Central Region News

A message from Executive Director Bob Wagner: 

Although still in the throes of winter, January has roared into February, and we can see spring on the not-too-distant horizon. The MountainTrue team is busy planning, preparing, and organizing this winter. Even when the nights are long, our staff and volunteers are addressing critical issues — like adding more housing while minimizing environmental impact; relaunching an improved French Broad Paddle Trail website; eliminating the prevalence of single-use plastics that are clogging our waterways and threatening human health; addressing a flawed Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan so that our children can experience old growth forests and rich ecosystems; and removing dams to restore river health. These campaigns often take years to plan and accomplish, but ultimately, they’re worth it to protect our amazing forests, rivers, and mountains. We couldn’t do this work without continued support from our volunteers, donors, and advocates — thank you for joining us on this journey in 2024!

Photo: Part of the Nantahala National Forest within the scope of the Southside Timber Project. Photo credit: Will Harlan, Center for Biological Diversity, via Michaela Gregory of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

MountainTrue & coalition partners file lawsuit to protect sensitive habitat in Nantahala National Forest

MountainTrue is part of a coalition of conservation groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to prevent the agency from logging a sensitive area of the Nantahala National Forest in violation of federal law. The lawsuit was filed on the morning of January 31 in the federal district court for the Western District of North Carolina by the Southern Environmental Law Center and addresses the Southside Timber Project, which aims to log areas near the Whitewater River in the Nantahala National Forest. The landscape boasts stunning waterfalls, towering oak trees, and critical habitat for rare species. Read more in this letter by Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly.

We’re excited to announce our 1st Native Plant & Shrub Sale in Asheville!

The sale will open online on February 15 and will run through March 31, 2024, featuring native plants and shrubs grown by Carolina Native Nursery (think azaleas and more!). Proceeds from the sale will benefit MountainTrue. Orders will be available for pickup on Thursday, April 11, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ONLY, unless prior arrangements have been made. We hope you’re as excited about this as we are! What better way to get a head start on Earth Day than by showing your yard and resident pollinators a little local love?!

Save the date: cheers to trivia & good brews for MountainTrue

Beat the winter blues and join us for trivia and the River Arts District Brewing Company’s MountainTrue Beer Launch: Dream of Conscience at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Come drink some good brews and enjoy fresh pizza from Smokees Pizza.

Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?

MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.

Hike with Get Outside WNC to support MountainTrue!

MountainTrue is honored to be the Winter 2024 Beneficiary of Get Outside WNC, a local organization created by West Henderson High School senior Jenna Watson. Jenna is raising money for MountainTrue this winter by leading group hikes on scenic trails. Jenna’s hikes cost $10 per person and run through March 3, so join her outside! Jenna started Get Outside WNC to expose hikers to the physical and mental benefits of hiking. She says, “By sharing the beauty of our local environment with both new and seasoned hikers, I hope to spread my passion for nature, build community, and raise awareness of the fragility of the WNC environment.” So far, Jenna has led hikes to raise money for MountainTrue at Bearwallow Mountain, Moore Cove, and Triple and High Falls. Get Outside WNC’s upcoming hikes include:

•  Raven Cliff Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 18, near the North and South Carolina border in Caesars Head State Park
• Twin Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, in Pisgah National Forest

Sign up and learn more about upcoming hikes here. And be sure to follow Jenna and Get Outside WNC on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!

Green Sage x MountainTrue

MountainTrue is excited to be the 2024 recipient of Green Sage’s annual donation program. Bring your reusable Green Sage glass juice bottles and coffee mugs to any Green Sage location they’ll donate 10 cents to MountainTrue each time! Learn more about this program here.

Summer ‘24 internship opportunities

1. French Broad Water Quality Internships: MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper and Clean Water team are hiring two French Broad Water Quality Interns for summer 2024. Both French Broad Water Quality Interns will assist our team with a variety of tasks needed to help improve ecosystem health within the French Broad River Basin. Both positions are based out of our Asheville office, with travel throughout the French Broad Watershed. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!
2. Western Region Water Quality Intern: MountainTrue’s Western Regional Office is hiring one Water Quality Intern for summer 2024. The intern’s primary responsibilities will be to assist with collection and analysis of weekly E. coli samples for our Swim Guide monitoring program; to manage the microplastics sampling program in the Hiwassee River basin; planning a summertime social event for all MountainTrue water program volunteers; and helping with educational events related to water quality in rivers, lakes, and streams. The intern must live within 50 miles of Murphy, NC, as the majority of their work will be within that 50-mile radius. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation wants your input

Buncombe County Parks and Recreation’s first systemwide plan is on the horizon. Community members can help guide the future of Buncombe County parks, recreational opportunities, greenways, trails, and open spaces.

Public community meeting: March 21 at Enka High School in Candler, NC (475 Enka Lake Road) from 5-7 p.m.

This community meeting will be interactive, so participants should come prepared to participate in various community parks and recreation, greenways, trails, and open space planning exercises. Language services will be available to Spanish-speaking community members.

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as several other counties across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

High Country News

A message from High Country Regional Director & Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill: 

Winter is the perfect time to set the groundwork for the warmer months, and we’re so excited to have more events and outings than ever before in 2024. If you can’t wait until then, we understand, so join us on some of our upcoming volunteer workdays! We appreciate your support, whether it’s your time, money, or advocacy; you help us keep this good work going.

