Michael Franti Returns to Asheville July 27 to Headline the Riverkeeper Beer Series

Michael Franti & Spearhead return to Asheville on Friday, July 27 to headline the Riverkeeper Beer Series at the Salvage Station for the second year in a row. The show is presented by MountainTrue and 98.1 The River, with proceeds supporting the work of the French Broad Riverkeeper – a MountainTrue program that serves as the primary protector and watchdog of the French Broad River Watershed.

“Michael Franti & Spearhead brought such amazing energy to Asheville last year that it was a no-brainer to bring him back for this year’s French Broad Riverkeeper Concert,” says French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson. “Asheville loves Michael and he seems to love us back. Last year he took a surprise tubing float down the French Broad before jumping on stage.”

Michael Franti is a world-renowned musician, filmmaker, and humanitarian who is recognized as a pioneering force in the music industry. Franti believes in using music as a vehicle for positive change and is revered for his energetic live shows, political activism, worldwide philanthropy efforts and authentic connection to his global fan base known as the SOULROCKER FAM.

Michael Franti is the headliner for the Riverkeeper Beer Series, presented by Asheville GreenWorks and MountainTrue. Come out for a river cleanup or float during the day and stick around for a special beer release and after-party. There will also be prizes from the Asheville Gear Builders for most trash collected, weirdest trash, and a host of other prizes.Come join the fun this summer at each of these breweries:

June 2 – Cleanup of the Swannanoa River with beer release party at the Wedge at Foundation.

June 28 – Cleanup of the French Broad River with beer release party at Wicked Weed Brewing Pub.

July 21 – Cleanup of the Swannanoa River with beer release party at the Catawba Brewing Company in Biltmore Village.

July 27 – Michael Franti & Spearhead Concert at the Salvage Station.

August 25 – Cleanup of the French Broad River and Hominy Creek with a beer release party at French Broad Outfitters, featuring a tap takeover by Hi-Wire Brewing and live music (artist TBD).

September 8 – Cleanup of the French Broad River with an after-party and concert at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

September 15 – Cruise Then Brews Paddle with Headwaters Outfitters. Paddle down the French Broad River in Transylvania County followed by a beer release party at Oskar Blues Brewery.

To learn more information and register for the Riverkeeper Beer Series events, visit MountainTrue.org.

Tickets: Tickets go on sale March 28 at 10am for Michael Franti fan club members, and will go on sale for the general public March 30 at 10am. Tickets are available at the Salvage Station or online at SalvageStation.com. General admission tickets are $33.50 and include a download of Franti’s newest album. VIP tickets are $110 and include a VIP pre party from 5-7pm at the Salvage Station, an acoustic performance by Michael, a fully catered meal, booze at the pre-party and a special roped off viewing area with a private bar.

The Riverkeeper Series is sponsored by MountainTrue, Asheville GreenWorks, 98.1The River and French Broad Outfitters. Other sponsors include Wedge Brewing Company, Wicked Weed Brewing Pub, New Belgium Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Oskar Blues Brewery, Sanctuary Brewing Company, Catawba Brewing Company, WNC Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Recover Brands.

MountainTrue champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities in our region. We engage in policy advocacy at all levels of government, local project advocacy and on-the-ground environmental restoration projects. Primary program areas include public lands, water quality, clean energy, land use/transportation and citizen engagement. We are also home to Riverkeepers for the French Broad, Watauga, Green and Broad Rivers, who are the primary defenders and spokespeople for these waterways. For more information: mountaintrue.org.

With thousands of volunteers, Asheville GreenWorks engages the community in grassroots projects such as urban forestry, environmental cleanups, anti-litter and waste reduction education, creation of green spaces, care and preservation of Asheville’s rivers and trees. Through our work, Asheville has been designated as a Tree City USA for 37 years.

###

French Broad Riverkeeper Releases New Report on River’s Health

Asheville, NC – The French Broad Riverkeeper has released the State of the French Broad River Watershed 2018, the first published report that grades the cleanliness and water quality of 62 creeks and streams throughout the French Broad Watershed.

