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January 2021 E-Vistas Newsletter

January 2021 E-Vistas Newsletter

January 2021 E-Vistas Newsletter

Take Action For A Healthier Pigeon River

Please email the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and speak up for stricter discharge permits for the Canton paper mill to help clean up the Pigeon River. The new draft permit for Blue Ridge Paper Products as proposed by DEQ would weaken regulations, require less monitoring and allow for more pollution to be discharged to the river. Act now to protect the Pigeon River.

Update: The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is postponing the public hearing and extending the period for public comments until April. They have yet to announce the new hearing date and comment deadline, but as soon as they do, we’ll let you know. Stay up to date by signing up for our Action Alerts here.

 

Jan. 28-29 : Sacred Lands, Sacred Bodies: Faithfully Caring For People And Place


The Creation Care Alliance is hosting this online symposium to create space for connection among neighbors, lay leaders and clergy. We will share stories of creation care and resilience from congregations taking practical steps to care for our neighbors and the earth. Whether you’re new to creation care or a long-time advocate, you’ll gain new language and tools to inspire your congregation to care for the environment and each other, interwoven with space for relationship, and prayer. Learn more and register.

 

We’re Hiring! Two Positions At MountainTrue Are Accepting Applications

Open Positions

MountainTrue is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and anti-racist working environment. Women, people of color, and those with firsthand experiences of environmental harm are strongly encouraged to apply.

Temporary Development And Operations Coordinator (Last Chance!)
We’re looking for a detail-oriented individual to join our Development team while one of our staff is on maternity leave. The position is responsible for processing donations, issuing donation acknowledgments and maintaining accurate data in the organization’s database. This is a four-month position at 20 hours per week with a rate of pay of $18 per hour. Application deadline: Friday January 22. Read more and apply.

Summer Community Outreach And Water Quality Intern
We’re hiring a summer intern who will work with MountainTrue through the two-month Non-Profit Internship Program (NPIP) sponsored by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. This position will be split evenly between community outreach and our French Broad Riverkeeper team. A stipend of $3,200 will be provided. The application deadline is February 15 at noon. See eligibility requirements and access the application.

Central Regional News

For Buncombe, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell and Yancey counties

Protect Richmond Hill And The French Broad River. Stop The Bluffs At River Bend.

Help fight a planned mega-development that would be built on 92 acres of intact forest directly next to Richmond Hill Park, increase traffic, and pollute the French Broad River. The proposal includes 1,545 luxury residential condo units, a 250-room hotel, a 59,000-square-foot office space, and 30 1,000 square-foot buildings in Woodfin adjacent to Richmond Hill Park and on the banks of the French Broad River.

MountainTrue opposes this project in its current form because of the potential impacts to the public commons – places we all share like the French Broad River, Richmond Hill Park and roads unsuited for the additional increased traffic. We are partnering with Richmond Hill & River Rescue — a local community group — to oppose this project, and we need your help. Take action.

 

Hot Springs Workday: Removing Non-Native Invasive Plants With Tamia Dame And Bob Gale


MountainTrue staff, volunteers, and partners regularly collaborate on the treatment and removal of invasive plants on our public lands to promote quality habitat for native plants and wildlife. Here’s an up-close perspective on a recent workday by MountainTrue’s Forest Keeper Coordinator, Tamia Dame. Read more.

High Country Regional News

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

Microplastics Sampling Program Kicks Off

We have launched a new microplastics sampling program and are recruiting volunteers to help us collect water samples for analysis. If you would like to get involved with this new program and volunteer with us, fill out this form and we’ll get you plugged in! Sign up here.

 

February Live Staking Work Days At Guy Ford River Access Park

The Watauga Riverkeeper and MountainTrue are combating sediment erosion in our local waterways. Sediment is a major polluter in our river basin, clogging fish and aquatic habitats, increasing water temperatures, and transporting toxic substances. We are helping to reduce the amount of sediment that flows into our rivers by planting live stakes along eroding riverbanks. As these stakes grow into trees, they stabilize the sides of the rivers and creeks where we plant them and reduce the overall amount of sediment getting into the river. Come plant with us! Sign up here.

 

Water Quality Internship Posted For Our Boone Office – Summer 2021

The Water Quality Intern is responsible for aiding the High Country Water Quality Administrator (HCWQA) with managing multiple water quality monitoring programs. This position would require interactions with volunteers on many levels (recruiting, training, organizing). This position requires attention to detail and learning how to apply hard science skills to the needs of the community. The internship will run from May to August. Read more and apply here.

Southern Regional News

For Cleveland, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties

Holiday Recycling In Hendersonville Was A Huge Success!

Our annual Holiday Recycling Event at Jackson Park in Hendersonville was a huge success – despite having to reschedule due to winter weather, and limiting volunteer involvement because of the pandemic. Hundreds of trees were ground into mulch and hauled away to nourish home and community gardens and landscapes. Heaps of lights and wreaths were recycled by the Henderson County Coop Extension Service for the 4-H Project, and greeting cards were recycled by Hope Academy. A special thank you to: King Hardware & Rental for providing the mulcher, Hendersonville and Henderson County personnel who were onsite mulching trees, our incredible volunteers who helped with planning, and especially Henderson County Environmental Programs Coordination and MountainTrue’s Recycling Team Chair, Christine Wittmeier, for her leadership and organization to make sure everything went off without a hitch.

 

New Permanent Access To The Green River Is Moving Forward

Our good friends at the Green River Access Fund are excited to announce the purchase and initial construction of a new permanent access point on Gallimore Road! For 17 years, the Access Fund has been working to secure permanent access to this incredible whitewater resource through key sales to a leased parking area. Now that the new property has been secured, some additional fundraising is needed to cover construction costs and maintain the existing parking area during construction.

