French Broad Paddle Trail & Recreation Manager Position

French Broad Paddle Trail & Recreation Manager

Asheville, NC

Position Description

This is a full-time paid position based in MountainTrue’s Central Region. This position is focused on stewarding and expanding the French Broad River State Paddle Trail and supporting MountainTrue’s outdoor recreation projects and programming in Western North Carolina. The paddle trail work will consume most of this person’s time for the first 18-24 months. The recreation portion of the position will grow over time as the paddle trail improvements are completed.

Responsibilities

French Broad Paddle Trail Administration

Coordinate with NC State Parks – State Trails program:
- Great Trails State Coalition
- 2023 Year of the Trail
- Complete the Trails funding
- Website information
Coordinate with nonprofit paddle trail partners as well as government and outfitter partners
Write and implement grants to support Paddle Trail projects and programming
Manage French Broad Paddle Trail website: www.frenchbroadpaddle.com:
- Keep standing information and photos updated and informative.
- Add timely and relevant information as applicable.
- Receive and manage campsite bookings.
- Create and manage event bookings as applicable.
- Respond to questions from users and the public as they arise.
- Manage map sales and other swag as applicable.

French Broad Paddle Trail Stewardship

Conduct routine stewardship of the six MountainTrue-managed Paddle Trail campsites:
- Routine stewardship includes: mowing grass, brushing vegetation, shoveling fire pits, cleaning toilets, stocking supplies, repairing picnic tables, clearing steps/access, removing fallen trees, repairing and adding signage, picking up litter, etc.
Help maintain the shared pickup truck, trailer, boats, mowers, tools, supplies, equipment, etc.
Support partners in routine maintenance of other parts of the Paddle Trail:
- Clearing debris jams/strainers.
- Stewarding public access points and riverside parks.
- Maintaining and contributing to public signage.
Manage French Broad Riverkeeper’s Guide Book:
- Coordinate updates, printing, sales, advertisements, etc.
- Incorporate State Trail language and information.
- Consider creation of other mapping resources, such as additional print maps, applications, etc.

French Broad River Paddle Trail Expansion

Develop and implement an updated business and marketing/branding plan with Mountain BizWorks.
Upgrade Paddle Trail website for ease of use and maintenance.
Plan and lead paddling events to inspire and educate users.
Add and update signage along Paddle Trail: mile-markers, bridges, river access sites, campsites, hazards.
Improve MountainTrue-managed campsites, including new access points, compost toilets, campsite expansion, etc
Stackhouse River Access: coordinate with private boaters, commercial outfitters, and land managers to expand, improve, and maintain private boater parking.
Hot Springs River Access: work with NOC and Madison County to secure long-term public access and improvements for users.
Woodfin Greenway & Blueway: support the project, including Woodfin Wave.
Strategic Master Plan for the French Broad River Blueway in Transylvania County: help implement the plan through technical support, project management, and fundraising.
Mud Creek: support efforts to steward stream corridor for trash and woody debris, and facilitate public access for paddlers, anglers, etc.
Lead and support events, sponsorships, media outreach, sharing Paddle Trail, information to other map/information sources, consider creation of swag, etc.

Regional Recreation Support

Add technical support and project management capacity to MountainTrue’s regional directors, healthy communities program, and partnering organizations for outdoor recreation endeavors.

Inventory, assess, prioritize, and provide technical support to projects focused on outdoor recreation amenities, including parks, trails, greenways, river access, other public lands, etc.
Procure pertinent information and data for comment periods, presentations, and outreach relating to public land management, policy updates, protection designations, etc.
Support prioritization, planning, and technical operations relating to dam removal for recreational and ecological benefits.
Utilize GIS mapping and analysis to support the responsibilities listed above.
Equitably engage with marginalized communities to advance public access opportunities.

Qualifications

Demonstrated commitment to racial equity and inclusion
Ability to organize and lead programs with partners, members, and the public
Good with tools and maintenance, including weed eater, riding mower, chainsaw, and power tools
Ability to work under all weather conditions
Self-reliant, good problem solver, results-oriented
Ability to make decisions in a changing environment and anticipate future needs
Energetic, flexible, collaborative, and proactive. Team player.

The following are preferred:

College or advanced degree in a field related to the environment or outdoor recreation
Experience with online communications tools
Mapping experience
Paddling and outdoor recreation experience

Compensation

Mid-40s. Benefits package includes 20-25 vacation days per year, 12 holidays, sick leave, sabbatical after five years, health insurance, simple IRA with employer contribution of up to 3%.