“Right before jumping into the river, the number one question people ask me is ‘Is it clean?’” says French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson. “This report is an answer to that question.”

The report combines testing results from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the Volunteer Water Information Network, the Stream Monitoring Information Exchange, and MountainTrue’s volunteer water quality monitoring programs, weights the data and gives each stream a grade from A through F.

An A grade is given to streams that have excellent water quality and low pollution levels, and Fs are given to streams that have poor water quality. Sixty-six percent of streams scored A or B, a vast improvement from decades past. However improvements are still needed, as 34 percent of the rivers in the report were rated a C or a D.

Four Cleanest Streams:

Middle Fork French Broad River – 100 points

Cathey’s Creek – 100 points

Cataloochee Creek – 100 points

Pigeon, upstream of Canton – 100 points

Four Dirtiest Streams:

Turkey Creek – 60 points

Newfound Creek – 62.5 points

Boylston Creek – 65 points

Fines Creek – 65 points

The report is averaging data sets from various sources collected over the last few years. “The report serves as a good, useful guideline,” explains Hartwell Carson. “But it’s important to remember water quality will vary a bit depending on weather conditions. Water is usually dirtier right after a big rainstorm, so be more cautious when the water is cloudy.”

The cleanest waterways are well protected from pollution, and most of their watersheds are located in protected public lands that lack a lot of agriculture, development or industrial pollution sources. The dirtiest streams lack land-use protections and are heavily impacted by bad agricultural practices and development.

Sediment and bacteria pollution are the most common sources of pollution to our waters. Sediment pollution is caused by runoff from construction sites and agricultural operations as well as eroding stream banks. Bacteria pollution comes from agricultural runoff, sewage leaks and faulty wastewater treatment plants.

If you’re interested in helping to make the French Broad River cleaner and healthier, you can take part in the French Broad Riverkeeper’s water quality volunteer programs. The French Broad Riverkeeper also spearheaded the development of the Muddy Water Watch smartphone app, which allows the public to easily document and report erosion incidents to the appropriate authorities on-the-go. To learn more and download the app, visit: http://www.muddywaterwatch.com/ or get it from the Apple App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/muddy-waters-watch/id1092256794) or Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.statcrew.muddywaterwatch).

Methodology

The State of the French Broad River Watershed, 2018 report report is an average of all the data available in the French Broad Watershed over the last several years. The report combines chemical data from the Environmental Quality Institute (EQI), benthic macroinvertebrate data from EQI and MountainTrue, E. coli data from MountainTrue’s Swim Guide, and a variety of data sources from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). The chemical and benthic data was converted into a number so it could be averaged into an overall rating for each stream.

Chemical data from EQI is made available through their Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) program. That data is rated as excellent, good, average, below average and poor. Those were assigned the following rating: excellent – 100, good – 90, average – 80, below average – 70, and poor – 60. Benthic macroinvertebrate data is provided through the Stream Monitoring Information Exchange, which lists its stream ratings as excellent, good, good-fair, fair and poor. Those rating were assigned the same ratings as the VWIN data with excellent – 100, good – 90, good-fair – 80, fair – 70 and poor – 60. Swim Guide data was assigned an average of the number of times the data passed the US Environmental Protection Agency’s safe swimming benchmark of 235 E. coli units per 100/ml. If the site passed 75% of the time, then a rating of 75 was assigned that location.

The NCDEQ data was taken from the 303(d) list of water quality data taken by the state. This data is more complicated to average than the previous data sets because it is a mix of testing results for chemical, benthic, bacteria, fish, chemical and specific pollutants . Some locations had multiple parameters measured, such as fish, bacteria and benthic. Each combination of data was assigned an average listed below.

If two parameters either meet the state standard or are good, the score is 100
State data for benthos is good/fair – 85
State data benthos is not impaired – 80
Benthos fair – 65
Benthos poor – 55
Benthos fair and fish poor – 55
Benthos poor, fish fair – 55
Fish good, benthos fair – 77.5
Benthos good/fair, fish good – 90
Fish community excellent, benthos good or vice/versa – 95
Fecal impaired – 60
Meets criteria for a long list of water quality standards – 100
Meets criteria for a long list of water quality standards with some inconclusive – 100
Meets criteria for a long list of water quality standards except one – 90
Two standards are good and one failed – 80

Data points were grouped into subwatersheds and averaged, and this is how we arrived at the final ratings as displayed in the State of the French Broad River Watershed, 2018 report.