We can’t understate how important access is here. While putting on the river at this location is a convenient “shortcut” put-in for expert Narrows paddlers, it is also a mandatory takeout point for those looking to experience the popular intermediate/advanced Class III/IV Upper section. Securing permanent access here is truly a dream come true. Learn more about the project and how you can support it.

 

UPM Raflatac Supports A Cleaner French Broad River With Donation To MountainTrue

MountainTrue is pleased to partner with label material manufacturer UPM Raflatac, which is sponsoring MountainTrue’s Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) — a volunteer-powered program through which members of the public collect water samples from over 30 sites throughout the French Broad River Water Basin every month. The donation will be made through the company’s Biofore Share and Care grant program.

UPM Raflatac develops innovative and sustainable labeling solutions that help businesses move beyond fossil fuels. As one of the world’s leading producers of self-adhesive label materials, it maintains a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices, and operates two factories in Henderson County, North Carolina, employing approximately 350 people.

“This support is crucial to the work of MountainTrue,” explains MountainTrue Southern Regional Director Gray Jernigan. “The VWIN program is the foundation of our work to protect the water quality of the French Broad River and other local watersheds.” Learn more.

Western Regional News

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

What Should I Expect From A Virtual Watershed Gala?


Although we won’t be able to hug David Liden like Nancy Troxler did when she won the Holman Award in 2016 (David introduced her), we can still celebrate with him!

Since some of you may not use Zoom on a regular basis like we do at MountainTrue, we thought we’d give you some idea of what you will experience during the online Watershed Gala on February 25 at 6pm. Callie Moore will emcee the event like always, only this time she’ll be coming to you virtually from her home in Hayesville.

You’ll see video clips of Callie and Tony highlighting our accomplishments in 2020. Member Mike Oliphant will introduce this year’s Holman Water Quality Stewardship Award recipient David Liden, we’ll watch a video of David receiving his award, and then David will say a few words to us. We’ll break into smaller rooms (based on your selection at registration) to share stories with other members about outdoor adventures or your favorite food and beverage venues. There will also be an appearance by one of our favorite Gala characters, and we’ll draw the winner of our online raffle for a $200 gift card at The Copper Door!

While attending the Gala on Zoom, you can choose whether or not people can see you over video or not, and can choose whether to talk or just listen. Whichever you choose, please join us to celebrate clean water in our region and those who work to keep it that way! Registration is now open, and we’re still accepting auction donations through February 5.

 

Efforts To Remove Invasive Plants At Island Park Continue In February


MountainTrue’s Western Region Program Coordinator, Tony Ward, shows volunteer Ralph Murphy how to treat the stump of a freshly-cut invasive autumn olive at the Island Park workday on December 12.

MountainTrue and the Tuckasegee River Alliance are hosting another set of volunteer workdays at Island Park in Bryson City, NC in February. The objective at these workdays will be to use hand tools to cut larger invasive shrubs/trees, and then to treat the stumps with a small amount of concentrated herbicide. We’ll also pull smaller plants up by the roots.

Each workday will be held from 11 am-2 pm and limited to 15 volunteers. Our most recent MountainTrue University talk was about the Island Park Project. Watch it on our YouTube channel here.

Sign up for the Saturday, February 6 Island Park workday.
Sign up for the Wednesday, February 10 Island Park workday.

Events & Volunteer Opportunities

Note: Due to the escalation of the COVID-19 crisis, in-person events for MountainTrue have been cancelled in January and February with the exception of program critical volunteer workdays. We hope to reschedule events like our Winter Tree ID hike for early March. Below are the current events still on the schedule.

Feb. 6, Feb. 20, Mar. 6 & Mar. 20: Live Staking Workdays In The High Country
Fight sediment pollution and erosion with Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill by planting live stakes along streams and river banks.

Removing Non-Native Invasive Plants In Hot Springs With Tamia Dame and Bob Gale

Removing Non-Native Invasive Plants In Hot Springs With Tamia Dame and Bob Gale

Removing Non-Native Invasive Plants In Hot Springs With Tamia Dame and Bob Gale

Last December, I headed out with MountainTrue’s Ecologist and Public Lands Director, Bob Gale, to treat non-native invasive plants with a few volunteers at an Appalachian Trail (AT) trailhead in Hot Springs, NC. This trailhead leads hikers straight to the parking lot for Laughing Heart Lodge, which is just one of the many hostels along the trail that provides accommodations to thru-hikers. The small town of Hot Springs is a hub for AT thru-hikers because of its position along the AT, its charming accommodations and its natural beauty.

Trailheads are often vulnerable to the spread of non-native invasive plants due to their proximity to roadways, since tires and shoes can carry the seeds of invasive plants and deposit them onto the ground around them. Upon meeting around ten in the morning at the trailhead, we were greeted by a plethora of multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), kudzu (Pueraria montana), oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), and a newly appearing vine here, Akebia quinata, also known as five-leaf akebia or chocolate vine. Only a short distance up the trail ahead, invasive plants were sparse – making this a great opportunity to prevent them from spreading further.

After a brief training in cut-and-paint herbicide use, non-native invasive plant identification and safety, the group broke up to tackle the dense foliage from each corner of the parking lot. Cut-stump herbicide treatment is ideal for woody stem plants such as multiflora rose and Chinese privet, and easy to figure out for first-time volunteers. Here’s how it works: Once plants have been cut to the base of the stem, take a small bottle with a sponge tip and a needle that protrudes with pressure and presses onto the cut stump, sending the herbicide down into the roots. The herbicide contains a blue dye as an indicator for safety or spill purposes, which also makes it easier to tell the difference between treated and untreated plants in areas dense with invasives.

The weather was cool and sunny; great weather for battling a thorny wilderness of multiflora rose in long sleeves under little tree canopy. This exotic invasive perennial shrub is particularly harmful because of its natural lack of predators, incredible shade tolerance and high seed production, to name a few factors. When we arrived, the southeastern corner of the parking lot had several mature multiflora rose plants which had effectively overtaken the native plant life beneath them.