Photo: Part of the Nantahala National Forest within the scope of the Southside Timber Project. Photo credit: Will Harlan, Center for Biological Diversity, via Michaela Gregory of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

MountainTrue & coalition partners file lawsuit to protect sensitive habitat in Nantahala National Forest

MountainTrue is part of a coalition of conservation groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to prevent the agency from logging a sensitive area of the Nantahala National Forest in violation of federal law. The lawsuit was filed on the morning of January 31 in the federal district court for the Western District of North Carolina by the Southern Environmental Law Center and addresses the Southside Timber Project, which aims to log areas near the Whitewater River in the Nantahala National Forest. The landscape boasts stunning waterfalls, towering oak trees, and critical habitat for rare species. Read more in this letter by Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly.

Photo: Legendary High Country Intern Emma Crider stoked on planting live stakes at a recent volunteer workday.

Livestaking season is officially back and better than ever!

This season, we’re focusing our efforts on the old Ward’s Mill Dam site for continued post-removal restoration work. The dam has been removed for over three years now, and we’re thankful to be able to continue repairing the vegetative buffer thanks to support from TVA’s Shade Your Stream program and the Tennessee River Basin Network. Bring the family out to enjoy some much-needed outside time and meet our High Country team! Upcoming live staking workdays include: 

• Friday, February (11AM-2PM)
• Saturday, February 17 (10AM-2PM)
• Saturday, March 23 (10 AM-2PM) 
• Friday, April 5 (11-2PM)

Save the bats!

Check out this article in the Watauga Democrat: NCWRC accepting public comments on plan for endangered species found in Watauga, Avery. Learn more about how the new Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan negatively affects several endangered bat species in this press release published by MountainTrue and our conservation coalition partners last July. Stay tuned for more news about this and other public lands issues in upcoming MountainTrue e-newsletters and on our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter).

Photo: Middle Fork Trash Trout (left) and Winklers Creek Trash Trout (right) after recent heavy storms.​

Trash Trout updates

After some wicked January storms came through the High Country, our team bundled up and got out in the water to tend to our Trash Trouts. While they all remained stable and in place, some intense log jams prevented easy passage and efficient litter collection. We cleared out both the Winklers Creek and Middle Fork Trash Trouts just in time for another storm system to move in. Thank you to all of the partners, volunteers, and community members who allow us to continue monitoring these wonderful litter collection devices!

VWIN sampling in the High Country

While the High Country team was ringing in the new year, we were also organizing and welcoming our new group of VWIN (Volunteer Water Information Network) volunteers into the volunteer family! We know 2024 will be the best VWIN year yet, and we thank all of our volunteers who make community science programs like this possible! With new sites added and some new friends taking over, we have a fun and busy year ahead of us! 

VWIN Volunteers directly support widespread, frequent, and long-term surface water monitoring, allowing us to keep tabs on our overall water chemistry. If you would like to donate or become a backup volunteer to support the continued monitoring of our watershed, please contact hannah@mountaintrue.org.

Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?

MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.

Southern Region News

Update: Clear Creek action alert

The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is currently accepting public comments on Draft NPDES Permit No. NC0090247 — which would violate the Clean Water Act by allowing Henderson County to construct a new wastewater treatment plant in Edneyville that could discharge up to 200,000 gallons of wastewater per day into a stream that is already listed as impaired and significantly impacted by pollution. Take action to protect water quality by:

💧Attending the public hearing in Hendersonville, NC, from 6-8 p.m. TODAY (February 5) and asking DEQ to deny Draft NPDES Permit No. NC0090247.

💧Sending a letter to DEQ to let them know you oppose the draft permit and a separate letter to the Henderson County Commission urging them to clean up Clear Creek and connect Edneyville to Hendersonville’s existing sewer system.

Photo: Part of the Nantahala National Forest within the scope of the Southside Timber Project. Photo credit: Will Harlan, Center for Biological Diversity, via Michaela Gregory of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

MountainTrue & coalition partners file lawsuit to protect sensitive habitat in Nantahala National Forest

MountainTrue is part of a coalition of conservation groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to prevent the agency from logging a sensitive area of the Nantahala National Forest in violation of federal law. The lawsuit was filed on the morning of January 31 in the federal district court for the Western District of North Carolina by the Southern Environmental Law Center and addresses the Southside Timber Project, which aims to log areas near the Whitewater River in the Nantahala National Forest. The landscape boasts stunning waterfalls, towering oak trees, and critical habitat for rare species. Read more in this letter by Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly.

Photo: Fresh sand deposited on Lawndale swimming beach after flooding in early January. Photo by David Caldwell.​

Mother Nature brings abundance to greenway construction site

“Several years ago, the Stagecoach Greenway was just a hope and a dream. Now, the Lawndale trail is well on its way to becoming a reality. The Lawndale park, the trail’s southern terminus, is currently under construction with a tentative grand opening date in May.” Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell visited the site during a storm on January 9 that delivered five inches of rain to the First Broad River basin. The river in Lawndale rose from 1.2 feet that morning to 16.6 feet that evening, inundating the site of Lawndale Park. The floodwaters did minor damage to some infrastructure but also brought a fresh new deep layer of white sand to the beach that will open for visitors this summer!

