2024 was a year of challenges, opportunities, and growth.

Our litigation against the Southside Project successfully protected the Whitewater Special Interest Area. The Healthy Communities team helped secure new regulations protecting Madison County communities from large biomass facilities and crypto-mining operations. We removed the Shulls Mill Dam on the Watauga River, cleared an invasive plant that posed a serious threat to Lake Chatuge, and coordinated over $400,000 in septic repairs for homeowners who were financially unable to repair or maintain their systems, resulting in immediate water quality improvements.

Click here to read MountainTrue’s 2024 impact report, which includes valuable information about our accomplishments, immediate Helene response, and financial health. 

As we move into 2025, we remain committed to protecting our rivers and forests, advocating for better housing and planning, and building more resilient communities. But we can’t do it without you. Your support makes this vital work possible!

Thank you,

Bob Wagner,

Executive Director

Take Action

Take action to protect threatened & endangered species

Take Action: A proposed rule threatens to substantially weaken the Endangered Species Act by eliminating habitat protections for threatened and endangered species. The rule seeks to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the ESA, which currently prevents habitat destruction for endangered species. Stripping the definition of harm to leave out habitat destruction would open the floodgates to developers, loggers, miners, oil and gas drillers, and others to destroy endangered species habitat, driving species to extinction in the process. Please tell USFWS that you strongly oppose this proposed rule. Comments are due May 19.

Merch 

New MountainStrong merch has launched 

Hurricane Helene may have shaken our beloved mountains, but she didn’t shake our spirit. Over the past few months, we’ve been pouring our hearts into something special — a way to celebrate what it really means to be MountainStrong. We’re so excited to finally share the new MountainStrong merch with you! This collection comes from the heart and honors the strength, resilience, and recovery of the places we all love and call home. Check it out now! Our popular Hellbender merch has also been restocked. All proceeds from merch sales fund the work of MountainTrue.

Clean Waters Program Updates

Swim Guide returns this month

Swim Guide season is almost here, and MountainTrue and our four Riverkeepers are grateful to the volunteers who’ve signed up to sample our sites throughout the summer months! First sampling dates kick off May 21 — you can see the results on swimguide.org every Friday from Memorial Day to Labor Day! Use these links to check results for your favorite spots:

     💧Broad Riverkeeper – Broad & First Broad rivers

     💧French Broad Riverkeeper – French Broad & Pigeon rivers

     💧Green Riverkeeper – Green & Big Hungry rivers

     💧Watauga Riverkeeper – Watauga, New, & Elk rivers

     💧MountainTrue West – Little Tennessee & Hiwassee rivers

Broad Riverkeeper – David Caldwell

Paddlers on the section of the Broad River from Hwy 221 to Hwy 221A.

Best paddling locations

Many folks are asking where it’s safe to paddle right now. In the Broad River Watershed, we have two rivers to paddle: the Broad in Rutherford and Cleveland Counties, and the First Broad in Cleveland County. 

Right now, contractors are working in both rivers in Cleveland County. The First Broad River is narrow, and big equipment could present a dangerous obstacle, so we’re advising folks not to paddle the First Broad at this time. The contractors will update us as they complete work in various sections of the rivers, and we’ll inform the public as to when they’ll be safe to paddle. The Broad River near Boiling Springs is much wider, so getting around the contractor’s equipment should not be a problem.

The Broad River in Rutherford County has two good options for paddling. The best option and easiest for all skill levels is Hwy 221 to Hwy 221A. These are brand-new NC Wildlife Resource Commission access sites. Another option for more experienced paddlers is Grays Road to Coxe Road. We’re working with Rutherford Outdoor Coalition to remove strainers/obstacles in other sections of the river and will keep the public posted as we make progress.

