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities. Training may include Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, Conflict Resolution, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and more

HOW TO APPLY

To Apply
Please go to conservingcarolina.org/americorps/projectconserve/ for more information and to apply. Deadline to Apply is May 31, 2021. Contact Amy Stout with any questions at (828) 697-5777, ext 217 or projectconserve@conservingcarolina.org. Conserving Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to individuals with known physical / mental disabilities.

AmeriCorps Water Quality Administrator (Hendersonville)

MountainTrue, through AmeriCorps Project Conserve, is seeking dedicated individuals to fill 4 full-time positions serving critical conservation needs in western North Carolina. Each full-time member will serve 1700 hours from September 1, 2022 through July 31, 2023. Members serve with host site organizations working to protect the unique natural resources of the southern Blue Ridge Mountain region.

Project Conserve strives to foster a culture that celebrates and supports equity, diversity, and inclusion, learning and continuous improvement, and high-quality community service. AmeriCorps positions provide unique opportunities for members to develop leadership and professional skills to support their future career goals. Members participate in training and service days up to three days per month with the full Project Conserve team and on an ongoing basis as part of their host site service. Training may cover a broad range of topics including conflict resolution, wilderness first aid and CPR/AED, project planning, non-native invasive species identification, trail construction, volunteer management, and education program development.

Water Quality Administrator Position Summary:
This position encompasses many facets: working with volunteers on many levels (recruiting, training, mentoring, organizing); learning and understanding meaningful ways to connect applied science to community needs at the local level; evaluating, designing, and implementing impactful programming for the betterment of the community and environment; and collaborating with all types of groups, from government agencies to civic organizations, school groups, other nonprofits, and community groups. The member is in charge of communications with the Water Quality Team, administers resources for all WQ-focused programs, and connects with the broader community to solve water quality challenges.

Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Related educational background preferred: environmental sciences/studies, natural resource
management, sustainability/technology, etc.
Experience working with or managing volunteers of various demographics preferred
Public Speaking experience a plus
Member must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills
Experience with Microsoft Office, Google suite, Facebook, and GIS preferred
Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.

Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, some evenings and weekends

Position Responsibilities and Duties:

Conservation Education: 20%

Collaborate with other organizations to organize and execute Kids in the Creek and other water quality youth education events;
Focus educational efforts around climate change adaptation and mitigation, litter and plastic pollution, and other emerging areas of interest;
Collaborate with other organizations to conduct public education events across Transylvania, Henderson, Polk, and Rutherford Counties;
Pursue other opportunities to engage with children through local schools, etc.

At-Risk Ecosystems and Trails: 30%

Plan and assist with live-staking events in the region;
Utilize water quality data to prioritize and address water quality issues;
Conduct stream clean-ups and other work days

Volunteer Infrastructure Program: 50%

Lead MountainTrue’s Southern Regional Office Clean Water Team;
Manage the SMIE biomonitoring, VWIN chemical monitoring, Swim Guide bacteria monitoring, and microplastic monitoring programs through effective volunteer recruitment, training, and management;
Expand the reach of the Adopt-A-Stream program; Coordinate Big Sweep and other volunteer focused stream clean-up events;
Host a volunteer appreciation event;
Help guide the organization’s efforts around equity, diversity, and inclusion by targeting volunteer recruitment and service activities to reach underserved people and communities;
Pursue other opportunities to engage volunteers as they arise

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require up to three overnight stays.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:

Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident
Be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of service
Be available and commit to full-time service for the entire service term: members will serve a minimum of 1700 hours over the 11-month term, which is roughly full-time (40 hours per week).
Consent to a criminal history check and be cleared for service
Meet minimum education requirements (see individual service descriptions)
Meet additional qualifications as listed in the service descriptions
Meet essential functions for each position as listed in the individual service descriptions

Compensation & Benefits
For full-time (1700 hour) positions in the 2022-2023 program year, members will receive:

$19,880.00 living stipend (paid in equal installments via direct deposit, twice per month, minus taxes)
Health insurance reimbursement if eligible. Members are eligible for reimbursement for the full cost of a Health Insurance Marketplace bronze or catastrophic plan, OR up to $100 for a higher-level Marketplace plan. Members who maintain health insurance through a parent or spouse’s employer are not eligible for reimbursement.
Childcare assistance if eligible. See eligibility requirements for full-time members enrolled in AmeriCorps State & National programs on the AmeriCorps Childcare Fact Sheet
Education award of $6,495.00 upon successful completion of the program. This award can be used to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. Learn more about the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award on AmeriCorps.gov/americorps-education-award
Mentorship, training, and professional development opportunities. Training may include Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, Conflict Resolution, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and more

HOW TO APPLY

Ask President Biden To Keep His Promise To Our Environment

We are living with rapidly accelerating climate change, a biodiversity crisis that threatens more than one million wildlife species with extinction, and air and water pollution that burdens millions of Americans. We need bold action and we need it now.