Welcoming our newest MountainTrue team member

Join us in giving a warm welcome to the newest addition to our Southern Regional Office team, Oliva Gray! Olivia is currently serving as our NC Climate Action Corps Community Stewardship Coordinator and will apply her knowledge of food systems to assist Green Riverkeeper Erica Shanks and the Southern Region team in accomplishing MountainTrue’s sustainable agriculture goals. Olivia graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Economics. Throughout college, she interned at a number of regenerative nonprofit farms and fell in love with the environmental nonprofit world. Upon graduating, she landed her first AmeriCorps position with the University of Hawai’i Maui College, where she focused on campus and county-wide food security efforts. Welcome, Olivia!

Hike with Get Outside WNC to support MountainTrue!

MountainTrue is honored to be the Winter 2024 Beneficiary of Get Outside WNC, a local organization created by West Henderson High School senior Jenna Watson. Jenna is raising money for MountainTrue this winter by leading group hikes on scenic trails. Jenna’s hikes cost $10 per person and run through March 3, so join her outside! Jenna started Get Outside WNC to expose hikers to the physical and mental benefits of hiking. She says, “By sharing the beauty of our local environment with both new and seasoned hikers, I hope to spread my passion for nature, build community, and raise awareness of the fragility of the WNC environment.” So far, Jenna has led hikes to raise money for MountainTrue at Bearwallow Mountain, Moore Cove, and Triple and High Falls. Get Outside WNC’s upcoming hikes include:

•  Raven Cliff Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 18, near the North and South Carolina border in Caesars Head State Park
• Twin Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, in Pisgah National Forest

Sign up and learn more about upcoming hikes here. And be sure to follow Jenna and Get Outside WNC on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!

Summer ‘24 internships with our French Broad Riverkeeper team

MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper and Clean Water team are hiring two French Broad Water Quality Interns for summer 2024. Both French Broad Water Quality Interns will assist our team with a variety of tasks needed to help improve ecosystem health within the French Broad River Basin. Both positions are based out of our Asheville office, with travel throughout the French Broad Watershed. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!

New French Broad Paddle Trail website

The French Broad Paddle Trail has a new website! Created and maintained by MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper program, the new website covers access, camping, and general recreation information for the French Broad River between Rosman, NC, and Newport, TN. Check it out at www.frenchbroadpaddle.com and contact Jack Henderson at jack@mountaintrue.org with questions.

Hendersonville Comprehensive Plan: Gen H Open House

The final Gen H Open House will be held next Tuesday, February 13, from 4-6 p.m. at the Henderson Public Library (301 N Washington Street). At the event, you can provide input on possible land use scenarios, see ideas for character areas that will describe how land uses translate into the character or the look and feel of places in the community, provide ideas for key focus areas within the city, and review the goals and vision for the Gen H plan. Learn more about the Gen H Plan here.

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as several other counties across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?

MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.

Western Region News

A message from Western Regional Director Callie Moore: 

A member recently shared a weekly reflection by Rev. Susan Sparks called “The Hidden Secret of Winter Trees,” which really resonated with me. Some people don’t appreciate our majestic hardwood forests in winter, but I love being able to see every peak and valley with a clarity you just can’t get with spring and summer foliage. The trees spend the winter months building root systems and storing up energy. Rev. Sparks stated it beautifully when she said, “We always think of the season of spring as the beginning of life, but in fact, spring is not the beginning. It’s the manifestation of the transformation happening inside those great trees right now, in the winter.” 

This winter at MountainTrue, we’re busy clearing nonnative invasive plants, installing live stakes, and preparing for spring. We’re also taking time to celebrate at our annual Watershed Gala and getting some hikes in before the weather heats up again. I hope you’ll take some time in February to appreciate those bare winter trees and join us as we build our roots in preparation for spring. Thank you for being MountainTrue!

Hiwassee Watershed Gala set for February 29, online auction begins 10 days prior

The 16th Annual Hiwassee Watershed Gala will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at the Charles Suber Banquet Hall at Young Harris College. The Gala is an upscale social gathering that celebrates good water quality still being measured in many rivers, lakes, and streams and recognizes those who work to sustain it, including the 2024 Holman Water Quality Stewardship Award winner, John Kay of Young Harris, GA. 

This year’s event will be shorter and slightly less formal, featuring a menu of heavy hors d’oeuvres instead of a plated meal. The online auction that begins at noon on February 19 will transition to an in-person silent auction during the event. Popular local musician Troy Underwood will provide his bluesy, soul, and folk sound for the evening. After the award presentation, a few select items will be auctioned live by local auctioneer and entertainer Tim Ryan. 

Wednesday, February 21, is the deadline for purchasing tickets. Buy yours today! There’s still time to sponsor or donate auction items for the event, and a few volunteers are still needed (half-price tickets!). Email Callie Moore to participate in any of these ways.

Photo: Part of the Nantahala National Forest within the scope of the Southside Timber Project. Photo credit: Will Harlan, Center for Biological Diversity, via Michaela Gregory of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

MountainTrue & coalition partners file lawsuit to protect sensitive habitat in Nantahala National Forest

MountainTrue is part of a coalition of conservation groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to prevent the agency from logging a sensitive area of the Nantahala National Forest in violation of federal law. The lawsuit was filed on the morning of January 31 in the federal district court for the Western District of North Carolina by the Southern Environmental Law Center and addresses the Southside Timber Project, which aims to log areas near the Whitewater River in the Nantahala National Forest. The landscape boasts stunning waterfalls, towering oak trees, and critical habitat for rare species. Read more in this letter by Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly.

