Riverkeeper Beer Series Launches with River Float, Clean-up and Mango IPA from Hi-Wire Brewing

Riverkeeper Beer Series Launches with River Float Clean-up and Mango IPA from Hi-Wire Brewing

Asheville, N.C. — Saturday, June 17 the French Broad Riverkeeper Beer Series presented by MountainTrue and Blue Ridge Orthodontics and sponsored by Mix 96.5 launches its second summer full of great beers and fun in the water. Pick, paddle and party this summer. The kick off event will take place at HiWire’s Big Top location in Biltmore Village, and participants will have the choice of taking part in either a river clean-up on the Swannanoa River or a float trip on the French Broad River, and everyone is invited to meet back up at the release party of Hi-Wire Brewing’s new, limited-release MountainTrue Mango IPA. Tickets for the June 17 event are available on Eventbrite.

This is the first of five French Broad Riverkeeper Beer Series events that will include river cleanups and float trips on the French Broad River. Floaters and clean-up volunteers are then invited to sample a new limited-release beer from one of fiveparticipating breweries, including Hi-Wire Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, Oskar Blues Brewery, Wedge Brewing Company and Wicked Weed Brewing. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these very special beers goes to support the work of the French Broad Riverkeeper protecting the French Broad River watershed.

Each French Broad Riverkeeper Beer Series event will also be co-sponsored by a local outdoor gear manufacturer who will donate prizes, apparel and gear that will be raffled off at the release parties to support the cause. Supporting gear builders include Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO), Liquid Logic Kayaks, Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), and Watershed.

Quote from French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson:

Asheville and the region love the French Broad River and the French Broad Riverkeeper Beer Series is a great way to celebrate that. Come out and celebrate and support our beautiful French Broad River and try one of these unique beers. It’s great way to enjoy summer in Asheville and support our work keeping the French Broad River a clean and safe place for people to paddle and play.

The Riverkeeper Beer Series includes the August 3 Save the French Broad River Concert starring Michael Franti & Spearhead. Tickets for the concert are on sale now. General Admission is $31 advance / $36 at the door. VIP tickets are $100. VIP ticket holders will have an opportunity to attend a short, intimate acoustic set by Michael Franti prior to the show, access to food by Salvage Station, reserved viewing area with private bar during the main concert, and complimentary special release beers from our Riverkeeper Beer Series. Buy Tickets for the Save the French Broad Concert on Eventbrite

Quote from Nikki Mitchell, Director of Marketing at Mix 96.5:

The French Broad River is certainly something to celebrate and organizing clean ups and floats across the region can introduce people to new areas of the river as well as new people to the water in general. And what better way to celebrate than getting out and floating down the French Broad River.

MountainTrue and Mix 96.5 present the French Broad Riverkeeper Beer Series:

June 17 – River clean-up and float with a beer release party at Hi-Wire Brewing Big Top.
Buy ticket on Eventbrite.
July 8 – River float with a beer release party at Wedge Brewing Co. at The Foundation.
July 29 – Beer release party at Wicked Weed Brewing
August 3 – Save the French Broad River Concert featuring Michael Franti and Spearhead at the Salvage Station. Get your tickets here:
Buy Tickets on Eventbrite
August 12 – River float with a beer release party at Oskar Blues Brewery
August 19 – River clean-up and float with beer release party at New Belgium Brewing.

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

Wild & Scenic Film Festival Returns to Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Get Your Tickets Before They Sell Out!

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival returns to Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Mills River location on May 4, 2017. Presented by MountainTrue and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and sponsored by AE Global Media, Holly Spring Farm, Mountain Xpress and WNCW 88.7, The Wild & Scenic Film Festival features the year’s best short-form nature, wilderness and outdoor adventure films.

The Wild & Scenic festival will take place under the open sky at Sierra Nevada’s outdoor amphitheater located on the banks of the French Broad River. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Get there early to grab a drink, explore the gardens and snag a prime viewing spot! Tickets can be purchased at http://bit.ly/WSFF17pr.

VIP ticket holders are invited to take part in a special sustainability tour of Sierra Nevada’s Mills River Brewery – the first production brewery in the US to be LEED® certified, Platinum. After the tour, VIP attendees will enjoy Sierra Nevada’s award-winning beers, food and other refreshments at an exclusive reception in the brewery’s new High Gravity reception hall. VIP Tour starts at 5 p.m. The reception starts at 6:30 p.m.