To help address these overlapping crises, President Biden has committed to protecting at least 30 percent of our lands, waters, and ocean by 2030.

This “30×30” plan will preserve natural places that filter out pollution so that we can breathe clean air and drink clean water, help prevent mass wildlife extinctions, fight climate change and protect us from its worst effects, and ensure that all Americans — no matter their economic status, race, or ethnicity — have access to nature and open space.

Send a letter asking President Biden to follow through on his promise and act quickly to protect 30 percent of U.S. lands, waters, and ocean by 2030.

Take Action For Funding To Map Landslide Hazard Areas In WNC

Action Expired

Landslides in our mountains are a threat to homes, roads, drinking water, and even lives. But we can make our communities safer if we know where to expect them. Call on the NC Senate to continue funding for the mapping of dangerous landslide hazard areas in Western North Carolina below!

To make sure we know where landslide risks exist in our mountains, the NC Department of Environmental Quality began mapping these areas back in 2005. This program was halted in 2011 and then restarted in 2018 with funding from the NC General Assembly. However, the funding for the highly trained, technical mapping staff – the staff who are the boots on the ground for this work – will run out this June. We need to make sure this important work continues!

As climate change causes more frequent and heavy rainstorms, landslides become more common and dangerous. In fact, every record rainfall our region has experienced in the past decade has come along with a sharp increase in landslides. Over the last few years, these landslides have:

Destroyed and condemned homes across the region
Killed people in Watauga, Polk and Macon counties
Impacted a major gas line in Polk County
Blocked key roads like I-40 in Haywood County and US 19/74 in Swain County for weeks
Moved significant excess sediment into Franklin’s drinking water supply

To make our communities more resilient to future landslides, we must first understand where the risks are so we can plan, prepare, and adapt accordingly. Take action below to call on your State Senator to include funding to continue the landslide hazard mapping program in this year’s budget.

To make your message most effective, we highly encourage you to personalize it and explain why this issue matters to you!

MT Raleigh Report: How Legislative Advocacy Helped Us Track Down E. coli Pollution

4/27/2021

At MountainTrue, we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about water – how to keep it clean, where and how it’s being polluted and how to clean it up.

That’s true not only home in Western North Carolina, but also in Raleigh, where clean water initiatives are always at the top of our legislative agenda.

When it comes to water pollution, E. coli is a huge part of the problem. E. coli is a type of bacteria that typically lives in the stomachs of humans and animals, and exposure to it in water can cause intestinal infection, diarrhea and even kidney failure.

Our Water Team conducts regular water quality monitoring of the French Broad, Green, Watauga, Broad, Elk, Hiwassee, New and Nottely Rivers. On the French Broad River in particular, our data showed a sharp increase in E. coli levels several years ago – but while we knew E. coli was spiking, we couldn’t say for certain where it was coming from. We needed funding to do more sensitive eDNA testing and determine the major sources of E. coli in the river.

That’s when our lobbying effort in Raleigh kicked in.

The French Broad River flows through a good portion of Senator Chuck Edwards’ district, which includes Henderson and Transylvania counties and portions of Buncombe County. Senator Edwards also chairs one of the Senate appropriations committees that deals with funding for natural resources. With his help and some effective lobbying, in 2018 the Senate included a $100,000 appropriation for water quality testing in the French Broad River.

This spring, the results of that testing made headlines across WNC: showing that the main source of E. coli in the French Broad River is agricultural runoff from cattle farms, followed by inadequate sewer, septic or wastewater treatment systems. MountainTrue shared this data to kick off a region-wide grassroots advocacy campaign to educate the public about E. coli pollution. And we’re asking our supporters to call on their elected officials to support funding to help farmers, property owners and local governments keep their pollution out of the river.

In Raleigh, we are combining this grassroots support with advocacy inside the legislative building to find more funding for clean water in Western North Carolina. We’re so appreciative of the support you and others provide to make our legislative advocacy possible. Thank you for being part of this important process!