Fundraising for Lake Chatuge parrot feather treatment

MountainTrue is pleased to announce a cooperative project with SaveLakeChatuge.org to address the invasive aquatic weeds that have infested the south end of Lake Chatuge in Towns County, GA, for the past two summers. Parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) is a nonnative aquatic plant that poses a significant threat to the native flora and fauna of Lake Chatuge. It can rapidly colonize water bodies, outcompeting native vegetation, disrupting the natural habitat, and impeding recreational activities. Recognizing that professional treatment of the infestation this year is of the utmost importance to controlling the spread and recognizing that government funding may not be available to start treatment at the recommended time, MountainTrue and project partners are working to collect private donations to fund the treatment plan. Click here to access MountainTrue’s secure project donation page to help! All donations are tax-deductible.

Photo: Volunteers work to clear nonnative invasive plants along the Jackson Co. Greenway in Cullowhee, NC.

Volunteer opportunities continue in Jackson County

Volunteer workdays to control nonnative invasive plants and restore native habitat at the Jackson County Greenway continue every second Friday, and on Saturday, March 16, from 1-4 p.m. Our partners for these events include Mainspring Conservation Trust, Jackson County Parks & Recreation, and the WCU Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. No prior experience is necessary; we’ll provide tools and training. Please register in advance so that we’ll have enough tools, gloves, etc. 

We’re also in need of volunteers to collect water samples from area streams for microplastic analysis on a quarterly basis. Email AmeriCorps service member Eve Davis to volunteer.

Photo: Volunteers pause for a photo before installing live stakes at the Union Co. Farmers Market on Jan 26, 2024. Also pictured are Market Manager, Dustin Rogers, and MountainTrue’s Western Region Program Coordinator, Tony Ward, who led the workday.​

Successful live staking workday at Union County Farmers Market

Volunteers, including several members of Sharp Memorial UMC in Young Harris, GA, installed approximately 1,000 live stakes of silky dogwood along a small tributary to Butternut Creek at the Union County Farmers Market in Blairsville, GA, on January 26. Live staking involves taking dormant cuttings of a living tree and planting them along the edge of a waterway. Around 80% or more of these stakes will sprout into living shrubs this spring, providing shade and erosion control for the stream. The next Western Region planting workday is set for Wednesday, February 14, at Island Park in Bryson City, NC. Click here to learn more and register.

Summer ‘24 internship opportunity

MountainTrue’s Western Regional Office is hiring a Western Region Water Quality Intern for summer 2024. The intern’s primary responsibilities will be to assist with collection and analysis of weekly E. coli samples for our Swim Guide monitoring program; to manage the microplastics sampling program in the Hiwassee River basin; planning a summertime social event for all MountainTrue water program volunteers; and helping with educational events related to water quality in rivers, lakes, and streams. The intern must live within 50 miles of Murphy, NC, as the majority of their work will be within that 50-mile radius. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Cherokee County and others across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Cherokee County is being prioritized because a long stretch of the Valley River is not safe for swimming due to bacterial contamination and leaking septic systems in older neighborhoods has been identified as one part of the problem. Macon County is also being prioritized based on new Swim Guide data in the Little Tennessee River in Franklin. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?

MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.

Central Region

Jan 17 – Brainy Brews: If you plant it, they will come in Asheville, NC

Jan 22 – Webinar: Why Should Environmentalists Support Building More Housing?

Feb 2-3 – Creation Care Alliance 2024 Retreat & Symposium in Montreat, NC

Feb 5 – The Smell of Money Screening and Panel Discussion in Asheville, NC

Feb 15 thru March 31 – Native Plant & Shrub Sale in Asheville, NC 

Feb 20 – MountainTrue Trivia & Beer Release at River Arts District Brewing in Asheville, NC

High Country

March 7 – Winter Tree ID Hike near Linville, NC

Southern Region

Jan 11 – Hendersonville Green Drinks: Conservation Research to Reduce Wildlife Vehicle Collisions, Improve Human Safety, & Connect Habitat in WNC at Trailside Brewing Co in Hendersonville, NC

Feb 8 – Hendersonville Green Drinks: Ecusta Trail Update and Plans for the Future at Trailside Brewing Co in Hendersonville, NC

March 17 – Green River Cove Wildflower Walk near Saluda, NC with MountainTrue and Hemlock Restoration Initiative

Western Region

Jan 12 – Community Invasive Plant Workday on Jackson County Greenway in Cullowhee, NC

Jan 26 – Live Staking Workday at Union County Farmers Market in Blairsville, GA

Feb 3 – Live Staking & Shrub Planting Workday at Island Park in Bryson City, NC 

Feb 29 – 16th Annual Hiwassee Watershed Gala in Young Harris, GA

A note from Executive Director Bob Wagner:

For me, this is a season of contrasts; the fallen bright yellow leaves on the trail have now faded to brown. It’s cold, the nights are long, and there’s so much despair in the world.