Last year’s festival was a tremendous success, selling out two weeks prior to the festival date. This year, we have increased event capacity to meet high public demand. Photo by: Katrina Ohstrom.

“Each year, Wild & Scenic presents inspiring tales of adventure and important stories from the frontlines of environmental advocacy,” says Bob Wagner, co-director of MountainTrue. “This is our seventh year hosting the Wild & Scenic Film Festival and these issues are more important today than ever.”

Our Wild & Scenic festival is a selection of films from the annual festival held in Nevada City, CA which is now in its 15th year. The festival focuses on films which speak to the environmental concerns and celebrations of our planet, and is building a network of grassroots organizations connected by a common goal of using film to inspire activism.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is made possible by the support of national partners: CLIF Bar, Patagonia, Orion Magazine, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Klean Kanteen and Earthjustice.

EVENT DETAILS: May 4, 7-11 p.m.: Doors open at 7 p.m. and show starts at 8 p.m.. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Fletcher, NC 28732. Ticket Prices: $20, $15 for students, VIP tickets: $125. Tickets can be purchased at http://bit.ly/WSFF17pr.

For more information: Contact Susan Bean, susan@mountaintrue.org, 828-258-8737 x216 or mountaintrue.org.

MountainTrue Announces Green Riverkeeper at 11th Annual Spring Green Bash

Saluda’s favorite river and block party is May 6; river, zipline and rappelling trips to benefit new Green Riverkeeper

Saluda, NC — MountainTrue is pleased to announce that Gray Jernigan, MountainTrue’s Southern Regional Director, is now also the new Green Riverkeeper and will serve as a fundamental protector of the Green River watershed. MountainTrue’s Riverkeeper programs are key to our endeavors to monitor and protect the quality of our region’s waterways.

MountainTrue is one of the few organizations in the nation with four Waterkeeper Alliance programs, also hosting the French Broad Riverkeeper, the Watauga Riverkeeper and the Broad River Alliance.

“Waterkeeper Alliance is thrilled to have Gray Jernigan to be the eyes, ears, and voice for this vital watershed and community,” says Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., president of Waterkeeper Alliance. “Every community deserves to have swimmable, drinkable and fishable water, and Gray is the right leader to fight for clean water in the region.”

Gray Jernigan has extensive experience in environmental law, policy, and advocacy and has worked on land and water conservation issues across the state. He adds his Green Riverkeeper responsibilities to his ongoing role as MountainTrue’s Southern Regional Director, serving Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties. Gray received his undergraduate degrees from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned a master’s degree and a law degree from Vermont Law School.

The Green Riverkeeper got a head start on April 8 by partnering with the Green River paddling community on a clean-up effort covering the Upper, Narrows and Lower Green sections. Over 50 people turned out to clear trash and debris from the river and its banks. Car tires, a home water heater, and assorted trash and litter were enough to overflow a dumpster, not including recyclables that were separated!

Green Riverkeeper Gray Jernigan showing off the trophies and prizes for volunteers participating in the Green River Spring Cleaning on April 8.

Gray will be present to meet the community at the 11th Annual Spring Green River Bash at Green River Adventures in Saluda on Saturday, May 6. Fifty percent of the ticket price for river, zipline, and rappelling trips booked for the day of the festival will be donated by Green River Adventures and The Gorge to help fund the work of the Green Riverkeeper. Book your trip for May 6 at greenriveradventures.com with the code: GREENRIVERKEEPER

Event Details:
What: 11th Annual Spring Green Bash
Who: presented by Green River Adventures and sponsored by Oskar Blues Brewery, Prestige Subaru, WNCW and Liquidlogic Kayaks. Music by the Honeycutters. A portion of proceeds benefit MountainTrue’s Green Riverkeeper.
Where: Green River Adventures, 111 E. Main Street, Saluda, NC
When: Saturday, May 6, 5:30-9 p.m.

“I’m thrilled to get such a warm welcome to the community from Green River Adventures and all the generous sponsors of the Green Spring Bash, including Oskar Blues, Prestige Subaru, WNCW and Liquidlogic Kayaks,” says Gray Jernigan, the Green Riverkeeper. “We have a lot of great activities and programs planned for the year ahead; I’m looking forward to meeting some folks and getting people involved in protecting the Green River.”

