Wild & Scenic Film Festival Sells Out; Is Huge Success

A big thank you to everyone who bought tickets to and came out to the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on September 1 to support MountainTrue and watch some great outdoor adventure and nature short films.

Despite the threat of rain earlier in the day, we had a sold out crowd of more than 300 attendees and clear evening skies. Sierra Nevada’s outdoor amphitheater was a perfect setting for a perfect evening.

To see pictures of your friends and the gorgeous Sierra Nevada amphitheater at sunset, check out our images on facebook.

Thanks to your generous support, we surpassed our fundraising goal for first outdoor festival in a new partnership with Sierra Nevada Brewery, and brought in over $6,000! We also enjoyed meeting new supporters, sharing the grounds with our partners who keep our public lands vibrant and accessible, and, of course, watching the inspiring films on the big screen under the stars.

We’d also like to thank all of this years sponsors: Sierra Nevada, Mountain Xpress, AE Global Media, Blue Ridge Energy Systems, BorgWarner Inc., FLS Energy, Holly Spring Farm, JAG and Associates Construction and Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty. Also, a huge thanks to Asheville Bicycle Company for donating a cool, new bike for our raffle.

Thanks again for a great night and we hope to see you all next spring for the 2017 Wild & Scenic Film Festival.

9/10: Henderson County Big Sweep

Sept. 10: ‘Big Sweep’ Comes to Henderson County

Join the Big Sweep, and Help Keep Our Rivers Clean

Sign Up!

Henderson County, NC – The community is invited to lend a hand and help clean up Henderson County’s rivers and streams. On Saturday, September 10, MountainTrue hosts the annual Henderson County Big Sweep.

The Big Sweep is a county-wide litter cleanup program that brings citizens and community organizations together to clear trash from their waterways. Civic organizations, Scout troops, church groups, school groups, Adopt-A-Stream teams, neighborhood associations, city and county departments, local businesses, and individuals can all pitch in to make our waters cleaner and healthier.

“People get excited for our annual Big Sweep and it’s really inspiring,” says Gray Jernigan, MountainTrue Southern Regional Director. “By working together we can have a huge impact in just one day. Last year we pulled about 1,800 pounds of trash out of area streams. Every year we try for more.”

Participants can join in the fun by registering here.

Form a team with friends and family or join an existing team. Teams will hold cleanups between 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. in waterways throughout the county. For more information or to volunteer for Henderson County Big Sweep with MountainTrue, click here or call (828) 692-0385 ext. 1001.

MountainTrue has hosted Henderson County‘s annual stream clean-up event since 1991, and the Big Sweep is one way it has demonstrated a legacy of engaging citizens in environmental stewardship. Last year, 8 teams made up of 37 volunteers donated 148 hours and removed 1,800 pounds of trash from our streams! Let’s make this year even more successful!

In addition to Big Sweep, MountainTrue’s Clean Water Team coordinates an Adopt-A-Stream monitoring program to keep our waterways clean and healthy all year. Find more information about the MountainTrue at www.mountaintrue.org.

French Broad Riverkeeper Father’s Day Clean-up

French Broad Riverkeeper Father’s Day Cleanup: Good Times and a Great Haul, Y’all

We want to thank all the people who came out for our French Broad Riverkeeper Father’s Day Cleanup. It was hot and sunny, and there were a lot of people splashing around and enjoying the river. And because of the hard work of our volunteers they were doing so in a river with less trash and debris floating in it.

Removed from the river that day were: soda bottles, tires, a lot of tires, a porch swing, a washer/dryer unit and more. Good haul, y’all!

We’d also like to thank all the sponsors who made this event special, especially the owner of French Broad Chocolates, Dan and Jael Rattigan and their two wonderful sons Max and Sam, and Ben Meyers, owner of Vortex Donuts who all joined us for the cleanup. Asheville Greenworks helped us with organizing and provided us with extra boats.

Those who participated in the cleanup received a box of French Broad Chocolates’ Bourbon and Beer collection or handmade flavored marshmallows and a coupon for a free scoop of ice cream. They also received a free raffle ticket for a basket that included prizes and gift certificates from MountainTrue, Nantahala Outdoor Outfitters, Vortex Donuts, Green Man Brewery, Burial Beer Co., Catawba Brewing Company and Buxton Hall. It was great to have so many South Slope businesses supporting our efforts and our river.

WLOS had a cameraperson covering the event from our launch point. You can watch the newsreport here: http://wlos.com/news/local/families-give-back-in-fathers-day-river-cleanup

Want to join the French Broad Riverkeeper for their next cleanup? Come out to Westfeldt River Park on Saturday, July 9 and join us for a special clean up sponsored by Blue Ghost Brewing Company and Nantahala Outdoor Center. Get your hands dirty, then join us for a tasting of the July edition of the Riverkeeper Beer Series.

Hope to see you there!