MountainTrue and Mainspring to Host Blackrock BioBlitz at Pinnacle Park in Sylva

Sylva, NC – On June 2, MountainTrue and Mainspring Conservation Trust will sponsor the Blackrock BioBlitz, a citizen-science program that will pair residents with more than a dozen expert naturalists to document the diverse natural communities of Sylva’s Pinnacle Park and its highest point, Blackrock Mountain.

What: Blackrock BioBlitz, sponsored by MountainTrue and Mainspring Conservation Trust.
Where: Pinnacle Park in Sylva
When: Meet up on Saturday, June 02 at 9 a.m. at the carpool location: Bryson Park, 585 Chipper Curve Rd, Sylva, NC 28779
This event is free and open to the public. For more information and to sign up, visit: https://mountaintrue.org/event/blackrock-bio-blitz/

The Blackrock BioBlitz is an opportunity for people who love the great outdoors and want to learn more about the plants and creatures who call Blackrock their home. The park has a significant range of elevation, rising from its base at 3,000 feet to over 5,600 feet.

“BioBlitzes are great citizen-science programs that help people connect with and learn about the natural world around them,” explains MountainTrue Public Lands Biologist Josh Kelly. “We’re going to be documenting a broad range of life at Pinnacle Park, including butterflies, beetles, aquatic invertebrates, vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens, birds, mammals, mushrooms, and more.”

Expert hike leaders will include faculty from UNC Asheville, Western Carolina University, Mars Hill University as well as naturalists from the U.S. Forest Service’s Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, NC WRC, Asheville Mushroom Club, Joe Pye Ecological Consulting and MountainTrue.

We will lead groups for all fitness levels, from relaxed hikes through the areas closest to the the base of the park to vigorous ascents of Blackrock. Participants are encouraged to bring at least two quarts of water, rain gear, sturdy footwear and their own lunches.

To sign up, visit: https://mountaintrue.org/event/blackrock-bio-blitz/

About MountainTrue:
MountainTrue is the oldest grassroots environmental non-profit in North Carolina and champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities. We engage in policy advocacy at all levels of government, local project advocacy, and on-the-ground environmental restoration projects across 23 counties in our region.

About Mainspring Conservation Trust:
Located in the heart of the Southern Blue Ridge, the mission of Mainspring Conservation Trust (formerly the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee) is to conserve the waters, forests, farms and heritage of the Upper Little Tennessee and Hiwassee River Valleys. We are dedicated to three core initiatives: conserve the land, restore the water, and connect the people to these valuable resources.

Participants of MountainTrue’s 2016 BioBlitz of Bluff Mountain in Hot Springs on the lookout for rare plant and animal species.

Calling All Businesses: Our Planet Needs You

Action Expired

Businesses and Groups can compete against each other for a better planet through the #WNCforthePlanet Business & Community Challenge

Asheville, NC – As part of #WNCforthePlanet – a celebration of Earth Day throughout the month of April – local conservation and environmental nonprofits are recruiting businesses, civic groups and community organizations to take part in the Business & Community Challenge. Through this competition, groups compete with each other to earn Planet Points and work for the improvement of our local environment.

The #WNCforthePeople Business & Community Challenge is open to area businesses, civic organizations and community groups, who then recruit teams from among their members to compete for prizes and bragging rights. Companies interested in getting involved should contact Devon Hathaway, Americorps Outings and Education Coordinator at MountainTrue at outings@mountaintrue.org or by calling (828) 258-8737 ext. 214.

“Environmental stewardship is a core tenet at Mosaic Realty, which is why we’re teaming up with MountainTrue for a workday” said broker and owner Mike Figura. “Mosaic Realty welcomes you to join us and the #WNCforthePlanet team in cleaning up Asheville. We will be putting in a work day at Richmond Hill Park to eradicate invasives and we encourage other local businesses to get involved with service projects in April.”