For more information about our water testing efforts and advocacy, visit mountaintrue.org/swimguide.

Call on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and Asheville City Council: Build Back Better With Public Transit!

Action Expired

As our community recovers from Covid-19, building a more resilient and accessible public transit system in Buncombe County is more important than ever. Take action below to call on the Buncombe County Commissioners and Asheville City Council to increase funding for public transit in their budgets this year!

Here’s what we’re asking the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners:

Create a Transit Master Plan to improve transit access in Buncombe County. While Asheville has its own Transit Master Plan, that plan largely focuses on transit within the city limits. This plan will lay out a roadmap for transit expansion in the County, prioritize transit connections between City and County routes, help increase federal funding for transit and lay out an action plan for the County to transition its fleet to 100% electric vehicles by 2030.
Restore the County’s subsidy for Mountain Mobility services. In the past, the County provided Mountain Mobility service to the City at a reduced rate and subsidized the costs. But over the past couple of years, the County has reduced and then discontinued this subsidy, creating another strain on Asheville’s already underfunded transit system. We call on the County to restore this important health and human service for residents who need it.

Here’s what we’re asking Asheville City Council:

Fund extended evening hours from Year 1 of the Transit Master Plan. We thank the City for agreeing to operationalize transit at their recent retreat, and know the next steps in doing that are funding the rest of Year 1 and priority items for Year 2 of the Transit Master Plan. Extending evening hours is the highest priority of transit riders who are advocates for a better system and a must-have for a reliable public transit system in a city like Asheville, where many service workers have night shifts.

Fund priorities from Year 2 of Asheville’s Transit Master Plan, including increased frequency of the S3 and S6 on Hendersonville Road. Increasing frequency for the South Asheville routes will provide more reliable access for residents to living wage jobs in South Asheville, while connecting more of our neighbors living in affordable housing in South Asheville to downtown and other parts of the city. This will also connect residents to critical health and human services like MAHEC.

The Buncombe County Commissioners and Asheville City Council are both deciding what will be in their yearly budgets this month. Make sure transit makes the cut by contacting these local governments below. We hope you’ll personalize your message and write about why better transit is important to you!

April 2021 E-Vistas Newsletter

We’ve Done the DNA Testing, And Now We Know the Sources of E. Coli Pollution

DNA testing conducted by MountainTrue on the French Broad River, one of our region’s most polluted waterways, has confirmed that cattle are the biggest source of E. coli pollution, followed by faulty or inadequate sewer, septic or water treatment infrastructure. Our Swim Guide E. coli testing has documented increasing levels of E. coli, but until now we couldn’t say for certain what the sources of the pollution were. With new, more sophisticated testing, MountainTrue looked at the DNA found in 55 water samples to measure for genetic fingerprints of E. coli from people, cows, dogs, poultry, sheep and swine. Read the press release for a summary of our testing results.

We’re using this data to advocate for science-based policies at the North Carolina General Assembly that would provide financial support to help farmers fence cattle out of streams and property owners fix their septic systems. At the federal level, we’re advocating for major investments in water infrastructure. Learn more and take action here.

Now Hiring: Director of the Creation Care Alliance of WNC

Reverend Scott Hardin-Nieri, Director of MountainTrue’s Creation Care Alliance (CCA) program and our beloved colleague, is moving on to a position with the Bethany Fellowship. Scott will always be a part of the MountainTrue family, and that family will soon be getting a little bit bigger as we add another member to the team.

MountainTrue is accepting applications for our next CCA Director until May 5, 2021. You can read the position description and apply here, and you can read Scott’s letter to CCA members announcing his departure here.

The Creation Care Alliance is a network of people of faith and congregations who have united around a moral and spiritual call to preserve the integrity, beauty and health of God’s creation. We work to bring practical and hopeful solutions to our congregations and broader secular communities by engaging hearts and minds through inspiration, education, service and advocacy. For more information: creationcarealliance.org.

American Zinc Products Facility Continues to Pollute the Broad River

WLOS News Investigative Reporter Kimberly King did an excellent job covering ongoing violations by the American Zinc Products facility in Mooresboro in a seven-minute segment that aired on April 7. After seven years in operation and at least 41 violations issued by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now opened an investigation into the site. Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell has been working on this issue for the past six years, has met with staff at the facility multiple times, and has asked both DEQ and EPA to take action to keep the zinc plant’s pollution under control. Watch the full news story on WLOS.