Bob and Tamia worked on this corner until it was nearly rid of invasives and visibly much healthier, promoting an environment in which native plant life can thrive as hikers pass through. Positioned on the north and northwestern corners of the lot, volunteers Scott and Kayla cut through thickets of multiflora, privet, oriental bittersweet and kudzu. Diligently cutting and painting through the morning and afternoon, these two were able to significantly improve the appearance of this side of the parking lot and make great progress on this non-native invasive removal project.

While the situation here is not yet perfect, we were able to put an impressive dent in the sheer volume of non-native invasive plants that stood when we arrived. We look forward to continuing our invasive treatment work on the Hot Springs AT trailhead as the weather warms, and thank Scott and Kayla for their hard work with us!

UPM Raflatac Supports A Cleaner French Broad River With Donation To MountainTrue

UPM Raflatac Supports A Cleaner French Broad River With Donation To MountainTrue

UPM Raflatac Supports A Cleaner French Broad River With Donation To MountainTrue

MountainTrue is pleased to partner with label material manufacturer UPM Raflatac which is sponsoring MountainTrue’s Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) through the company’s Bifore Share and Care grant program. MountainTrue’s volunteer-powered VWIN program features members of the public collecting water samples from over 30 sites throughout the French Broad River Water Basin every month.

“UPM Raflatac is committed to labeling a smarter future beyond fossils and supporting a cleaner environment,” explains Tyler Matusevich, Sustainability Manager, Americas, UPM Raflatac. “As part of that commitment, we support local organizations doing great work through our Biofore Share and Care grant program. With hundreds of our employees and their families in Western North Carolina, the preservation of our local waterways is of utmost importance and we are pleased to do our part.”

“This support is crucial to the work of MountainTrue,” explains MountainTrue Southern Regional Director Gray Jernigan. “The VWIN program is the foundation of our work to protect the water quality of the French Broad River and other local watersheds.”

The laboratory results and data collected through the VWIN program are vital to water protection efforts in the area, help MountainTrue track down and stop pollution at the source, and inform the policy advocacy initiatives of MountainTrue’s I Love Rivers campaign (www.ILoveRivers.org).

“We’re grateful to have a company like UPM Raflatac as part of our community,” says Gray, “Their commitment to the planet and generous support helps MountainTrue and our members continue to fight for responsible water use and clean waterways for future generations in Western North Carolina.”

UPM Raflatac develops innovative and sustainable labeling solutions that help businesses move beyond fossil fuels. As one of the world’s leading producers of self-adhesive label materials, it maintains a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices, and operates two factories in Henderson County, North Carolina employing approximately 350 people.

MountainTrue’s VWIN program is administered by its Hendersonville-based Southern Regional Office. The water samples collected by our volunteers are analyzed by a state certified lab for various chemical and physical parameters (ammonia-nitrogen, nitrate/nitrite-nitrogen, orthophosphate, turbidity, total suspended solids, conductivity, alkalinity, and pH).

About MountainTrue
MountainTrue is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization that champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities in Western North Carolina. MountainTrue envisions thriving communities in our mountain region that are connected to and help sustain both each other and our natural environment. To achieve this, MountainTrue fosters and empowers residents throughout the region to engage in community planning, policy and project advocacy, and on-the-ground projects.

About UPM Raflatac
UPM Raflatac is labeling a smarter future beyond fossils by developing innovative and sustainable labeling solutions. As one of the world’s leading producers of self-adhesive label materials, they supply high-quality paper and film label stock for consumer product and industrial labeling through a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices.

UPM Raflatac works with brands and businesses by providing labeling solutions that support creative product packaging design, meet business goals and reach toward sustainability targets.

UPM Raflatac is part of the Finland-based UPM corporation – one of the biggest forest industry companies in the world. Two of the company’s three U.S. factories are in Henderson County in Mills River and Fletcher. Locally, they employ approximately 350 people.

To download photos, please click here: https://materialhub.upm.com/l/-kGqDXJKjcqT

Media Contact: 
Gray Jernigan, Southern Regional Director
E: gray@mountaintrue.org | C: 828-423-0578

Help Make the Pigeon River Healthier

Help Make the Pigeon River Healthier

Help Make the Pigeon River Healthier

Action Expired

 

Blue Ridge Paper Products has a long history on the Pigeon River in Canton. It has provided good quality jobs for decades, but also caused significant environmental impacts to the Pigeon River. Because of the pressure brought to bear from the public, environmental groups and the EPA, significant improvements in the amount and quality of the discharge to the river have been obtained, but we have a long way to go.

The goals of the Clean Water Act are to have all waters be fishable and swimmable. The way that regulators have tried to achieve those goals while balancing the interests and needs of industry is by slowly reducing permit discharge limits over time. The draft permit as proposed by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) takes a step backwards by weakening regulations, requiring less monitoring and allowing for more pollution to be discharged to the river.We are calling on the public to make their voice heard for continued improvements at the mill, so the Pigeon River can finally meet the goals of the Clean Water Act, almost 50 years after its passage. Attend and speak at the public hearing and submit comments to DEQ.Update: The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is postponing the public hearing until April 14 and extending the period for public comments until April 30.

What you can do

    1. Provide Public Comment via email to the Department of Environmental Quality.
      The public comment period has been extended until April 30. Take action today.
    2. Speak up at the online public hearing:
      You must register by noon on April 14. Click here for registration and hearing details.

    Resources

    Talking Points

    Temperature: Over 8,500 fish were killed in the summer of 2007 from an extremely hot discharge from the paper mill. This hot water discharge did not violate the temperature permit limits at the mill, because their limits during that time relied on a monthly average, which allows wild swings in the temperature of the discharge, and potential fish kills. Data from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission shows a substantial impact of aquatic life between  up and downstream monitoring, and temperature is a likely factor in the reduced diversity and abundance of aquatic life downstream of the mill.   MountainTrue, with the help of SELC and Clean Water for NC fought and won weekly monitoring limits in the last permit cycle, but those limits are being rolled back to a monthly average. We believe daily monitoring and a daily average limit for temperature is critical to understanding and protecting the Pigeon River. Now is not the time to roll back protections for the river!