MountainTrue Announces New Southern Regional Director

Public Invited to Meet Gray Jernigan at Open House on July 7

Hendersonville, N.C. — MountainTrue is excited to announce the hiring of Gray Jernigan as regional director for the Southern Regional Office, located in Hendersonville and serving Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties. Gray comes to MountainTrue from Waterkeeper Alliance, where he served in Raleigh as a staff attorney and communications coordinator.

To welcome Gray to WNC, MountainTrue is hosting an open house at our Hendersonville office.

WHAT: Meet and Greet Gray!

WHO: MountainTrue

WHEN: July 7 at 4:00-6:00 p.m.

WHERE: MountainTrue Southern Regional Office, 611 N. Church St., Hendersonville, N.C. 28792.

The public is invited to meet Gray, learn about MountainTrue’s efforts to promote sensible land use, restore public forests, protect water quality and promote clean energy, and how they can get involved as members, supporters and volunteers.

Gray Jernigan, MountainTrue’s southern regional director:
“I spent my childhood summers at Falling Creek Camp in Henderson County, and that’s when I fell in love with the mountains and beauty of Western North Carolina. I am thrilled to be back and I’m ready to work with local communities to protect our mountains, forests, rivers and streams.”

Gray received his undergraduate degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a master’s degree and a law degree from Vermont Law School. Gray has extensive experience in environmental law, policy, and advocacy and has worked on land and water conservation issues across the state.

Bob Wagner, MountainTrue’s co-director:
“We are thrilled to have Gray as a member of our MountainTrue team. He has an exceptional background in environmental policy and will be a valuable partner and resource for our community. ”

About MountainTrue

MountainTrue fosters and empowers communities throughout the region and engages in policy and project advocacy, outreach and education, and on the ground projects. To achieve our goals, MountainTrue focuses on a core set of issues across 23 counties of Western North Carolina: sensible land use, restoring public forests, protecting water quality and promoting clean energy – all of which have a high impact on the environmental health and long-term prosperity of our residents. MountainTrue is the home of the Watauga Riverkeeper, the primary watchdog and spokesperson for the Elk and Watauga Rivers; the French Broad Riverkeeper, the primary protector and defender of the French Broad River watershed; and Broad River Alliance, a Waterkeeper Affiliate working to promote fishable, swimmable, drinkable waters in the Broad River Basin. For more information: mountaintrue.org

June 9: Hendersonville Green Drinks: Prioritization of Transportation Projects in North Carolina and Our Region

Hendersonville, N.C. — On Thursday, June 9, Hendersonville Green Drinks welcomes featured speakers Lyuba Zuyeva, Director of the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Tristan Winkler, Senior Transportation Planner with the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, who will discuss how transportation projects go from concept to funded project.

The State of North Carolina uses a data-driven process that is open and transparent, but not always the easiest to understand. Presenters will go through the process the state uses to prioritize projects, what projects are currently being considered, and how the public can get involved.

What: Hendersonville Green Drinks: Prioritization of Transportation Projects in North Carolina and Our Region
Who: Lyuba Zuyeva, Director of the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Tristan Winkler, Senior Transportation Planner with the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Where: Black Bear Coffee Co. 318 N. Main St. Hendersonville, NC
When: Thursday, June 9 networking at 5:30 p.m. , presentation at 6:00 p.m.

About Hendersonville Green Drinks
Hendersonville Green Drinks is presented by MountainTrue and the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. Come to Green Drinks to learn more about current environmental issues, have relevant discussions, and meet with like-minded people. This is a monthly event and everyone is welcome. You don’t have to drink at Green Drinks, just come and listen. Black Bear Coffee offers beer, wine, coffee drinks and sodas. A limited food menu will be available.

March 10: Hendersonville Green Drinks: Stop Working So Hard – Let The Chickens Do It

The chicken that did it.

March 10: Hendersonville Green Drinks: Stop Working So Hard – Let The Chickens Do It

Hendersonville, N.C. — On Thursday March 10, Hendersonville Green Drinks welcomes featured guest Justin Rhodes who will speak about raising permaculture chickens. Rhodes, is an author and film producer who has taught thousands of folks how to live more sustainable (freedom filled) lives. Learn more about his work at: abundantpermaculture.com.

What: Hendersonville Green Drinks: Stop Working So Hard – Let The Chickens Do It.
Who: Justin Rhodes, author, film producer and creator of abundantpermaculture.com
Where: Black Bear Coffee Co. 318 N. Main St. Hendersonville, NC
When: Thursday, March 10, 2016 networking at 5:30p, presentation at 6:00p.

About Hendersonville Green Drinks
Come to Green Drinks to learn more about current environmental issues, have relevant discussions, and meet with like-minded people. This is a monthly event and everyone is welcome. You don’t have to drink at Green Drinks, just come and listen. Black Bear Coffee offers beer, wine, coffee drinks and sodas. A limited food menu will be available. For more information about Hendersonville’s Green Drinks, contact Joan Walker, campaigns director and interim souther regional director for MountainTrue at 828.258.8737 x 205, or joan@mountaintrue.org.