MountainTrue Helps Lead Bulk Solar Purchasing Effort to Reach 100% Renewable Energy

Members of the Solarize Steering Committee at a press event this April.

MountainTrue is on the team that launched Solarize Asheville-Buncombe last week – a local bulk-purchasing initiative to increase the amount of solar energy and battery storage in our community.

“The model is similar to buying in bulk at the grocery store for a lower price,” says MountainTrue’s Organizer & Communications Manager Eliza Stokes, who serves on the campaign’s Steering Committee. “The more community members who participate, the cheaper the solar will be.” By reducing barriers to solar, like cost and confusion about where to start, the campaign is making solar more accessible and aims to help Buncombe County get on track to reach our community goal of 100% renewable energy by 2042.

While similar Solarize campaigns have happened all over the country, the Asheville-Buncombe campaign is unique in our focus on equitable job training and additional affordability efforts. Solarize is partnering with Green Opportunities (GO), an Asheville-based workforce development program, to help train residents from marginalized communities to support installation of the campaign’s solar panels.

“Green sector jobs are on the rise, and many positions in this sector are accessible to those with traditional obstacles to employment,” says Ben Williamson, Executive Director of Green Opportunities. “We also know climate change disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color and that increasing access to clean, renewable energy is a step in the right direction in that fight.”

The campaign has also attained funding to help more families afford solar, and is crowdfunding through our “Neighbor-to-Neighbor” program to provide financial support that will make solar accessible to even more people in our community.

To sign up for a free solar building assessment and/or to donate to Solarize’s Neighbor-to-Neighbor financing program, visit solarizeabc.com.

WNC for the Planet Bingo Card

Celebrate Earth Month with MountainTrue and the rest of the WNC for the Planet coalition by playing Earth Month BINGO! The virtual BINGO card features opportunities to engage with our partners through workshops, activities, service and more. Lend a hand cleaning up our rivers, restoring native plant and animal habitats, or clearing non-native invasive plants. Or, learn how to compost, explore nearby hiking trails, or create art and poetry. You can access all of the wonderful Earth Month events in one place at www.wncfortheplanet.org – and you may win a prize from organizations and local businesses! Read more.

High Country Regional News

For Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Watauga and Wilkes counties

Thank You for Helping Us Plant 12,000 Live Stakes for a Healthier River

With the help of more than 35 volunteers, MountainTrue planted 12,000 live stakes in the Watauga River Watershed this fall, winter and spring. These live stakes will develop root systems and become trees in the coming years, supporting streambank health, reducing sedimentation, improving flood control and creating shaded habitat for aquatic species. We only planted native species like silky dogwood, silky willow, ninebark and elderberry, which provide added benefits for native pollinators. The live staking season is now finished for the year, but stay tuned for more workdays starting in November 2021!

Microplastics Are Widespread Throughout WNC Watersheds

Our water quality staff and volunteers have been hard at work for the last couple of months collecting water samples and testing for the presence of plastics. Unfortunately, we have found microplastics in every single sample of every watershed that we’ve tested across Western North Carolina, including seven sites on the Watauga River. A total of 164 unique individual plastics have been identified so far, ranging from microfibers from synthetic clothing to microfilms from plastic bags and wrapping. Read more about this program here.

Swim Guide Launches Next Month!

Our 2021 Swim Guide program launches next month. We will be collecting weekly E. coli samples from 16 sites across the Elk, New and Watauga River Watersheds from May to September. Results will be published on the Swim Guide app and website, so be sure to check them before you swim!

Interested in taking samples? Email hcwqa@mountaintrue.org for more program information.

Southern Regional News

For Cleveland, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties

Volunteer Spotlight: Erica Shanks

Erica Shanks’s enthusiasm for protecting the Green River is evident in all the work she does with MountainTrue. She has volunteered for Green River cleanups since 2014 and has been working closely with the Green Riverkeeper program since it began in 2016. Most recently, she began volunteering with our new microplastics sampling program.

What drives her to be such a superstar for our rivers? “I love doing it. The feeling that you get after you get a lot of trash off the river is kinda indescribable,” she explains. “You’re really excited, but at the same time you’re really sad, you’re really mad, you’re really frustrated because you know you can keep coming back out here and probably get the same amount of trash every single day.”