  2. Dioxin: Reduction in dioxin fish monitoring in the draft permit is being proposed. Current monitoring requires monitoring 3 times in 5 years, but the new draft permit reduces that to once every 5 years. This is problematic for two reasons. The most recent sampling conducted in 2014 still shows dioxin in fish tissue, and therefore monitoring on at least the same schedule should be continued until  dioxin is no longer present in fish tissue samples. Secondly, the permit renewal cycle is many years overdue, the last fish tissue sample was taken over six years ago. That means, if new sampling is conducted only once in the next five years, that could mean that we only have one sample in 11 years. For these reasons we call on DEQ to continue the same sampling schedule of three times within every five years.

  3. Fecal Coliform: The mill not only processes its own waste, but also serves as a wastewater treatment plant for the town of Canton. Violations for fecal coliform have been frequent in the last decade with MountainTrue documenting at least 25 permit violations, sometimes in excess of 250 times the safe limit for fecal coliform. The Mill has also commonly violated its permitted standards for total suspended solids and biological oxygen demand. There is an urgent need for significant improvements to the wastewater treatment plant to ensure the river and downstream river recreation users are protected from harmful and dangerous levels of bacteria in the river.

 

  1. Chloroform: DEQ is proposing to allow the mill to increase their discharge of chloroform, a possible carcinogen. This is to an internal discharge point, so we need additional information to determine how much of this discharge is reaching the Pigeon River. The goal of the Clean Water Act is to reduce pollution discharges until all waters are fishable and swimmable. In this instance, not only is the discharge not decreasing, but the mill will be allowed to discharge even more cancer causing chemicals into the Pigeon River. The 2010 permit allowed for chloroform discharge allowances of 5.1 lb/day (as monthly average) or 8.6 lb/day (daily maximum). The 2021 proposed permit ups those limits to 6.27 lb/day (as a monthly average) and 10.5 lb/day (daily maximum). DEQ should be reducing those allowance, not letting the papermill pollute more.

MT Raleigh Report: Two Good News Appointments, What’s Next at the General Assembly

MT Raleigh Report: Two Good News Appointments, What’s Next at the General Assembly

MT Raleigh Report: Two Good News Appointments, What’s Next at the General Assembly

How about a little bit of good news to start the New Year? 

In case you missed it, two of North Carolina’s environmental leaders got new, high profile jobs recently. 

First, Secretary of the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) Michael S. Regan was appointed by President-Elect Joe Biden to lead the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Prior to leading NC DEQ, Secretary Regan led clean energy expansion programs at the Environmental Defense Fund, and also served as an air quality expert at the EPA for almost a decade. You might remember that Secretary Regan also received hundreds of public comments from MountainTrue members and our allies calling for full excavation of North Carolina’s coal ash in 2019 – a decision he ultimately ordered, resulting in the largest coal ash cleanup in US history. 

Based on today’s projected Senate runoff results, it is likely that Regan’s appointment will be approved by the Senate. His appointment to the head of the EPA is important and historic – he would be the first Black man to lead the agency and the second Black leader to ever hold this position. He would guide the agency’s efforts on two enormous tasks: restoring environmental rules and enforcements gutted by the previous administration, and advancing Biden’s goals of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and eliminating fossil fuel emissions from the power sector by 2035.

Additionally, Governor Cooper has appointed Reid Wilson to be Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The Department oversees 39 state parks and recreation areas as well as an array of museums, historic sites and cultural organizations and agencies. 

Wilson, who previously served as the Department’s Chief Deputy Secretary, has a long history in conservation including serving as executive director of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC), chief of staff to former EPA Administrator Carol Browner and national political director for the Sierra Club. 

Having two supremely qualified North Carolinians from the environmental movement at the top of these agencies should be welcome news to those of us who are concerned about the protection of our land, air and water. We’ll keep you posted on the leadership transition at NC DEQ as Governor Cooper works through the appointment process to fill the void left by Secretary Regan’s departure.

In other news, the 2021 General Assembly convenes on January 13 for a ceremonial session to swear in new members. Then, after a short break, legislators will return to Raleigh on January 27 to begin the real work of the long session. 

Here at MountainTrue we are already holding meetings with legislators throughout the region to go over our – and their – to-do lists for 2021. Look for an overview of MountainTrue’s legislative priorities soon, and thank you for your support!

Call on Congress: Support Major Public Transit Funding in the Emergency COVID-19 Aid Package

Call on Congress: Support Major Public Transit Funding in the Emergency COVID-19 Aid Package

Call on Congress: Support Major Public Transit Funding in the Emergency COVID-19 Aid Package

Action Expired

 

Public transit systems all over the country are at risk of laying off workers and cutting back service due to the pandemic. Will you take action below to call on Congress to include major support for public transit systems this week in its emergency COVID-19 aid package?

In Asheville and all across the country, public transit is in crisis. The pandemic has caused local and state revenue used to fund public transit to drop sharply, and new passenger limits to maintain safety on buses are causing riders to be left behind at bus stops. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), over half of transit agencies in the US reported that without federal funding they are considering laying off or furloughing staff, while 61% said they may need to reduce service.

Right now Congress has the opportunity to save transit systems that are lifelines for essential workers – who we know are more likely to depend on public transit than other workers – and to make sure public transit can keep growing after the pandemic to build more livable and climate resilient communities. We are standing with our friends at APTA and calling for $32 billion in emergency funding for public transit in the federal COVID-19 aid package. This issue can’t wait, as COVID-19 cases are only set to get worse this winter and budget deadlines for many transit systems are coming up in the next few weeks.

