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.