How to Apply

Email cover letter, resume, and three references to French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson at hartwell@mountaintrue.org. The subject line should read “French Broad Paddle Trail and Recreation Manager”. The cover letter should include answers to the following questions in 600 words or less:

Why are you interested in this position?
Why do you think you would be good at it?

Application deadline: September 30, 2022

Henderson County Can Accommodate Growth without Sprawl

The Henderson County Planning Department is circulating a draft Future Land Use Map that contradicts our community’s priorities as reflected in the County’s own survey results. The draft map prioritizes sprawl — development that spreads too far into the countryside, unnecessarily destroying forests, farmland, and rural communities — at great expense to taxpayers and against the desires of county residents.

Fortunately, Henderson County has plenty of space to accommodate new residents in areas where development and infrastructure already exist.

This is the Future Land Use Map released by Henderson County. Source: https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/planning/page/planning-board-workshop
It looks very green, but let’s take a closer look.

Here is Henderson County. Permanently protected lands like Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Forest are shaded green. Greenways appear as dotted green lines, with the Ecusta Trail running east-west and the Oklawaha Greenway running north-south.

Here we’ve shaded the municipalities in gray –Hendersonville, Fletcher, Laurel Park, Flat Rock, and Mills River. The County’s plan does not include these towns. County land that is served by water & sewer is shaded in dark yellow. Taken together, these areas have the existing infrastructure to support new development.

The state estimates that Henderson County should expect about 32,000 new residents over the next 20 years. If vacant land in the towns and the shaded county land were built out according to existing zoning, they could absorb three times as many people–nearly 95,000 new residents.

Here’s our version of the County’s Future Land Use Map. We’ve changed the color of areas open to development and sprawl from green to a more neutral light yellow.

If this land were built out, the County could accommodate an additional 75,000 people. If you add the 95,000 people that can already fit on vacant land served by sewer and water, you get a plan that accommodates 170,000 new residents when we need less than 1/5th of that.

In short, this is a recipe for sprawl, and it comes at the expense of taxpayers and our agricultural and natural heritage.

So to repeat, Henderson County can protect more forested lands and farms, save tax dollars and still accommodate new residents.

Let our commissioners know there are smarter ways to grow. Click here to take action.

Take Action to Support Good Comprehensive Planning

Henderson County is drafting its new Comprehensive Plan — the blueprint that will guide growth and development here for the next twenty years. This is a critical opportunity to have a voice in how our communities grow and develop to meet the challenges of climate change, a growing population, and increased pressures on our built environment.

Take Action

Signing Up for the Hike-a-Thon: A Step by Step Guide

Hendo Comp Plan URGENT ACTION: STOP THE SPRAWL

URGENT ACTION: STOP THE SPRAWL

The Henderson County Planning Department is circulating a draft Future Land Use Map that contradicts our community’s priorities as reflected in the County’s own survey results. The draft map prioritizes sprawl — development that spreads too far into the countryside, unnecessarily destroying forests, farmland, and rural communities — at great expense to taxpayers and against the desires of county residents.

Take action: Email Henderson County Commissioners and ask them to fix its Future Land Use Map and adopt a responsible, sustainable Comprehensive Plan.

The Case Against Sprawl

Perhaps the greatest threat to clean air, clean water, and natural landscapes in Western North Carolina is sprawling, poorly-planned development.

Sprawl is a financial loser, too. It wastes taxpayer dollars on unnecessary roads, sewers, and other infrastructure, even as it threatens the farms and orchards that make our county attractive to visitors and investors.

What is Sprawl?

Sprawl is development that spreads too far into the countryside, unnecessarily destroying forests, farmland, and rural communities. The key word here is “unnecessarily.”

Between 1976 and 2006, Henderson County’s developed land area grew eight times faster than its population, according to a UNC Charlotte study. In other words, as the county’s population slowly grew 92%, its developed land area exploded by 730%. At the same time, other counties in Western North Carolina experienced something similar.

What is at Stake?

Unfortunately, the same sprawl-inducing forces are still at work today. Growth in Henderson County is governed by antiquated rules that allow low rural land prices to drive development out into the countryside. And … roughly 40,000 new residents are expected here between now and 2045. About 17,000 new homes will be built. If we don’t take action, current rules will allow new development to explode all over the county map, endangering…

Clean Air: Sprawl forces residents to drive more miles, increasing air pollution and exacerbating climate change

Clean Water: Sprawl threatens the purity of creeks and rivers. Asphalt, roofs, and lawns dump polluted storm water directly into waterways, rather than letting it be filtered through the soil. More asphalt, roofs, and lawns means more pollution.