French Broad Riverkeeper – Anna Alsobrook

Join us for the 2025 Riverkeeper Beer Series🍻
We’re kicking off another summer of great beer for a great cause with the Riverkeeper Beer Series! Come out to clean up our rivers and celebrate with us at these awesome breweries:

     🍻June 7 – New Belgium (Asheville) 

     🍻June 8 – Big Pillow (Hot Springs)

     🍻June 21 – Wicked Weed (Asheville)

     🍻June 28 – Oskar Blues (Brevard)

     🍻August 9 – Wedge (Asheville)

     🍻August 23 – Hi-Wire (Asheville)

This year’s series is especially important as we rally our community to help restore our waterways in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Proceeds support our ongoing cleanup efforts and the vital work of your local Riverkeepers. Come raise a glass and make a difference at an upcoming Beer Series volunteer cleanup! Learn more here. Shout out to our Riverkeeper Beer Series sponsors: ENO, Recover, and Dewey Property Associates. 

Green Riverkeeper – Erica Shanks

MountainTrue volunteers with Green Riverkeeper Erica Shanks at our May 3 cleanup at the confluence of the Green & Big Hungry rivers.

Volunteer cleanups in the Green River Watershed have begun! 

On Saturday, May 3,  we had 30+ volunteers join us at the Big Hungry cleanup where the Big Hungry River meets the Green. Volunteers pulled out over 3,200 lbs of trash and housing debris! Thanks to our partnership with NC Wildlife Resource Commission for giving us trail access so we could help make a dent in the removal process. Make sure to visit the events page on our website to sign up for volunteer opportunities to clean the Lower Green this summer! More dates are being added regularly, so check back often!

Our cleanup crews are now working in the Lower Green

Thanks to a grant from the Polk County Community Foundation, we now have a small crew of hired contract workers in the Lower Green walking the river bed and banks to remove trash for safer use of the river this summer. After just one week of working on the river, they’ve successfully removed over 4,800 lbs of trash. This amazing crew has pulled out sheet metal, RV parts, car doors, wiring, TVs, HVAC units, washing machine parts, and more! 

Watauga Riverkeeper – Andy Hill

Cranberry Creek dam removal in progress in the New River Watershed.

More dam removal news 

American Rivers, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, MountainTrue, Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and the National Park Service (NPS) came together to remove an earthen dam from Cranberry Creek Preserve in the New River watershed this May. We’re proud to be part of these efforts to reconnect a key tributary, improve riparian habitat, improve recreational safety, and provide upgrades to the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail. This dam removal was important among conservation partners because of the larger goal of transferring the land to NPS for permanent protection as part of the Blue Ridge Parkway! 

Don’t miss the Wild Edible & Non-Native Plant Themed Dinner benefiting the Watauga Riverkeeper on Friday, May 30! 

Support the Watauga Riverkeeper Swim Guide program by enjoying a delicious “forest-to-table” style dinner, highlighting the non-native and wild edible plants we commonly think of as invasive or unpalatable. With an Italian theme, guests will be treated to a delicious multi-course meal at the beautiful, women-owned and operated Springhouse Farm.

Dinner will be prepared and harvested by Wild Blessings‘ Holly Drake, local herbalist, forager, and chef. This plant-based culinary experience will also be an educational workshop, with wild edible identification tips, how to cook and use non-native plants, and plant harvesting techniques explained throughout the meal. By the end of the dinner, you’ll certainly have a new appreciation for the bounty of the High Country growing seasons and a full belly. Harvest dinners are BYOB. Wine openers and ice buckets are provided. There will be a complimentary farm tour and short plant ID walk with Amy and Holly starting at 5:30 p.m., with dinner to follow. Check out the menu, learn more + purchase tickets here. 

Resilient Forests Program Updates

Do you want to receive the latest news and updates about our forests, threats to public lands, and upcoming events and volunteer opportunities? Sign up for our new Resilient Forests e-newsletter to get important info + updates on our National Forests and MountainTrue’s upcoming volunteer opportunities and programmatic events like these:

     🍻May 28: Conservation Conversations @ RAD Brewing in Asheville – 5:30-7 p.m.

     🌿June 21: MountainTrue BioBlitz @ Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview – 12:30-5 p.m.