Tell Congress: Now is the time to provide emergency funding for public transit.

December 2020 E-Vistas Newsletter

December 2020 E-Vistas Newsletter

December 2020 E-Vistas Newsletter

Call on Congress: Support Major Public Transit Funding In The Emergency COVID-19 Aid Package


Public transit systems all over the country are at risk of laying off workers and cutting back service due to the pandemic. Will you take action here to call on Congress to include major support for public transit systems this week in its emergency COVID-19 aid package?

Right now Congress has the opportunity to save transit systems that are lifelines for essential workers – who we know are more likely to depend on public transit than other workers – and to make sure public transit can keep growing after the pandemic to build more livable and climate resilient communities. Take action here to call on Congress to provide emergency funding for public transit this week. Take action.

 

Congratulations 5Point Raffle Winners And Thank You All!


We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to MountainTrue through our 5Point Film Festival fundraiser this month. It was a great success in support of all our programs, and we hope you enjoyed the show as much as we did! Congratulations again to our raffle winners: Stephen Hendricks, Dan Comer, Penny Hooper, Diane Huey, Kimber Kessinger and Rachel Bemis. We hope you enjoy your sweet new gear from festival sponsors!

 

Read “A Black Naturalist’s Journal” By AmeriCorps Forest Keeper Coordinator Tamia Dame


We have two new blog posts up on our website by our AmeriCorps Forest Keeper Coordinator Tamia Dame, in which she explores intersections of anti-Black racism, communicating across political differences and the natural world. A brief excerpt:

“It’s raining, forcing me to reschedule a field day. On one hand I don’t mind, as this CP flare up probably means I need to rest. On the other hand, I find myself looking at the dozens of photos I’ve taken over the last weeks. Photos of deep forest, leaves, flowers, mushrooms, caterpillars, rivers, and of course mountain views. A video of a little red salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) shimmying itself under leaf litter, trying to hide itself from danger. I want to be outside, where the birds tune out the noise of society, even if only for a while.

Nature therapy, for me, has become a means for coping with the daily trauma we have collectively been witnessing, and disproportionately been experiencing.”

Read more of Tamia’s journal.

 

MountainTrue Is Hiring A Temporary Development And Operations Coordinator


We’re looking for a detail-oriented individual to join our Development team while one of our staff is on maternity leave. The position is responsible for processing donations, issuing donation acknowledgments and maintaining accurate data in the organization’s database. This is a four month position at 20 hours per week with a rate of pay of $18 per hour. Read more and apply. 

 

Help Make Our Region Better By Donating To MountainTrue Through Give!Local

Mountain Xpress’ Give!Local Guide showcases local nonprofit organizations that do good work in our region. By giving to MountainTrue through the Give!Local you can earn great incentives such as a MountainTrue hat, or a discount at Mast General Store. Check our listing out.

 

Central Regional News

For Buncombe, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell and Yancey counties

Update from French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson on Asheville’s Stormwater Task Force


After successfully advocating for a Stormwater Task Force to respond to Asheville’s chronic water quality problems this summer, the Task Force is now meeting regularly to improve water quality and flooding issues in the city. The Task Force has 10 members that are developing recommendations for the City of Asheville on green infrastructure, water quality in Nasty Branch, the stormwater ordinance and funding. We are also looking at examples of other communities across the state and country on how best to improve the pollution and flooding that has become common after rain events. We anticipate having some draft recommendations available to bring to Asheville City Council in the spring.

 

Close The Gap: Take A Step Forward for Asheville


The City of Asheville is updating the City’s Greenway (G), Accessibility (A), and Pedestrian (P) Plans. The combined plan, known as “Close the GAP”, will be the City’s plan to update and expand the network of accessible sidewalks and greenways in our community. MountainTrue endorses this project and we would like your help in supporting it. Please take the general Close the GAP survey and ADA Transition Plan survey (if you have a disability) and be a part of this exciting planning effort.

Take the Close the GAP survey.
Take the ADA Transition Plan survey.

High Country Regional News

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

Update on Seven Devils Sewage Plant on the Watauga River


Thanks so much to all of you who stood up to protect the Watauga when a surprise vote about a new sewage plant in Seven Devils came up last week. Almost 500 people took action to contact the Seven Devils Town Council in only a few hours – the most incredible turnout we’ve ever had for an action like this in the High Country! While the Seven Devils Town Council voted 3-2 to approve the annexation Tuesday night, all the yes votes sounded reluctant, and I truly believe your public comments are what led to the vote being so close.

We have the chance to fight this project again when it goes to the Town Board of Adjustment for a vote. In the meantime, I hope you’ll get involved in other ways to protect the Watauga River, like signing up for live staking days to plant trees along river and stream banks and helping us sample for microplastics in the river. Stay tuned for upcoming volunteer opportunities on MountainTrue’s events calendar and Watauga Riverkeeper social media platforms.

 

Livestaking Dates Coming Up In February


Did you miss our livestaking events in November and December? Don’t worry, we have more work days planned for February! Sign up here to join us with planting on Feb 6.

 

How Many Microplastics Are In The Watauga?


Microplastics are found across the globe, infiltrating even the most pristine areas. We want to figure out just how many microplastics are in the Watauga River, but we need your help!

Interested in collecting water samples? Sign up here to join our volunteer online training January 20th at 2pm.

 

Call For Volunteers For Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE)


Our Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE) samples for aquatic bugs as bioindicators to gain information about water quality. The second round of SMIE sampling in April is approaching fast! If you are interested in sampling or learning more about this program, sign up to be the first to hear about the upcoming training.

Southern Regional News

For Cleveland, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties

Give Your Decorations a Second Life with Holiday Recycling in Henderson County!


MountainTrue is proud to host our annual holiday recycling event at Jackson Park, Ball Field #6 on Saturday, January 9 from 9 am to 2 pm. We’ll be collecting trees, wreaths, lights and cards. Just make sure to remove any decorations from your trees and wreaths before you drop them off.