Teams commit to one or more service projects throughout the month of April and are paired up with a #WNCforthePlanet partner nonprofit organization which will provide staff guidance and equipment for a day of working on behalf of a cleaner and greener WNC. Groups earn Planet Points according to how much they accomplish and the strenuousness of the project. Each team’s score is calculated according to a difficulty scale and averaged on a per-person basis. At the end of the month we tally the Planet Points, rank teams, name victors and hand out awards and prizes.

Available service projects include river cleanups, native habitat restoration, trail workdays and more. The team with the first, second, and third most Planet Points will choose from prizes, including a river float with MountainTrue, RiverLink and Asheville Greenworks, a hike led by the Southern Appalachians Highland Conservancy, or a private tour of New Belgium Brewing. Victors will honored on wncfortheplanet.org and through the social media of participating #WNCforthePlanet partners.

Register your team today. Contact Devon Hathaway, Americorps Outings and Education Coordinator at MountainTrue at outings@mountaintrue.org or by calling (828) 258-8737 ext. 214.

About WNC for the Planet:
WNC for the Planet is a collective made up of local environmental organizations that provides access to service, educational, and recreational opportunities in recognition of Earth Month. We strive to unify our community to encourage and celebrate environmental stewardship for our planet and the region. wncfortheplanet.org

Series of Expert Panels to Discuss Future of Nantahala & Pisgah National Forests in Sylva, Boone, Brevard and Andrews this March

Media Contact:

Eliza Stokes, MountainTrue Advocacy & Communications Associate
Email: eliza@mountaintrue.org Phone: 828-258-8737 ext. 218

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sylva, N.C. – Experts representing a diverse group of conservation, recreation and business interests will take part in a series of special panel events on the future of the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests this March. The panels, which will be held in Sylva, Boone, Brevard, and Andrews, will present visions for a win-win forest management plan that allows all interests to co-exist and thrive in Western North Carolina’s national forests.

The Forest Plan Determines the Future of Our Forests

This year, the U.S. Forest Service will release the first draft of a new forest management plan for Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. This big-picture plan sets the ground rules for all activities in the forests for the next fifteen years or more: from wildlife management and timber sales on public lands to the hiking, fishing and mountain biking for which our region is famous.

Comprising more than a million acres combined, Nantahala and Pisgah are a central part of our natural and cultural heritage and a driver of our region’s economy. Everyone who loves our forests has an issue they care about that will be impacted by the new forest management plan.

We’re Working Together for a Plan That Benefits Everyone

In the spirit of cooperation, the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Partnership was formed to gather all forest interest groups into the same room at once: timber, water, wildlife, recreation, wilderness and more. We don’t leave anyone behind, and we believe it’s critical that everyone be willing to support everyone else’s values with the expectation that the support will be reciprocal. For the past five years, the Partnership has come up with a vision and a set of recommendations for a forest plan that supports all forest interests at once. The Forest Service has also received recommendations from other groups participating in the forest plan revision, and now we want to share the best of those ideas with the wider public.

The panel schedules are as follows:

Sylva

March 15 at the Jackson County Public Library, 6-7:30pm

Panelists: Josh Kelly, Public Lands Field Biologist for MountainTrue

Tommy Cabe, Tribal Forest Resource Specialist for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Andrea Leslie, Habitat Conservation Coordinator for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Bill Kane, Board Member of the NC Wildlife Federation

Boone

March 22 at the Watauga County Public Library, 6-7:30pm

Panelists: Josh Kelly, Public Lands Field Biologist for MountainTrue

Julie White, Director of the Southern Off-Road Mountain Bicycle Association (SORBA)

Jim Sitts, Appalachian Timber Manager for Columbia Forest Products

Curtis Smalling, Director of Conservation for Audubon North Carolina in Boone

Deirdre Perot, Representative of BackCountry Horsemen of Pisgah

Brevard

March 27 at the Transylvania County Public Library, 6-7:30pm

Panelists: Tom Thomas, President of Back Country Horsemen of NC and Member of

North Carolina Horse Council

Megan Sutton, Southern Blue Ridge Program Director of The Nature Conservancy

David Whitmire, Fish & Wildlife Conservation Council and Co-Owner of Headwaters Outfitters