“MountainTrue is proud of our partnership with the Waterkeeper Alliance,” says Julie Mayfield, co-director of MountainTrue. “Our Riverkeepers fight for safe and healthy waterways for all citizens of their watersheds by bringing together and empowering local residents and communities to identify pollution sources, advocate for and enforce environmental laws, and engage in restoration. We’re thrilled to be bringing this program to our Green River communities.

“Gray will have an incredibly important job. Waterkeepers defend their communities against anyone who threatens their right to clean water, from law-breaking polluters to irresponsible government officials, says Marc Yaggi, executive director of Waterkeeper Alliance. “Until our public agencies have the means necessary to protect us from polluters, and the will to enforce the law, there will always be a great need for people like Gray to fight for our right to clean water.”

Upcoming Riverkeeper Projects and Events:

May 27 – Big Hungry River clean-up
July 5 – Come help clean up Lake Summit
For more information on Green Riverkeeper programs and events: mountaintrue.org

About MoutainTrue:
MountainTrue is Western North Carolina’s premier advocate for environmental stewardship. We are committed to keeping our mountain region a beautiful place to live, work and play. Our members protect our forests, clean up our rivers, plan vibrant and livable communities, and advocate for a sound and sustainable future for all residents of WNC. MountainTrue is home to the Broad River Alliance, French Broad Riverkeeper, Green Riverkeeper and Watauga Riverkeeper — the protectors and defenders of their respective watersheds. www.mountaintrue.org

About Waterkeeper Alliance:
Waterkeeper Alliance is a global movement uniting more than 300 Waterkeeper Organizations and Affiliates around the world, focusing citizen advocacy on issues that affect our waterways, from pollution to climate change. Waterkeepers patrol and protect over 2.5 million square miles of rivers, streams and coastlines in the Americas, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa. For more information please visit: www.waterkeeper.org

MountainTrue and Asheville Citizen-Times present ‘Before We Burn Again: A Panel on the Future of Wildfires in WNC’

Asheville, NC — MountainTrueMountainTrue and Asheville Citizen-Times team up to present “Before We Burn Again: A Panel on the Future of Wildfires in WNC” at Highland Brewing Company on Monday April 3 from 5-8 p.m. This is a free event, RSVP today: http://bit.ly/BeforeWeBurnAgain

Last year (2016), the Southeast experienced a historic wildfire season. Wildfires raged across north Georgia, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. Firefighters from 21 states converged on the region to combat fires that ultimately burned more than 150,000 acres. In Tennessee, the Chimney Tops 2 fire destroyed sections of the city of Gatlinburg and claimed 14 lives. In North Carolina, the fires forced evacuation and threatened homes and human development.

Sponsored by French Broad Chocolates, Highland Brewing Co. and NOC — Nantahala Outdoor Center, this special event brings together leading experts in the fields of wildfire management, fire ecology, climate change and community planning to discuss the dangers and ecological benefits of wildfire, critical issues at play in last year’s historic wildfire season and appropriate, proactive responses and strategies to manage future wildfire phenomena, mitigate threats and economic impacts, and save human lives.

What: “Before We Burn Again: A Panel on the Future of Wildfires in WNC”
Who: Presented by MountainTrue and the Asheville Citizen-Times and sponsored by French Broad Chocolates, Highland Brewing Co. and NOC — Nantahala Outdoor Center
Where: Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Asheville, NC 28803
When: Monday, April 3, 2017, 5-8 p.m.

For details and to RSVP: http://bit.ly/BeforeWeBurnAgain

Expert Panelists:

Dr. Steve Norman, a research ecologist with US Forest Service Southern Research Station in Asheville, will discuss how climate and drought influence forests and wildfires in the Southern Appalachians. Steve earned his Ph.D. from Penn State where he studied how fire-climate relationships functioned over centuries in California based on evidence from fire scars in tree rings. In North Carolina, his more recent research has involved tracking spring and fall phenology from satellite, understanding drought impacts to forests, documenting the seasonality of eastern fire regimes, and addressing the tradeoffs of wildland fire management.