That hasn’t stopped Erica. She’s committed to following through on this work for both the environment and the broader community impacts. She’s not just picking up river trash, she’s also modeling good stewardship of our public resources. “You inspire the community that sees you out and about, and then that encourages them to want to clean up too. Even though the environmental impact is obvious, the community impact is different. People see somebody doing something and then they want to do it too.”

MountainTrue appreciates the hard work and dedication of volunteers like Erica, and we’re so glad to have their support. “The big thing I love about MountainTrue is the emphasis on protecting places we share,” Erica says. “The Green River is a very special place for so many reasons. And to be able to keep this clean and inspire the community to keep their special places clean is a pretty big deal.”

Thank you Erica for all your hard work and dedication to protecting the places we share!

Friends of East Flat Rock Oppose Asphalt Plant Again

On March 20, approximately 200 concerned neighbors packed the house of a Neighborhood Compatibility Meeting to voice their concerns about a proposed rezoning that would allow the construction of an asphalt plant near homes and businesses in East Flat Rock.

Next up: the proposal goes before the Henderson County Planning Board on April 15 at 5:30 PM in Thomas Auditorium at Blue Ridge Community College (180 W Campus Dr, Flat Rock, NC 28731). Be there to make your voice heard and make it clear that rezoning for an industrial plant in this location is unacceptable. Learn more and sign the petition at www.friendsofeastflatrock.org and submit your comments to the Planning Board here.

Henderson County Compost and Agriculture Fair on May 6th

Come to the first annual Compost and Agriculture Fair at Jackson Park in Hendersonville on Thursday, May 6th from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM during International Compost Awareness Week! Celebrate soil health and agriculture, and connect and learn from organizations and fellow compost lovers. Henderson County recently began selling backyard compost bins so you can compost at home. Pre-purchase yours today and pick it up at the fair.

Western Regional News

For Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties in NC, and Towns and Union counties in GA

Carson-Newman University Group Spent Spring Break Volunteering for MountainTrue

Ten students and faculty from Carson-Newman University spent their spring break this March removing non-native invasive plants alongside streams and rivers on public lands in the Hiwassee River Watershed. Although they worked for a shortened week, this group’s participation ensured that the 13-year tradition of hosting alternative breaks wasn’t broken by the COVID-19 pandemic! We look forward to next year when we can hopefully bring back volunteer-prepared lunches for these hard-working young adults.

Fun Activities Planned for Andrews Spring Fling – April 24

Western Region Program Coordinator, Tony Ward will lead free nature walks along the Valley River and Town Branch during the Andrews Spring Fling on April 24th.

Are you ready to get outside to celebrate Earth Day? Mark your calendars to be in Andrews on Saturday, April 24, 11-6 for the town’s annual Street Fair & Nature Expo to learn about gardening, butterflies, water conservation, local history and much more. MountainTrue’s booth will include a native tree scavenger hunt; signups for nature walks during the festival led by Western Region Program Coordinator, Tony Ward, at the Cherokee County Heritage Park (easy walking distance from the street fair); and a quiz to test your knowledge of hellbenders, which are the largest aquatic salamander found in our streams and rivers! Hope to see you in downtown Andrews to celebrate Earth Day with us!

Western Region Spring Hike Outing in Panthertown Valley

Photo caption: Schoolhouse Falls is one of two larger waterfalls located along the route of the spring hike outing.

Join Western Regional Director Callie Moore and MountainTrue’s Outings Coordinator, Kasydi Dunaway, for a loop hike on the Panthertown Valley, Little Green and Mac’s Gap Trails. This moderate 5.6-mile hike has a lot of variety including unique golden sandbed streams, long-range views, waterfalls and rock outcrops! There will be a total of 895 feet of elevation gain as we climb Little Green Mountain to our lunch spot at Inspiration Point, and then climb out of the valley at end of the hike. The trails are located near Glenville, North Carolina in the Panthertown Valley area of Nantahala National Forest. The outing is limited to 15 people and you must register in advance.

Events & Volunteer Opportunities

As the COVID situation evolves, we continue to increase capacity for our guided adventures. We highly encourage you to add your name to the waitlist for any hike you are interested in. Spots may open up at the last minute and we would love to get you into those spaces.

Hikes that have a chance to open up:

Western Region Huckleberry Knob Hike – 4/17
Wildflower Hike (Rattlesnake Lodge) – 5/12
High Country Wildflower Hike – 5/7
Lower Green Inflatable Kayak Trip – 5/7

If you are interested, email our Outings & Education Coordinator Kasydi Dunaway at outings@mountaintrue.org to join our waitlist.