Kevin Colburn, National Stewardship Director of American Whitewater

Fred Hardin, Forester with Gilkey Lumber Company

Andrews

March 29 at the Andrews Community Center, 6-7:30pm

Panelists: Callie Moore, Executive Director of the Hiwassee Watershed Coalition

Tommy Cabe, Tribal Forest Resource Specialist for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Sophia Paulos, Economic Development Director of Graham County

Chris Coxen, District Biologist for the National Wild Turkey Federation

The panels in Sylva, Boone and Andrews will be moderated by journalist and professor of economics at Blue Ridge Community College Jack Igelman. The panel in Brevard will be moderated by Lee McMinn of the Transylvania County Resources Council. The events are free and open to the public, and will include a question-and-answer portion with the audience at the end. Refreshments will be provided.

The panel events are sponsored by MountainTrue and the following members of the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Partnership: Access Fund, American Whitewater, Backcountry Horsemen of NC, Carolina Land & Lakes RC&D, Columbia Forest Products, Defenders of Wildlife, Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition, International Mountain Bicycling Association, North Carolina Horse Council, North Carolina Youth Camp Association, Root Cause, Southern Appalachian Mineral Society, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards, Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, the Wilderness Society, and Wild South. The panel in Brevard is also sponsored by the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Council.

For more information, visit: https://creationcarealliance.org/website_d65afabd

RSVP for the event on Facebook:

Sylva: https://www.facebook.com/events/192008638062642/

Boone: https://www.facebook.com/events/152570672114961/

Brevard: https://www.facebook.com/events/170391063741025/

Andrews: https://www.facebook.com/events/340141849725131/

About MountainTrue:
MountainTrue is the oldest grassroots environmental non-profit in North Carolina and champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities. We engage in policy advocacy at all levels of government, local project advocacy, and on-the-ground environmental restoration projects across 23 counties in our region.

About the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Partnership:
The Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Partnership strives to create a lasting voice for innovative management and public investment in the public forests of North Carolina’s mountains for the future. We envision a thriving, resilient forest within its natural range of variation, able to support healthy ecosystems, wildlife populations, local economies, and traditional uses. We envision a forest with the connectivity and integrity to remain resilient in the face of the changes and challenges of the future.

About the WNC Fish & Wildlife Conservation Council:

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Council, formed by a variety of sportsmen and other wildlife interests, supports the sound management and conservation of all wildlife resources in the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest and provides support and positive guidance to ensure a diversity of wildlife thrives there.

###

George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic Play for Clean Water

Media Contact: Teela Waggoner – 828-989-3587, teela.waggoner@movementmortgage.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Asheville, NC – The Waggoner Team with Movement Mortgage, the Matt and Molly Team of Keller Williams Realty, and 98.1 The River present George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, with Lyric opening.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist and legendary funk act, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic will light up the Salvage Station on Friday, May 11 to raise money for drinking water wells in Togo, West Africa. George Clinton revolutionized R&B during the ’70s, twisting soul music into funk by adding influences from several late-’60s heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Sly Stone. Decades of hits followed and Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic continue to wow crowds with some of the best live shows around. One of Asheville’s most popular bands will rock their soulful sound with an acoustic set for the VIP event and rock her entire band to open the show.

MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper works with the Yoto River Waterkeeper in Togo to provide safe, potable water, and proceeds from the show will fund a drinking water well in rural west Africa. This is an area where most people lack access to clean drinking water and additional clean drinking water sources are desperately needed. This partnership has already created three wells that now provide clean drinking water to hundreds of Togolese.

Tickets: On sale Thursday March 1st at 10am.

$29 presale and $34 at the door.

VIP tickets: $125 include a preparty at the Salvage Station from 5-7pm with appearance by George Clinton, acoustic set by the talented Lyric, full catered meal, drinks, and roped off viewing area with private bar. Get tickets at salvagestation.com.