Trees will be mulched on-site with help from Henderson County and City of Hendersonville staff, as well as a mulcher donated by King Hardware & Rental. You’ll have the option to take some mulch home with you – a great opportunity to turn your tree into nutritious mulch for your gardens, plants and veggies. Lights and cards will be recycled by the Henderson County CoOp Extension Service for the 4H Project. Read more.

Western Regional News

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

Virtual Watershed Gala and Online Auction Fundraiser Taking Shape


Sara Ruth Posey won this highly coveted bonsai donated by Tim Ryan at the 2016 Gala auction.

Although we won’t be gathering in person next February for our traditional gala, we hope you’ll still plan to participate with us online as we celebrate our rivers, lakes and streams and honor those who provide us with leadership and inspiration along the way. Our team is working to make this event as much fun as it can be without being in each other’s physical company, and there’s no required $50 ticket this year, either. Plus, you’ll still want to support our Holman Water Quality Stewardship Award winner! Look for that announcement in January.

The 2021 Gala auction will be held completely online, and we’re counting on you to help make it a success! Bidding will open at 12 pm on February 15 and close on February 25 at 9 pm (after the Gala event). But before then, we need item donations! This is an excellent opportunity for artists, crafters, restaurants, wineries, breweries and other businesses to gain exposure across MountainTrue’s whole 26-county region. Contact me at callie@mountaintrue.org if you would like to donate an item or have an idea of one for us to recruit. Visit our Gala webpage for more event details and to sign up to be notified when the auction opens!

 

Caney Fork Creek at East LaPorte Park Will Be Shadier Next Summer


This November and December, MountainTrue’s Western Region Program Coordinator Tony Ward ordered, delivered and helped plant native trees and shrubs for three live staking workdays. This collaborative effort was funded by the TVA and led by American Rivers and Mainspring Conservation Trust, with other key partners including the Jackson County Parks & Recreation Department and the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River. Staff and volunteers from these organizations planted 160 trees and shrubs, and installed hundreds more live stakes of vegetation along Caney Fork Creek at East LaPorte Park on the Tuckasegee River. This project will cut down on streambank erosion, improve habitat at the water’s edge and provide shade to keep water temperatures cooler during the hot summer months. Learn more about live stakes.

Events & Volunteer Opportunities

Jan. 9: Give your Christmas Tree, Lights & Holiday Cards a Second Life in Hendersonville
MountainTrue is proud to host our annual holiday recycling event at Jackson Park, Ball Field #6 on Saturday, January 9 from 9 am to 2 pm. This is a great opportunity to turn your tree into nutritious mulch for your gardens, plants and veggies.

Jan. 12: MountainTrue University: Restoring Island Park
Join us January 12 at 1 pm to hear Tony Ward, MountainTrue’s Western Region Program Coordinator, discuss his role in helping to restore Island Park in Bryson City. The project is a partnership between the town of Bryson City, the Tuckasegee River Alliance and MountainTrue.

Jan. 19: Winter Tree ID Zoom Class
Join MountainTrue’s very own Public Lands Field Biologist, Josh Kelly, for our Winter Tree ID workshop. This class will cover the concepts you’ll need to successfully identify trees in the Southern Appalachians, no matter your experience level!

Jan. 20: Microplastics Sampling Program Training for the Watauga
Microplastics (a term for tiny pieces of plastic) are found all across the globe, infiltrating even the most pristine areas. Help us figure out how present microplastics are in the Watauga River and get trained to collect water samples with us.

Jan. 23: Winter Tree ID Hike at Big Laurel Creek Trail
Join MountainTrue’s Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly for our Winter Tree ID Workshop Hike at Big Laurel Creek Trail. This hike is open to aspiring tree identifiers of all skill levels.

Feb. 6: Live Staking Workday in Sugar Grove
Fight sediment pollution and erosion with Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill by planting live stakes along streams and river banks.

Are we ready for the next threat to public lands?

Are we ready for the next threat to public lands?

Laurel Creek is part of the headwaters of Fires Creek, a favorite trout stream for many anglers in our region.

​I’d like to introduce you to Chris Broomfield, a member of MountainTrue and the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, one of our partner organizations. In June, Chris celebrated when the US Forest Service purchased a 49-acre block of private land in the headwaters of Fires Creek, following a 10-year battle to protect the creek — a favorite trout stream for Chris and many locals.

It all started in 2008 when a group of people requested permission to build a road along Laurel Creek to a piece of property they’d bought high up on the rim of the mountains.

“Thing is, their proposed route was really close to pristine waters and cut through rock formations that would likely cause acid runoff,” said Chris, reflecting back on the project. “We’d read on the state’s website about streams that were permanently damaged by acid runoff generated by other roads constructed through this same geologic formation. There was a very real risk that any kind of road construction would cause irreparable damage to the pristine streams flowing into Fires Creek.”

Long-term fights like this one are not new to MountainTrue. It took thousands of staff hours to protect Fires Creek, and this would not have been possible without the support of our members and donors. Consider making a donation today so that MountainTrue is ready for the next threat to water quality and our public lands.

Make A Contribution

From the very beginning, MountainTrue and the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition led the legal and advocacy work that resulted in the private landowners abandoning the road building project. With this purchase, the land is now part of Nantahala National Forest and Fires Creek will continue to run clean and clear.

“It took 12 years to win this. It wouldn’t have happened without organizations like MountainTrue, who have staying power over the long term and the history of working in these mountains to ensure that clean water and our public lands…our communities are protected in the future!”

With the impact of COVID-19 on fundraising events and small business support, your donation is needed more than ever. We need your help to secure the longevity of MountainTrue. We rely on the generosity of people like you who love both the natural and built communities in these mountains to make sure we are here for the long haul, and with the capacity needed to reach our goals! Make a donation today and help protect more places like Fires Creek in the future.