April 7-30 – Earth Day Cleanup Challenge
What better way to celebrate Earth Day than participating in a cleanup challenge? Sign up and tag @mtntrue in your cleanup photos on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #MTEarthDayChallenge. Pictures with the most trash collected will receive a prize from your MountainTrue region. Participate and show your love for the environment and your community this Earth Day! Take part.

April 17, 9 am-4 pm – Socially Distant Lake Adger Spring Cleaning (Rescheduled)
Join MountainTrue’s Green Riverkeeper for the Lake Adger Spring Cleaning! Head out on the lake on Saturday, April 17, collect as much trash as you can, and post images of your haul to social media with the hashtags #lakeadgerspringcleaning or #lakeadgercleanup. Sign up.

April 17, 11 am-2 pm – Island Park Invasive Plant Volunteer Work Session in Bryson City
Join forces with MountainTrue and the Tuckasegee River Alliance to help eradicate non-native invasive plants, restore a beautiful riparian buffer and bring the island back to its full splendor. Sign up.

April 18, 23 & 25, 10 am-4 pm – Treat Hemlock Trees along the Green River
Join the Paddlers Hemlock Health Action Taskforce (PHHAT) to protect hemlock trees along the Green River from the deadly woolly adelgid. PHHAT works in areas only accessible by boat in the Green River Game Lands. Paddling experience of crew members from Class II up to Class V whitewater may be required. Please email our Green Riverkeeper at gray@mountaintrue.org for more information and to get involved.

April 20, 11 am-12 pm – Using DNA to Track E. Coli Pollution in the French Broad River
Join French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson and Dr. Joseph Craine from Jonah Ventures for a webinar on analyzing water samples for DNA. We will discuss how MountainTrue is using this technology to determine the sources of bacteria pollution. Sign up.

April 21, 10 am-1:00 pm – Native Habitat Restoration along Mud Creek near Fletcher
Join us at this French Broad Paddle Trail campsite as we work to eradicate non-native invasive plants and restore native species. Plant ID and removal techniques will be taught on-site. Plan to get dirty. Sign up.

April 22, 9 am-12 pm – Creation Care Hike at Bear Wallow near Hendersonville
Join Creation Care Alliance Director Rev. Scott Hardin-Nieri and MountainTrue’s Public Lands Director Bob Gale for some inspiration and ecological insights on this easy-to-moderate hike up to some spectacular views. Sign up.

April 25, 6 pm-7:15 pm – Creation Care Alliance Virtual Earth Day Vigil
Join Creation Care Alliance Director Rev. Scott Hardin-Nieri and speakers from throughout our region for readings, prayers and songs to inspire you in the care of God’s creation. Sign up.

May 13, 12:30 pm-1:30 pm – Getting Around Car-Free: Strive Not To Drive Webinar
Join MountainTrue, AARP and Strive Not To Drive for a webinar about car-free, alternative modes of getting around town followed by a Q&A session with expert guests. Sign up.

May 20, 11 am-12 pm – Climate Change in Our Mountains and Strategies for Mitigation and Adaptation
Join our MountainTrue University Climate Series with Public Lands Director Bob Gale and Field Biologist Josh Kelly as they discuss the likely effects of climate change in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Sign up.

May 22, 10 am-2 pm – Hike & Learn to Identify Trees in Union County, GA
Join Tony Ward, MountainTrue’s Western Region Program Coordinator, for a 1.2-mile loop trail hike through an upland forest area of Meeks Park and learn how to identify many of the trees in our region. Sign up.

May 26, 12 pm-1 pm – Building Our City with Heather Worthington (Virtual)
In many American cities, it is illegal to build anything other than a detached single-family home on 75 percent of residential land. Join Minneapolis’s Director of Long Range Planning, Heather Worthington, as she discusses why single-family zoning has come under scrutiny as cities grapple with a dire shortage of affordable housing. Sign up.

June 5-19 – 2021 BioBlitz: Tri-County Smackdown
This year’s MountainTrue BioBlitz pits Jackson, Watauga and Transylvania counties against each other to determine the 2021 champion of biodiversity. The competition kicks off on June 5 on iNaturalist. We can’t wait to see what kinds of observations our participants will share. Tell your friends, neighbors, family, and fellow naturalists, and get prepared for a BioBlitz like no other! Sign up.