Healthy Communities Program Updates

Strive Not to Drive May 16-24

Want free tickets to see the Asheville Tourists? Or free Downtown Hendersonville Dollars? MountainTrue is a proud partner of this year’s annual Strive Not to Drive series of events across WNC, which includes chances to win great prizes just by participating. Events include free transit days, a Bike-In Cinema night, group rides, walk audits, and more! Learn more and register to participate here.  

ADC volunteers needed!

If you’re a designer interested in volunteering and ready to pledge some hours, or if your community needs design assistance, sign up here. To make this initiative a success, we need volunteers from a variety of design disciplines, including:

✔️Architects

✔️Engineers (structural & civil)

✔️Landscape Architects

✔️Environmental Consultants

✔️Land Planners

✔️Surveyors

✔️Soil Scientists

Volunteer Spotlight: Dezirae Britton from Boone, NC

About Dezirae: Dezirae (pictured above) is a recent graduate of Appalachian State University with a degree in Sustainable Development and a minor in Geography. She’s lived in Boone for the past four years. Originally from Arizona, Dezirae fell in love with the Appalachian mountains and the Boone community, where she’s “learned so much about what it means to care for the environment and how to take care of a community.” In her free time, Dezirae enjoys walking at the Greenway, gardening, hiking, and crafting.

Volunteering: Dezirae began volunteering with MountainTrue during her sophomore year of college, hosting volunteer organization days of service through her campus organization. 

What Dezirae says about MountainTrue: “I’ve learned so much from MountainTrue about the geography of the region, environmental stewardship practices, and the ecology of the Watauga River. MountainTrue creates an engaging and welcoming environment in which to learn, and my love for the earth has continued to grow because of it. I’ve also met so many community members whose passion for protecting their home is awe-inspiring. In my career, I hope to inspire others’ love for the earth and continue to give back in the ways that MountainTrue does. I believe the respect I have for the organization and everyone who contributes to its success should speak volumes as to why we should continue to support the MountainTrue community and stewardship work.”

Please join us in thanking Dezirae for her support and the good work we know she will carry on wherever her next path may lead her! Interested in volunteering with MountainTrue? Check out our upcoming workdays!

Our Rivers Need Your Help  — Your Gift Can Help Them Heal 

One thing that unites us all is the universal need for clean water. That’s why people like Liz McGuirl are working alongside MountainTrue staff to clean up and protect our rivers and streams. 

Liz works on the Madison County debris cleanup team. She once lived right along the French Broad River in Asheville’s River Arts District but was forced to evacuate during Hurricane Helene. That experience deepened her commitment to protecting the waterways she once called home.

While working on the Madison County cleanup crew, she was struck by the amount of PVC pipe tangled in the trees along the river. As Liz told us, it’s like “threading string through a needle”—just an intricate, tangled mess. “I’ve done a lot of different river cleanups with different organizations. MountainTrue is one of my favorites to work with because I feel that they’re very conscious of what happened out here.”

“Our rivers are crucial to tourism and the outdoor industry here in Western North Carolina. For rafters and kayakers, you can’t run the river if there’s a car sticking out or, you know, metal pieces. It’s a danger. People come to Western North Carolina to be outdoors, to be on the rivers, to be on the trails.” – Liz McGuirl

MountainTrue, with the help of people like Liz, is getting to those “hard to reach” areas that are being overlooked. Bottom line, we need your help to get the job done. Donate today to help save our rivers and the livelihoods of those who rely on them. 

MountainTrue Updates

We’re hiring for four positions: 

✅ Organizing Director: Accepting applications on a rolling basis: learn more + apply. 

✅ Creation Care Alliance Organizer: Accepting applications on a rolling basis: learn more + apply. 

✅ Western Region Watershed Outreach Coordinator: Accepting applications until April 24, 2025. 

✅ Appalachian Design Center Project Manager: Accepting applications on a rolling basis: learn more + apply. 

Recover x MountainTrue for Earth Month

Our friends at Recover designed a limited edition MountainTrue t-shirt in celebration of Earth Month! A portion of the proceeds from this t-shirt will go to MountainTrue. Click here to check it out and get yours before May 1! 