On the other hand, I’m much more likely to notice the sunrise (because it happens later). Amongst the bare trees, it’s easier to see the active birds. The forest’s understory is clear, enabling you to see previously hidden landscapes and majestic mountain ridges. And, when you look up, you’re greeted by a wide-open blue sky. 

During this season of festivities, my hope for you is that you take it all in. Settle into the darkness and listen. Feel the calm, quietness of the night. Daybreak will assuredly come, and when it does, take a moment to wonder and marvel at this incredible place where we live.

I’m grateful for you, and we appreciate the support you have given us this year to protect our forests, our rivers, and our mountains. 

Forever MountainTrue,

Bob

Central Region News

Madison County action alert: tell county officials to protect mountain ridges

On December 19, the Madison County Planning Board will be considering a drastic change to their Mountain Ridge Protection Ordinance that would threaten the natural beauty and environmental integrity of the county. They will then make their recommendation to the County Commission, which could consider the rule change in January. The county has received an application from a private citizen to amend the county’s Mountain Ridge Protection Ordinance and do away with a 50’ setback requirement, a key provision that protects mountain ridges from development. After nearly 200 people attended the initial hearing in November, the board decided to push the hearing to this month. Take action by:

• Emailing your Madison County Commissioners & Planning Board
• Attending the Planning Board meeting happening from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, December 19) at the Marshall Library (1335 N Main St. Marshall, NC 28753)

Photos: French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson (left) collects a water sample from a drainage pipe. MountainTrue Watershed Science & Policy Manager Anna Alsobrook (right) dyeing a sewer line to ID the source of the leak.

An update on local sewage leaks from the French Broad Riverkeeper team

Three weeks ago, the French Broad Riverkeeper team received a pollution report about a possible sewage leak near Charlotte Street in Asheville. The Riverkeeper team immediately investigated by taking water samples to check for the presence of E. coli. Sampling results showed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria over 25 times the safe standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Our return sampling trip two days later showed the pollution levels had doubled. 

We conducted a follow-up investigation to track the source of the pollution, which involved sampling multiple up and downstream locations and dropping colored dye into the sewer lines in hopes that the color would show up in the creek and reveal the leak’s location. As is often the case, finding the exact source of the pollution proved tricky. Another round of dyeing the sewer lines didn’t reveal the source, but our sampling data showed the E. coli pollution levels had increased to over 510 times the EPA’s safe standard. We called in the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) to help isolate the source by lowering their remote camera into the sewer line to pinpoint the leak. The sewer cam found the leak, and MSD made the necessary repairs. 

Finding the sources of pollution can be frustratingly slow sometimes, but we don’t give up, and we rely on the public to report problems they see. So, don’t hesitate to reach out if you see or smell anything weird in your local waterways — we’re ready to investigate!

Upcoming site improvements along the French Broad Paddle Trail in Transylvania County

We’re thrilled to have just received a grant from the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority’s Tourism Funding Program for pre-construction site design and permitting related to improvements at Lyons Mountain River Access on the French Broad River. When paired with an allocation from the North Carolina State Trails’ Complete the Trails Fund, we are all set to proceed with fulfilling the engineering and regulatory steps related to improvements identified in the Strategic Master Plan for the French Broad River Blueway.

These improvements include expanding the site in its current location and/or to the NCDOT-managed right-of-way across the river, replacing the eroding steps with a concrete boat ramp, adding picnic tables, installing a kiosk and signage, and stabilizing eroding stream banks with native riparian vegetation.

This is just one of many projects that our French Broad Paddle Trail program is currently working on. Contact MountainTrue’s French Broad Paddle Trail Manager, Jack Henderson, at jack@mountaintrue.org for more information or to get involved.

Give!Local 2023

MountainTrue is honored to be among the 52 local nonprofits included in the 2023 Mountain Xpress Give!Local campaign. Click here to learn more about Give!Local and click here to donate to MountainTrue through the online giving campaign, which runs until December 31.

Changes to MountainTrue’s Guided Adventures

Beginning in 2024, Guided Adventures will be included in our monthly e-news. In an effort to reduce the number of emails you receive from us, we will no longer have a separate email launch for these. Please make sure to pay attention to the events section to grab your tickets. Current members will receive discounted tickets to select MountainTrue events. Also coming in 2024: discounted tickets for youth AND expanded volunteer opportunities in the Central Region. We hope to see you at a MountainTrue event next year!

Photo: An iconic selfie of retired MountainTrue Ecologist & Public Lands Director Bob Gale.

Brainy Brews for MountainTrue: January 17 at the River Arts District Brewing Company

Join us on January 17, 2024, for a free educational event led by retired MountainTrue ecologist Bob Gale at the River Arts District Brewing Company in Asheville! Bob will discuss issues related to invasive plants, methods of control, and ideas for moving your yard toward a more natural ecosystem. Programming will be from 6-7 p.m., but come at 5:30 p.m. to grab a drink and get settled in. (Popcorn is available on site, and guests are welcome to bring their own food). Register here. 

Bob’s background includes landscaping, arboriculture, and wetland science, and he has worked as a forest ecologist in coastal, piedmont, and mountain regions of the Southeast. Bob wrote the natural history portions of the book A Highroad Guide to the North Carolina Mountains and co-authored A Beachcomber’s Guide to Fossils with his wife and son.