MountainTrue Western Region program coordinator Tony Ward evaluates native and invasive plants while developing a restoration plan.

It costs approximately $400 a day — or $2,800 a week — to operate the MountainTrue Western Regional Office, including staff time and expenses for our clean water, public lands and healthy communities work. If every person reading this letter gives just $100 today, we can enter 2021 with half of our much needed funding secured! How much would you give to ensure that we’re here to protect your nearby waters, forests and communities?

Your donations matter. Here are some of the long-term projects we’re currently working on locally that depend on your support:

  • Corridor K Transportation project in Graham & Cherokee counties: Working to ensure community transportation needs are met, while minimizing forest fragmentation and overall environmental impact.
  • US Forest Service Timber projects in Macon & Clay counties: Protecting high-quality old-growth forests, natural heritage areas and water quality as timber is harvested and forest communities are restored.
  • Lake Nutrient Reduction projects in Towns & Union counties: Curbing pollution from leaking septic systems, farms and construction projects to reduce algae growth and the occurrence of harmful algal blooms.
  • Restoring Clear Water to the Tuckasegee River in Jackson & Swain counties: Working with partners to eliminate excess sedimentation from construction projects and eroding stream banks and helping to restore native plant communities along streams.
  • Assisting with planning parks, trails and greenways across all nine counties of MountainTrue’s western region.

Will you help ensure our mountain waters, forests and communities stay healthy in the future? Please help us get a strong start in 2021 by making a donation today.

Thank you for joining me and MountainTrue in our mission to protect the places we share.

Protect The Watauga River From Another Sewage Treatment Plant

Protect The Watauga River From Another Sewage Treatment Plant

Protect The Watauga River From Another Sewage Treatment Plant

Image Description: Secondhand equipment sits on the site of the proposed sewage plant in Seven Devils.

Action Expired

 

The Watauga doesn’t need another faulty sewage plant. The Town of Seven Devils has been approached to consider annexing a proposed development and sewage treatment plant along the Watauga River. This is bad news for water quality, trout, and all of us who depend on the Watauga for work and play. Will you make your public comment below to oppose this proposal?

After stalling for several months, this proposal is suddenly moving very quickly. There was a surprise special hearing about it on Monday December 7, and after we pressed for it, the Town has agreed to accept written public comments about the new plant until 2 pm today.

The Watauga River cannot handle more sewage plants. There are currently 36 permitted active and expired discharges on the Watauga River, many of which fail to meet standards. Just upstream from Seven Devils, The Ponds wastewater discharge plant has been in flagrant violation of North Carolina’s water quality regulations. When our Watauga Riverkeeper program began sampling there this summer, samples were 20-40 times over the EPA’s safety limit for E. coli pollution, and at times were so high that they maxed out our water monitoring equipment. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s follow-up visit to that plant discovered corroded leaking pipes, inactive overflow alarm systems and uncontrolled solids buildup – all indicating a serious threat to the river we love.

 

November 2020 E-Vistas Newsletter

November 2020 E-Vistas Newsletter

November 2020 E-Vistas Newsletter

Join MountainTrue this #GivingTuesday for a very special virtual screening of the 5Point Adventure Film Festival! We’ll be screening a selection of inspiring films from the 2020 Festival.

5Point Film Festival is built on five guiding principles: respect, commitment, humility, purpose and balance, and the belief that we can all be ambassadors of the environment. The festival inspires us to explore wild places and return with a renewed vigor to protect our natural world. Proceeds from the event support our conservation work. 
Get your tickets and enter to win our raffle.

 

MountainTrue Co-Director Julie Mayfield Elected To NC State Senate

MountainTrue’s Co-Director Julie Mayfield has won her race to represent Senate District 49 in the North Carolina State Senate. In a letter to our members, Julie explains what this means for the organization, her work schedule and our legislative advocacy work. Read more.

 

Public Lands Are More Popular Than Ever, And They Need Your Help

2020 has brought record visitation to public lands in our region, with many of the people visiting these lands doing so for the first time. While the new wave of interest is exciting, the crowds and all the newcomers have also brought growing pains in the form of overflowing parking lots, trash bins, and piles of litter. MountainTrue’s Public Lands Field Biologist, Josh Kelly, shares some ideas in this blog post about how we can all encourage newcomers to be better stewards of our public lands. Read more.

 

Take Action: Stand Up For Solar Power In Western North Carolina

A proposal to build a large-scale solar farm on top of a retired landfill in Woodfin is in jeopardy. Will you call on the NC Utilities Commission to approve this important clean energy project?

To meet the challenge of climate change, we need North Carolina to move forward on large-scale renewable energy projects like this solar farm, and quickly. This will bring the benefits of new solar energy directly to our community: new solar jobs, reducing local carbon emissions and making real progress on our renewable energy goals. At the same time, building solar on low-value land like a landfill preserves other land for new affordable housing, tree canopy, public spaces and other highly sought after uses in our region. Learn more about the Woodfin solar farm proposal and take action to support it here!

 

Buy Locally From Sustainable Farmers This Holiday Season

As we approach the holiday season, it’s a good time to think about where that turkey, pork, or beef comes from that will round out our family meals. In this post, Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell discusses how farming practices have changed over time and how we can be more conscientious about where we buy this year’s holiday feast.
Read more and find your local, sustainable farmers.

 

High Country Regional News

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

Live Staking Workdays Resume

Live staking volunteers plant live cuttings of trees and shrubs to reduce sediment pollution.

Fall brings warmer colors and cooler weather to our mountains. It also ushers in our live staking season – the time of year when we plant live cuttings of dormant trees along stream banks. In the spring, these cuttings grow into trees that help prevent soil erosion, filter stormwater runoff and create vital aquatic habitat.