Pirani and Feetures sales to benefit MountainTrue 

MountainTrue will receive $5 from every purchase of Pirani Tumblers in “Last Light” and “Day Break”  from April 22-27 and $5 from every purchase of Feetures’ “Smoky and Rocky” limited-edition sock (launching on April 15, while supplies last).

Helene Recovery Panel recording now available 

We were humbled by the big crowd that turned out for the Hurricane Helene Recovery Panel & Discussion at the NC Arboretum on Thursday, April 3! The event was recorded; you can watch it here. 

Thanks to everyone who filled out our Member Survey! 

Your voice helps us grow even stronger. Congratulations to Tish Moore Whiting, who won the drawing for the MountainTrue beanie.

Clean Waters Program Updates

Clean Water Director Hartwell Carson takes a water sample.

New report: Water Quality Impacts of Helene

Our Clean Waters team compiled a report summarizing MountainTrue’s sampling efforts post-Hurricane Helene. Read the report here. 

In-stream debris removal update

See heavy machinery in the river? Check out MountainTrue’s statement on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ work in WNC. You can let us know how crews are doing in your area here.

Key issues to watch for and report are: 

✔️ Lack of timber matting beneath vehicles and machines entering waterways. 

✔️ Spilled petroleum products or any other hazardous waste. 

✔️ Any form of excavation (digging) of soil or woody debris (versus pulling).  

✔️ Removal of live trees leaning less than 30%. 

✔️ Removal of rootballs with less than 50% exposure. 

✔️ Intact clumps of soil attached to the roots of removed trees. 

✔️ Removal of downed trees existing prior to the storm. 

✔️ Use of vehicles or machines in wetlands.  

Volunteer with us!

Our four riverkeepers are still hosting cleanups and volunteer workdays throughout their respective watersheds; check out our events page to learn more + sign up to volunteer!

Broad Riverkeeper

Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell (right) with ROC team members on the Broad River.

Cleanups update

Rutherford Outdoor Coalition (ROC) joined MountainTrue for two river cleanup days in March on the Upper Broad River below Lake Lure. The Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure area experienced some of the worst flooding seen during Hurricane Helene. Much of the debris and trash overflowed the Lake Lure dam and was deposited along the banks and islands in the Broad River. With the help of 35 volunteers, we pulled out over 2,000lbs of debris!

We’ve also been teaming up with ROC to scout and clear the most-used sections of the Broad River. We’ll continue these scouting/clearing missions and keep you posted on what we find. You can also visit ROC’s online Broad River paddle trail map for more information on access sites and recent section reports.

May days on the First Broad River Paddle Trail 

The month of May will be an opportunity for river enthusiasts to explore the First Broad River Paddle Trail. Every Saturday, Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell will host a guided river adventure on a different section of the 65-mile river trail. Learn more + register. 

Green Riverkeeper

Cleanups update

We’ve appreciated everyone’s patience in waiting for volunteer opportunities to arise to help clean up the Lower Green, Big Hungry and the Pacolet Rivers! As the Army Corps moves farther along in their cleanup process, we now feel better about scheduling some volunteer days for folks to get involved! 

Join us on Saturday, May 3, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. to help clean up Big Hungry at the confluence of Big Hungry and the Green River at the put-in of the Narrows. Learn more + register. 

Join us for the 19th Annual Spring Green Bash on 5/3

Come out to the Green Brash from 5-9 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, at Green River Adventures in Historic Downtown Saluda (150 E Main St., Saluda, NC 28773). Green River Adventures will be honoring our hometown heroes, Saluda Fire and Rescue, for their extraordinary work fighting the recent wildfires. We’ll have live music from The Sun Sippers, a t-shirt tie-dye activity from Looking Glass Realty, brews from Oskar Blues, and a kayak raffle to benefit the Green Riverkeeper from Big Adventures featuring the new LiquidLogic Torque!