Webinar: Why Should Environmentalists Support Building More Housing?

We know that healthy communities exist within the context of a healthy environment, and right now, both are threatened. There is a housing shortage across the country, with many hard-working families unable to find a place to live. There is also a climate crisis, with greenhouse gas emissions threatening the stability of all our planet’s ecosystems and biodiversity. Join us from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on January 22, 2024, to learn more about MountainTrue’s newest program, Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC, and about part of the solution to both these crises. This is a virtual event; registered participants will receive the webinar link prior to the event date. Register here.

We’re excited to announce our 1st Native Plant & Shrub Sale in Asheville!

The sale will open online on February 15 and will run through March 31, 2024, featuring native plants and shrubs grown by Carolina Native Nursery (think azaleas and more!). Proceeds from the sale will benefit MountainTrue. Orders will be available for pickup on Thursday, April 11, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ONLY, unless prior arrangements have been made. We hope you’re as excited about this as we are! What better way to get a head start on Earth Day than by showing your yard and resident pollinators a little local love?!

Save the date: cheers to trivia & good brews for MountainTrue

Beat the winter blues and join us for trivia and the River Arts District Brewing Company’s MountainTrue Beer Launch at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.

Helping more of our neighbors find homes + putting a dent in our housing shortage in 2023

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University recently released its annual “State of the Nation’s Housing” report. The report provides a detailed summary of US housing and rental market trends. Construction of multifamily housing has increased significantly year over year, slowing rent growth and raising vacancy rates in the rental market. However, there continues to be a vast housing shortage, especially homes affordable to low-income families. Follow our Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program to learn how to help solve our housing shortage and the climate crisis.

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as several other counties across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

Weigh in on opportunities to expand transit services across WNC

The Western North Carolina (WNC) Regional Transit Plan (RTP) is developing a transit study to evaluate current transit service in the region to identify improvements and enhance regional connectivity to the overall transit service. This survey will collect your thoughts about the community’s mobility needs and expectations for transit service, helping them shape the future of transit. 

• Take the Public Survey (English) 
• Take the Public Survey (Spanish) 
• Take the Rider Survey (English) 
• Take the Rider Survey (Spanish)

High Country News

Celebrating tourism and hospitality partners

The Watauga Riverkeeper team attended the 2nd annual Discover Watauga Tourism Summit on November 9. This event celebrated the stakeholders and tourism partners of Watauga County and Explore Boone, who help showcase what makes our region so special. The annual summit awards and recognizes groups for their contributions to the community and our thriving tourism industry! It was wonderful to reconnect with old friends and make new ones; we can’t wait to see what we’re about to celebrate next year!

Photo: High Country Intern Emma Crider takes a selfie with volunteers from ASU’s Community Engaged Leadership cohort before cleaning out the Winkler’s Creek Trash Trout.

ASU Community Fellows Trash Trout cleanouts

Over the course of the fall semester, we’ve enjoyed working with the Appalachian State University Community Fellows group at the Winkler’s Creek Trash Trout. This dedicated group of girls has worked with us monthly on Thursday afternoons to assist with Trash Trout and streambank cleanouts, trash inventories, and educational workshops. We love working with school groups dedicated to protecting the places we share, and we learn from them as much as we teach. Thank you, ASU Community Fellows, for a great semester of keeping our rivers clean!

Feeling the love from the Speckled Trout and Blowing Rock

Our last pint night of 2023 was nothing short of awesome! Our friends at the Speckled Trout hosted a fun-filled evening with great folks and great food on December 7. It was a wonderful night celebrating past successes, meeting new friends in Blowing Rock, and discussing how our team can better support and monitor the Blowing Rock, NC, region. Many thanks to our friends and community partners who show us endless support year after year!

Photo: Jonathan Hartsell of Blue Ridge RC & D poses for a photo with some live stakes at a recent workday at the old Ward’s Mill Dam site.

Live staking workdays

Live staking season is officially here, and we’re ready to get back into action! The live stakes we planted last season at the old Ward’s Mill Dam site and Valle Crucis Community Park are doing great, and it will be so exciting to see their growth during upcoming workdays this spring. Stay tuned for 2024 live staking dates — we can’t wait to see you all in the New Year! Happy Holidays from our Riverkeeper family to yours!

Changes to MountainTrue’s Guided Adventures

Beginning in 2024, Guided Adventures will be included in our monthly e-news. In an effort to reduce the number of emails you receive from us, we will no longer have a separate email launch for these. Please make sure to pay attention to the events section to grab your tickets. Current members will receive discounted tickets to select MountainTrue events. Also coming in 2024: discounted tickets for youth AND expanded volunteer opportunities in the Central Region. We hope to see you at a MountainTrue event next year!

Give!Local 2023

MountainTrue is honored to be among the 52 local nonprofits included in the 2023 Mountain Xpress Give!Local campaign. Click here to learn more about Give!Local and click here to donate to MountainTrue through the online giving campaign, which runs until December 31.

Webinar: Why Should Environmentalists Support Building More Housing?