DNA Testing Indicates Animal Agriculture and Sewer Infrastructure are Major Pollution Sources for French Broad River

MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper hopes science will inform policy solutions to clean up area waterways.

Asheville, NC — Testing conducted by local conservation organization MountainTrue has confirmed that cattle and faulty or inadequate sewer, septic or water treatment infrastructure are the major sources of E. coli pollution in the French Broad River.

MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper conducts regular water quality monitoring of rivers and streams throughout the French Broad River Basin, including weekly testing of more than 30 recreation areas from May to September. After decades of slow but consistent improvement to the basin’s water quality, the organization has documented a sharp decline in water quality.

“The difference over that past few years has been disturbing,” explains French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson. “Take Pearson Bridge in Asheville’s River Arts District: That site passed the EPA’s safe threshold for swimming 81% of the time in 2016. Just four years later, that site failed 81% of the time in 2020. Or Mud Creek in Henderson County, that site passed 52% of the time in 2018, and now it fails 93% of our tests.”

MountainTrue’s standard E. coli testing program measures the E. coli in the river. Levels in the French Broad have been high and rising year-over-year, but the nonprofit couldn’t say for certain what the sources of the pollution were. Determining the major sources of E. coli required more expensive testing to look at the presence of DNA in the river.

“Testing DNA in polluted water is pretty state-of-the-art and it isn’t cheap,” explains Hartwell Carson. “We needed help paying for it, so we approached Senator Chuck Edwards for help.” North Carolina Senator Edwards, whose district includes Henderson and parts of Buncombe County, helped secure state funding to pay for sampling and lab costs. With that funding, MountainTrue looked at the DNA found in 55 water samples to look for genetic fingerprints of E. coli from people, cows, dogs, poultry, sheep and swine.

“Our rivers are very important to our quality of life and our economy,” explains Senator Edwards. “This project is helping us better understand the causes of bacteria pollution in the French Broad River. We need that information to develop solutions that will keep the river clean.”

Of the 55 samples, 44 revealed DNA from cows. Human DNA was the second most prevalent. The results vary, but at nearly every site the primary sources of pollution were cattle followed by human. Dog DNA also showed up as a moderate contributor to E. coli pollution at a few sample sites.

“The French Broad has some clean and clear streams that run through protected public lands, but we’re seeing more and more problem sites that consistently fail the EPA’s safe water standard for E. coli,” says Hartwell Carson. “Until now, we’ve only had educated guesses about where the E. coli was coming from. With this testing, we have the data we need to make more informed decisions about how to clean up our rivers.”

MountainTrue is presenting the results from their DNA testing to local members of the General Assembly and is encouraging the public to advocate for the adoption of a clean rivers policy agenda that includes funding to help farmers, property owners and local governments reduce water pollution.

“Now that we know the sources of E. coli pollution,” says Hartwell Carson. “The next step is to invest in actions that fix the problem.” The public can read about issues affecting water quality, and the policies and reforms needed to fix them at iloverivers.org.

TAKE ACTION TO FIGHT E. COLI POLLUTION IN OUR RIVERS

We’ve done the DNA testing. We know the sources of E. coli pollution. Now we have the solutions to clean up our rivers. Stand up for science-based policies to help farmers fence cattle out of streams and property owners fix their septic systems. And advocate for much-needed investments in wastewater infrastructure.

TAKE ACTION

The Results:

MountainTrue focused their testing on problem sites that had shown high levels of E. coli in previous testing: Hominy Creek, Mud Creek below downtown Hendersonville, Cane Creek and the French Broad River at Pearson Bridge in Asheville’s River Arts District. DNA levels of 0-49 numbers of DNA copies/100mL are considered “very low,” 50-99 “low,” 100-499 “medium,” 500-999 “high,” and 1,000 or above was “very high.” DNA testing provides a general picture of a body of water for approximately 100 meters upstream.

Hominy Creek
Averages for six samples: Cow – 339, Dog, 89, Human – 34.
Every sample taken at Hominy Creek showed cow DNA counts at or above medium levels. The highest level of cow DNA recorded was 511, putting that sample in the high range. Human DNA was also found in every sample, though at low or very low amounts in all samples except one in the medium range. This indicates that upstream agriculture in the watershed is significantly contributing to E. coli impairment, and while human waste from faulty sewers and failing septic systems plays a role, it isn’t the dominant pollution source. This testing site is below the Hominy Creek Greenway, a very popular dog-walking area and the likely reason for higher levels of dog DNA.