Watauga Riverkeeper

Cleanups update

Huge shoutout to our amazing cleanup partners like The Speckled Trout Outfitters, New River Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, town officials, and Public Works folks for supporting us with their resources; because of this support, we’ve been able to remove more debris than we could have ever imagined! With the help of our partners and over 350 tireless volunteers, we’ve hauled over 67,000lbs of debris from our local waterways in the High Country alone. We’re also very thankful for groups like Bethany Lutheran Church and our friends out in Cove Creek for sharing their stories and offering supplies or labor to help begin recovering the places we share.

Lees McRae students planting livestakes along the banks of the Watauga River on a recent workday.

Livestaking season update

Our winter ‘24-’25 livestaking season is officially over. While the weather was challenging, your High Country team and over 100 dedicated volunteers planted over 25,000 livestakes from January-March. Our team is encouraged by surefire signs of spring, like the leaf buds slowly popping out on livestakes planted this winter. We could not have planted as many as we did without the support of our incredible local businesses, organizations, schools, and churches that consistently showed up with laughs, stories, tears, and a fierce work ethic. Thank you to our friends at Mast General Store, Valle Crucis Conference Center, Rumple Memorial Presbyterian, The Middle Fork Greenway, and Lees McRae College for supporting these planting efforts. Each year, through our livestaking program, we can support local nurseries, provide cost-effective stream stabilization resources to folks in need, and shade our streams to support our local fisheries. Thank you for helping our rivers and community become more resilient for generations to come!

French Broad Riverkeeper

Cleanups update

Volunteers recently helped our team locate a sewer leak in the Swannanoa, NC, area. We finally located the leak last week after conducting intensive water sampling in the area for three weeks – the Buncombe County Metropolitan Sewerage District folks immediately came out to fix it. Thanks to all the volunteers who came out to help!

Healthy Communities Program Updates

Housing & Transportation Director Susan Bean (3rd from right) with housing partners in Raleigh, NC.

Housing lobby day in Raleigh

We were in the state capital recently, along with lots of affordable housing partners, talking to elected officials about the need for more housing choices in our communities. It was good to keep reminding decision-makers about the depths of the housing shortage and ways Helene has exacerbated this crisis. We’re thankful for their ongoing efforts to help our region get more stable housing!

Momentum is building to eliminate parking requirements

Housing & Transportation Director Susan Bean was quoted in this Mountain Xpress article last month supporting the movement to eliminate parking requirements. We applaud the City of Asheville for having eliminated these burdensome requirements in parts of the city and are hopeful for the expansion of this policy later this year. We’re also very excited about a bill moving at the state legislature this year that could eliminate parking requirements statewide! How wonderful to be trading pavement for homes and trees!

Help our region prioritize safety on our roads

Safe Streets for WNC is a five-county plan that examines high-crash locations across the region and develops strategies to reduce crashes and fatalities on our region’s roads for drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians, bicyclists- everyone. Help reduce the number of people being harmed on our roads by participating in this project’s online survey. 

Resilient Forests Program Updates

Conservation groups sue USFS over Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan

After more than a decade of public engagement, partnerships, and planning, the U.S. Forest Service had the opportunity to get it right. Instead, on March 20, 2023, they finalized a Forest Management Plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests that takes us backward — threatening some of the most beloved and biologically diverse landscapes in Western North Carolina. That’s why MountainTrue is taking legal action. We’re joining with our partners to sue the Forest Service over its deeply flawed Forest Plan — a plan that undermines public trust, sacrifices rare species habitat and existing old-growth forests, and sets a dangerous precedent for forest management across the Southern Appalachians. Read more. 

MountainTrue is seeking volunteers to document landslides

We’re seeking volunteers for a new citizen science program to help document landslide impacts to roads and trails on public lands, with a particular focus on Nantahala, Pisgah, and Cherokee National Forests. All you need to participate is the desire to get out in the woods and a smartphone. The data collected will be shared with land stewardship agencies and other partners, and will be useful in setting priorities for infrastructure repair following the storm. To participate, please fill out this volunteer interest form.