We know that healthy communities exist within the context of a healthy environment, and right now, both are threatened. There is a housing shortage across the country, with many hard-working families unable to find a place to live. There is also a climate crisis, with greenhouse gas emissions threatening the stability of all our planet’s ecosystems and biodiversity. Join us from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on January 22, 2024, to learn more about MountainTrue’s newest program, Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC, and about part of the solution to both these crises. This is a virtual event; registered participants will receive the webinar link prior to the event date. Register here.

Helping more of our neighbors find homes + putting a dent in our housing shortage in 2023

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University recently released its annual “State of the Nation’s Housing” report. The report provides a detailed summary of US housing and rental market trends. Construction of multifamily housing has increased significantly year over year, slowing rent growth and raising vacancy rates in the rental market. However, there continues to be a vast housing shortage, especially homes affordable to low-income families. Follow our Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program to learn how to help solve our housing shortage and the climate crisis.

Weigh in on opportunities to expand transit services across WNC

The Western North Carolina (WNC) Regional Transit Plan (RTP) is developing a transit study to evaluate current transit service in the region to identify improvements and enhance regional connectivity to the overall transit service. This survey will collect your thoughts about the community’s mobility needs and expectations for transit service, helping them shape the future of transit. 

• Take the Public Survey (English) 
• Take the Public Survey (Spanish) 
• Take the Rider Survey (English) 
• Take the Rider Survey (Spanish)

Southern Region News

Recycle your live Christmas trees & wreaths on January 6​

Mark your calendars for another tree recycling event: January 6, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Jackson Park (801 4th Avenue East, Hendersonville, NC)! As you go out to buy your live trees for the holidays, remember that you’ll be able to bring them to this event and collect mulch for your home gardens and landscaping. Also, are you planning a big appliance purchase for the season? Hold onto that foam! The Henderson County Solid Waste Department will be collecting foam to be recycled at the foam densifier.

Photo: A trail cam photo documenting a black bear utilizing a WNC wildlife crossing. Image credit: Safe Passage Coalition via smokiessafepassage.org.

Hendersonville Green Drinks returns January 11

Join us at Trailside Brewing Co. for the next installment of Hendersonville Green Drinks from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, January 11, 2024! We’ll hear from Dr. Liz Hillard, Senior Wildlife Biologist for Wildlands Network, who will highlight and discuss research findings from two wildlife road crossing projects in Western North Carolina. Her research includes monitoring reptile road underpasses for wildlife use in Gorges State Park and evaluating bear, deer, and elk road conflict areas along I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge. Click here to learn more.

Upcoming site improvements along the French Broad Paddle Trail in Transylvania County

We’re thrilled to have just received a grant from the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority’s Tourism Funding Program for pre-construction site design and permitting related to improvements at Lyons Mountain River Access on the French Broad River. When paired with an allocation from the North Carolina State Trails’ Complete the Trails Fund, we are all set to proceed with fulfilling the engineering and regulatory steps related to improvements identified in the Strategic Master Plan for the French Broad River Blueway.

These improvements include expanding the site in its current location and/or to the NCDOT-managed right-of-way across the river, replacing the eroding steps with a concrete boat ramp, adding picnic tables, installing a kiosk and signage, and stabilizing eroding stream banks with native riparian vegetation.

This is just one of many projects that our French Broad Paddle Trail program is currently working on. Contact MountainTrue’s French Broad Paddle Trail Manager, Jack Henderson, at jack@mountaintrue.org for more information or to get involved.

Webinar: Why Should Environmentalists Support Building More Housing?

We know that healthy communities exist within the context of a healthy environment, and right now, both are threatened. There is a housing shortage across the country, with many hard-working families unable to find a place to live. There is also a climate crisis, with greenhouse gas emissions threatening the stability of all our planet’s ecosystems and biodiversity. Join us from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on January 22, 2024, to learn more about MountainTrue’s newest program, Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC, and about part of the solution to both these crises. This is a virtual event; registered participants will receive the webinar link prior to the event date. Register here.

Give!Local 2023

MountainTrue is honored to be among the 52 local nonprofits included in the 2023 Mountain Xpress Give!Local campaign. Click here to learn more about Give!Local and click here to donate to MountainTrue through the online giving campaign, which runs until December 31.

Changes to MountainTrue’s Guided Adventures

Beginning in 2024, Guided Adventures will be included in our monthly e-news. In an effort to reduce the number of emails you receive from us, we will no longer have a separate email launch for these. Please make sure to pay attention to the events section to grab your tickets. Current members will receive discounted tickets to select MountainTrue events. Also coming in 2024: discounted tickets for youth AND expanded volunteer opportunities in the Central Region. We hope to see you at a MountainTrue event next year!

Helping more of our neighbors find homes + putting a dent in our housing shortage in 2023

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University recently released its annual “State of the Nation’s Housing” report. The report provides a detailed summary of US housing and rental market trends. Construction of multifamily housing has increased significantly year over year, slowing rent growth and raising vacancy rates in the rental market. However, there continues to be a vast housing shortage, especially homes affordable to low-income families. Follow our Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program to learn how to help solve our housing shortage and the climate crisis.

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as several other counties across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

Weigh in on opportunities to expand transit services across WNC

The Western North Carolina (WNC) Regional Transit Plan (RTP) is developing a transit study to evaluate current transit service in the region to identify improvements and enhance regional connectivity to the overall transit service. This survey will collect your thoughts about the community’s mobility needs and expectations for transit service, helping them shape the future of transit. 