French Broad at Pearson Bridge
Averages for six samples: Cow- 270, Dog – 59, Human – 67
Cow DNA was the largest contributor at this site, but levels were more varied than at Hominy Creek. One sample showed cow DNA in the high range at 764, while three other samples presented low levels of cow DNA. Human DNA and dog DNA were also present at this site but at much lower levels. The variability of DNA levels is likely due to the impact of stormwater runoff. When it rains, cow and dog waste are washed in from the surrounding landscape causing a rise in pollution levels.

Cane Creek at Fletcher Park
Averages for six samples: Cow – 334, Human – 47, Dog – 8
The primary source of E. coli pollution in Cane Creek is quite clearly cattle from area farms. Human levels of DNA were very low and nonexistent in two instances.

Mud Creek below Downtown Hendersonville
Average for seven samples: Cow – 251, Human – 120, Dog – 52
Mud Creek was the site with the highest level of human DNA in all our testing. But, even here, levels of cow DNA were more prevalent than human. In three instances, human DNA counties were higher, but the overall average for cow DNA was higher. The pollution sources for Mud Creek are likely cattle, closely followed by human waste from faulty sewers, failing septic systems and inadequate wastewater treatment plants.

About MountainTrue
MountainTrue champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities. We are committed to keeping our mountain region a beautiful place to live, work and play. Our members protect our forests, clean up our rivers, plan vibrant and livable communities, and advocate for a sound and sustainable future for all. MountainTrue is active in the Broad, French Broad, Green, Hiwassee, Little Tennessee, New and Watauga watersheds, and is home to the Broad Riverkeeper, French Broad Riverkeeper, Green Riverkeeper, and Watauga Riverkeeper.
Mountaintrue.org

Media Contact:
Karim Olaechea, MountainTrue Communications Director
E: karim@mountaintrue.org, C: 415-535-9004

Take Action to Fight E. Coli Pollution in Our Rivers

Let’s give our farmers, families and local governments the help they need to keep our rivers free and clear of bacteria pollution. Call on lawmakers to address the issues polluting our rivers.

TAKE ACTION

The rivers and streams of Western North Carolina are widely loved and enjoyed by the people who live here. Our rivers are also a vital part of North Carolina’s economy, and they need to be preserved.

Unfortunately, stormwater runoff from heavier and more frequent rainstorms due to climate change combined with failing infrastructure are leading to higher levels of bacteria pollution in area waterways. Recent DNA testing done by MountainTrue of the French Broad River, one of our region’s most polluted waterways, indicates that cattle and faulty and inadequate sewer, septic or water treatment infrastructure are our major sources of E. coli bacteria pollution.

To fix the problems causing higher levels of bacteria in our rivers:

We are calling on members of the North Carolina General Assembly to increase funding for the Agricultural Cost Share Program, the Agricultural Water Resource Assistance Program, the Community Conservation Assistance Program, and the Waste Detection and Elimination Program.

Currently, state funding to help WNC farmers afford improvements such as new cattle fencing and riparian buffers through the Agricultural Cost Share Program (ASCP) and the Agricultural Water Resource Assistance Program (AgWRAP) is far outstripped by demand. Last year, these programs received $19.2 million and $7.3 million respectively in requests for just $7.5 million in combined annual funding. Increasing the state’s investment in these programs to $19 million for ACSP and $7 million for AgWRAP could drastically reduce bacterial pollution in WNC waters.

Similarly, funding for the Community Conservation Assistance Program — which assists government buildings, schools, parks, and homeowners manage and control stormwater runoff — is insufficient to meet demand. We proposed increasing funding for this program from $100,000 to $3 million to meet current demand from applicants and reduce stormwater pollution in rivers and streams already impacted by bacteria pollution.

The Waste Detection and Elimination (WaDE) program existed for eight years, between 2002-2009. In that time its staff visited 13,379 WNC homes and identified 2,016 sources of water pollution — mostly from leaking and failing septic systems. We propose restoring $200,000 to the budget to restart this incredibly effective program.

We are calling on North Carolina’s US Senators and members of the US House of Representatives to support the “American Jobs Plan”, which would provide funding for much-needed infrastructure improvements and climate initiatives including $66 billion for water infrastructure, not including an additional $45 billion to ensure that no child has to drink from lead pipes.

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