Adam Warwick is the fire and stewardship manager for The Nature Conservancy’s Southern Blue Ridge Program in Asheville and will discuss forest and wildfire management practices. At the Nature Conservancy, Adam manages a 15-person fire crew and about 12,000 acres in western North Carolina. He is from east Tennessee and holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from University of Tennessee and a Master of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Missouri. Adam has close to 15 years of experience monitoring wildlife and conserving habitats on public and private lands. Adam is an expert in using fire through controlled burning to perpetuate fire-dependent plant and animals throughout northern Florida and the Southern Appalachians.

Dr. Katie Greenberg, research ecologist with the USFS Southern Research Station at Bent Creek Experimental Forest, will discuss how fire affects wildlife and habitats in hardwood forests. Katie’s research focuses on how natural or anthropogenic disturbances such fire, regeneration harvests, or windstorms affect forests, wildlife communities, and their food resources such as native fruits and acorns. Katie holds a Master of Science in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Tennessee, and a PhD in Wildlife Ecology and a minor in Plant Ecology, from the University of Florida. She has co-edited books on early successional habitats, and natural disturbances in hardwood forests.

Joan Walker is the campaigns director with MountainTrue and will discuss appropriate actions that communities, businesses and individuals can take to lower risks and exposure to wildfire. Joan earned her Master’s Degree in Geography with a focus on urban and regional planning from Appalachian State University. She is a contributing author to “Planning for a New Energy and Climate Future,” an American Planning Association report which focused on integrating climate change and energy issues into planning practice. Joan has worked as a building codes consultant and clean energy advocate with the NC Sustainable Energy Association and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and served as an energy fellow with UNC Asheville. Joan also currently serves on the Buncombe County Planning Board where she strives to incorporate sustainability and social equity into local planning policy.

Our Sponsors:

French Broad Chocolates, Asheville-based makers of sustainable bean-to-bakery chocolate, will provide hot chocolate and a dessert bar featuring their Highland Mocha Stout Cupcakes — a collaboration with Highland Brewing Company — and more. Additional food, beer and beverages will be available for purchase from Highland Brewing Company. Attendees will also have the opportunity to win two (2) Adventure Passes from Nantahala Outdoor Center valued at $79.99 each. The Nantahala Adventure Pass is hands-down the best value for a full day of outdoor fun. Combine four of NOC’s most popular activities — guided whitewater rafting on the crystal clear Nantahala river, Fontana Lake kayak and stand up paddleboards rentals, the Zip Line Adventure Park and mountain biking.

General admission is a suggested minimum donation of $10.

MountainTrue members get free admission.

For details and to RSVP: http://bit.ly/BeforeWeBurnAgain

Feb. 9: Hendersonville Green Drinks: Green, Sustainable Brewing

Hendersonville, N.C. — On Thursday, February 9, Hendersonville Green Drinks welcomes Stan Cooper, Co-Manager at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., who will speak about sustainability initiatives at the Mills River brewery.

In June 2016, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. was the first production brewery in the United States to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certified, Platinum — the highest level awarded—for its Mills River, North Carolina, brewing facility.

What: Hendersonville Green Drinks: Green, Sustainable Brewing.
Who: Stan Cooper, Co-Manager at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Where: Black Bear Coffee Co. 318 N. Main St. Hendersonville, NC
When: Thursday, February 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.

Creation Care Alliance of WNC Kicks off ‘100 Days of Creation Care Actions’ on Inauguration Day

Asheville — The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina (CCAWNC), a program of MountainTrue, will mark the beginning of the first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump’s administration with a gathering of music, ritual, commitments and refreshments on January 20 from 5-7 p.m. at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Asheville.

What: Creation Care Alliance of WNC’s “100 Days of Creation Care Actions” Kick-off Event
When: Friday, January 20th from 5-7 pm
Where: Lenoir-Rhyne University, 36 Montford Ave, Asheville

Attendees will observe the sunset together and contemplate our hopes and fears as our nation changes direction under a new administration with its own set of priorities. This event is the kickoff of CCAWNC’s “100 Days of Creation,” during which local people and communities of faith will take part in 100 experiences, events, prayers, advocacy actions in support of God’s creation from January 20 to April 29.

The Creation Care Alliance and MountainTrue are offering many volunteer and social opportunities during this time, and we will promote the events and efforts of other organizations. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to submit experiences, events, prayers, advocacy letters/calls, and actions through our online form. People can can also share events and stories publicly on the 100 Days of Creation Facebook group page here.