Each year, we set a goal for ourselves to plant 10,000 trees along stream and riverbanks in the Watauga River Watershed. Will you join an upcoming work day to help make the Watauga River more resilient? Visit our events page at mountaintrue.org to sign up.

Southern Regional News

For Cleveland, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties

Paddlers Hemlock Health Action Taskforce (PHHAT) Is Back In Action!

The experienced paddlers of the PHHAT team head down the Green River to treat hemlock trees.

MountainTrue’s Green Riverkeeper Gray Jernigan, in partnership with Hemlock Restoration Initiative, American Whitewater and NC Wildlife Resources Commission, is back to work with the Padders Hemlock Health Action Taskforce (PHHAT) to help preserve hemlock trees in the Green River Gorge. These trees are under threat due to the deadly hemlock woolly adelgid, but can be saved with proper treatment. The PHHAT team treats hemlock trees in the steepest areas of the Green River Game Lands, which are unreachable by foot and require the special skills of paddlers to access them by water.

If you are an experienced whitewater paddler and would like to join the PHHAT team, our last work day this fall will be on the Upper Green River this Sunday, November 22, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Please email gray@mountaintrue.org to RSVP. PHHAT will host more work days next spring.

 

SMIE Biomonitoring Season Finished Strong Despite Challenges

SMIE volunteers inspect water bugs to gauge the health of our rivers and streams.

Over 30 volunteers in MountainTrue’s Southern Region conducted Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE) sampling at 24 sites this fall, including two new sites in the Broad River Watershed. SMIE is a program where community scientists sample streams for water bugs, which tell us important information about the health of these aquatic ecosystems. Despite the organizing challenges posed by the pandemic and extra precautions necessary to keep everyone safe, our volunteers rallied to get it done. SMIE sampling is conducted twice a year in the spring and fall. Keep your eye out for this volunteer opportunity in spring of 2021!

Western Regional News

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

1.8 Tons of Trash Removed From Lake Chatuge Shoreline

Longtime cleanup participant Benjamin Davis won the prize for most creative photo from this year’s cleanup!

More than 50 volunteers showed up for MountainTrue’s 10th Annual Lake Chatuge Shoreline Cleanup on November 7. Together, we were able to clean up 1.8 tons of trash from the lake’s shoreline. That brings our 10-year total to nearly 14 tons of trash! We especially appreciate the participation of the Rotary Club of Lake Chatuge-Hiawassee and Cub Scout Pack 407.

In addition to our wonderful volunteers, we couldn’t be successful in this effort without the valuable contributions of our partners. Tennessee Valley Authority provided bags, gloves and grant sponsorship, the US Forest Service Blue Ridge Ranger District provided the big dump truck and driver, and Towns County Government provided the pavilion and disposed of all the trash for free.

 

Join Us On December 12 To Help Control Invasive Plants At Island Park in Bryson City

Photo caption: Severing vines of kudzu, oriental bittersweet and honeysuckle is the first step to controlling non-native invasive plants at Island Park.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to get rid of kudzu? Do you enjoy working with your hands and helping our public lands? Then we have a volunteer opportunity for you. MountainTrue has joined forces with the Tuckasegee River Alliance to eradicate non-native invasive plants at Bryson City’s Island Park, which is currently closed to the public pending storm damage repairs.

This beautiful island in the Tuckasegee River hosts a riparian forest with some very large trees. However, infestations of non-native invasive plants threaten its biological diversity. Join us on Saturday, December 12 from 11 am to 2 pm to learn how to identify and control non-native invasive plants and help bring native plants back to Island Park! No prior experience is necessary, and tools and training will be provided. Email Tony Ward, MountainTrue’s Western Region Program Coordinator, with any questions. 
Register here for the Island Park Invasive Plant Volunteer Work Session!

 

Native Trees And Shrubs Improve Water Quality

Volunteers plant native trees and shrubs along a small stream at the Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center in January 2019.

More than 50 of you purchased native trees and shrubs at our Annual Native Tree and Shrub sale this year, raising $3,000 to support our work protecting riparian buffers in the Western Region!

The native trees and shrubs that make up our riparian buffers are key components to healthy streams, rivers and lakes. Streamside riparian buffers provide a wide variety of functions, including filtering pollution from runoff, trapping excess soil and taking up nutrients. As a result, these buffers keep water temperatures cooler, prevent erosion and loss of land and provide food and shelter for wildlife. MountainTrue staff and volunteers spend a good deal of time removing non-native invasive plants along streams and lake shorelines to ensure that the native vegetation stays healthy and protects water quality.

Not only do the proceeds from the native tree and shrub sale support this work, but the trees purchased are also a great way for landowners to improve their own stream, river and lake fronts. The dormant season (November-March) is the best time to plant woody trees and shrubs so that they can develop a strong root system before putting energy into flowers, leaves and fruit in the spring.
Watch this short video to learn the proper way to plant your potted tree or shrub!

Events & Volunteer Opportunities

Dec. 1: Virtual 5Point Adventure Film Festival Screening
Join us this #GivingTuesday for a virtual film festival full of inspiring short films about outdoor adventurers and the planet they love. Proceeds support the work of MountainTrue.

Dec. 10: Virtual Hendersonville Green Drinks: Recycling – What Can And Can’t Be Recycled, And Why!
Christine Wittmeier, the Environmental Programs Coordinator for Henderson County, will discuss the ins and outs of recycling and how “wishful recycling can cause big problems for recycling programs.”

Dec. 12: High Country Live Staking Work Day In Sugar Grove
Fight sediment pollution and erosion with Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill by planting live stakes along streams and river banks.

Dec. 12: Island Park Invasive Plant Work Day In Bryson City
Help restore the native habitat of Island Park with MountainTrue and the Tuckasegee River Alliance.

Dec. 16: MountainTrue University: Rethinking Smart Growth
Join Chris Joyell of the Asheville Design Center as he tackles difficult questions about whether smart growth accelerates gentrification.