• Take the Public Survey (English) 
• Take the Public Survey (Spanish) 
• Take the Rider Survey (English) 
• Take the Rider Survey (Spanish)

Western Region News

Photo: Volunteers show off a Chinese privet stump they removed along the Tuckasegee River at the November 10 Jackson County Greenway workday.

Fun Fridays on the Jackson County Greenway start January 12

Beginning in the New Year, every second Friday from January through April will be a fun Friday afternoon on the Jackson County Greenway! Community volunteer workdays will be held from 1-4 p.m. to control nonnative invasive plants and restore native habitat at the Jackson County Greenway in Cullowhee, NC. Our partners for these events include Jackson County Parks & Recreation, Mainspring Conservation Trust, and the WCU Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. We’ll pull up roots, cut vines, and use hand tools to remove invasive shrubs (like Chinese privet) and then treat the stumps. No prior experience is necessary; we’ll provide tools and training. Please click here to register in advance so that we’ll have enough tools, gloves, etc. We have large and small tasks available, so you don’t have to be able to do strenuous physical labor to participate. Please, no pets. Email AmeriCorps service member Eve Davis with any questions.

Photo: Cuttings from living shrubs sprout new plants after being properly installed along the water’s edge.

Help protect water quality in Butternut Creek at the Union County Farmers Market

Join us at the Union County Farmers Market in Blairsville, GA, from 1-3 p.m. on Friday, January 26, to install live stakes along some small streams that flow into Butternut Creek. Live staking involves taking dormant cuttings of a living tree and planting them along the edge of a waterway. This is an easy, family-friendly event designed to get some native vegetation growing and protect water quality! The rain date for this event is February 2. Register here. Email Tony Ward for more information.

Save the date for the “Leap Day” 2024 Watershed Gala

Mark your calendars for the 16th Annual Hiwassee Watershed Gala set for Leap Day: Thursday, February 29, 2024! We look forward to an evening of laughter, fun, and camaraderie, and we’ll honor the 2024 Holman Water Quality Stewardship Award winner! There will again be an online silent auction starting ten days before the event on February 19. Click here to read about everything Gala-related and sign up to receive a notification when the auction begins.

Photos: Microscopic plastic fibers, films, and fragments are all found in Southern Blue Ridge water samples.

Coming soon: opportunities for microplastics sampling in Jackson & Macon counties

Our AmeriCorps service member, Eve Davis, is busily scouting locations for microplastics sampling sites in Jackson & Macon counties and adding to the list of sites that volunteers are already sampling in Swain County, NC. Water samples for microplastic analysis are collected quarterly by Western Region volunteers and dropped off at a central location in each county. If you’re interested in joining our 2024 sampling team, click here to complete our volunteer interest form. Click here to watch a 40-minute video about our microplastics sampling program.    

Webinar: Why Should Environmentalists Support Building More Housing?

We know that healthy communities exist within the context of a healthy environment, and right now, both are threatened. There is a housing shortage across the country, with many hard-working families unable to find a place to live. There is also a climate crisis, with greenhouse gas emissions threatening the stability of all our planet’s ecosystems and biodiversity. Join us from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on January 22, 2024, to learn more about MountainTrue’s newest program, Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC, and about part of the solution to both these crises. This is a virtual event; registered participants will receive the webinar link prior to the event date. Register here.

Give!Local 2023

MountainTrue is honored to be among the 52 local nonprofits included in the 2023 Mountain Xpress Give!Local campaign. Click here to learn more about Give!Local and click here to donate to MountainTrue through the online giving campaign, which runs until December 31.

Changes to MountainTrue’s Guided Adventures

Beginning in 2024, Guided Adventures will be included in our monthly e-news. In an effort to reduce the number of emails you receive from us, we will no longer have a separate email launch for these. Please make sure to pay attention to the events section to grab your tickets. Current members will receive discounted tickets to select MountainTrue events. Also coming in 2024: discounted tickets for youth AND expanded volunteer opportunities in the Central Region. We hope to see you at a MountainTrue event next year!

Helping more of our neighbors find homes + putting a dent in our housing shortage in 2023

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University recently released its annual “State of the Nation’s Housing” report. The report provides a detailed summary of US housing and rental market trends. Construction of multifamily housing has increased significantly year over year, slowing rent growth and raising vacancy rates in the rental market. However, there continues to be a vast housing shortage, especially homes affordable to low-income families. Follow our Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program to learn how to help solve our housing shortage and the climate crisis.

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Cherokee County and others across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Cherokee County is being prioritized because a long stretch of the Valley River is not safe for swimming due to bacterial contamination and leaking septic systems in older neighborhoods has been identified as one part of the problem. Macon County is also being prioritized based on new Swim Guide data in the Little Tennessee River in Franklin. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

Weigh in on opportunities to expand transit services across WNC

The Western North Carolina (WNC) Regional Transit Plan (RTP) is developing a transit study to evaluate current transit service in the region to identify improvements and enhance regional connectivity to the overall transit service. This survey will collect your thoughts about the community’s mobility needs and expectations for transit service, helping them shape the future of transit. 

• Take the Public Survey (English) 
• Take the Public Survey (Spanish) 
• Take the Rider Survey (English) 
• Take the Rider Survey (Spanish)