
MountainTrue’s May E-Newsletter
MountainTrue’s May E-Newsletter
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!