Wildlife: Sprawl displaces wildlife. The Southern Appalachians are a global biodiversity hotspot. To protect the amazing variety and abundance of local species, we must protect more land — not just forests, but also the habitat provided by open fields and pastures.

Rural Heritage: Sprawl undermines rural heritage. Henderson County lost one-third of its apple orchards between 2002 and 2017, according to the county’s comprehensive planning consultant. If this trend continues, the consultant added, no apples will be grown here by 2040. For decades, Henderson County has been “apple country.” Why destroy our heritage, and our branding, unnecessarily?

Fiscal Prudence: Sprawl burdens taxpayers. When developed land grows faster than the population, each taxpayer becomes responsible —unnecessarily — for fixing more potholes, maintaining more sewers, repairing more electrical wires, buying more gasoline for fire and police protection, etc.

Healthy Communities Intern Description

Healthy Communities Program Intern

Position Description:
The Healthy Communities intern will work with Chris Joyell, Healthy Communities Director, to research issues involving housing, transportation, land use controls and health, and assist in engaging communities in designing their future. Our work is rooted in the principles of Smart Growth, and we encourage prospective interns to familiarize themselves with these principles prior to engaging with us. A background in design and/or planning is preferred, but students studying health, environmental management, geography/GIS, and economics have also found their niche in our program.

Start date: Flexible
End date: Flexible

Work schedule: Flexible

Compensation: Mileage reimbursed at approximately $0.655 per mile

Location: This position will work with staff in either our Asheville or Hendersonville offices.

Please answer the following questions in your cover letter and attach that document when submitting your application form:

What skills and experience can you bring to this internship?
What skills and experience are you hoping to gain from the internship?
Is this internship for school credit or for personal experience?
What connection do you see between the built environment and the natural areas MountainTrue is working to protect?
How do you hope to leverage your internship experience in furthering your career?

Applications due by July 15, 2025. Including a resume is optional. Apply through this form.

Hiker’s Guide to a Successful Hike-A-Thon

Here are some helpful tips to help you recruit supporters and raise money!

Set a Goal

Setting a goal can be a powerful motivator. Be sure to pick a specific goal, whether miles hiked, dollars raised, or both. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s attainable between now and the end of September. Personalize your Rally Up page with a photo of yourself, and write updates along the way so your friends and family can track your progress.

Ask for Support

Let your people know what you’re up to and how they can help out. You can do this in person, over email, or with your social media accounts. See page two of this guide for examples of how you can ask your network for support.

Keep Your Supporters Updated

Your supporters want to know how you’re doing! Take photos and short videos when hiking and post them to your social media. Give updates on how many miles you’ve hiked and how close you are to your fundraising goal. We recommend giving your network two to three updates along the way. To reach your supporters directly, compose an update on your personalized Rally Up page. Your post will automatically be sent to everyone who has pledged to your hike.

Invite Others to Join

Host a group hike and invite others to become a hiker as well. Make it a friendly competition to see who can hike the most miles, raise the most money, or just team up and enjoy your days in the woods with some of your favorite people.

Asking by email

Here is a sample letter that you can modify and send to friends and family:

Greetings, Friends and Family!

I have accepted the challenge to raise money for MountainTrue’s 40th-anniversary event: 40 Miles for 40 Years Hike-a-thon. The Hike-a-thon takes place from June until the end of September 2022. Hikers (that’s me!) raise money for every mile hiked during this time. My goal is to hike [insert #] of miles and raise [insert $amount.]

[Why MounTrue’s work is important to you]

Every dollar raised through the Hike-a-thon supports MountainTrue’s work creating and sustaining a healthy environment by ensuring resilient forests, advocating for clean waters, building healthy communities, promoting sustainable living and clean energy, and increasing civic engagement in policy-making. You can find out more about MountainTrue and their important work here: https://mountaintrue.org/.

Please support me in celebrating MountainTrue’s 40th anniversary! You can make a pledge for my miles or a one-time gift here: [insert your personalized link (don’t forget to make it a hyperlink)]. Donating through the site is simple, fast, and secure. You can also send a check at the end of the Hikeathon to MountainTrue 29 N Market St., Suite 610 Asheville, NC 28801.

Many thanks for your support — and please consider forwarding this to others who might want to donate too!

Sincerely,

Social media ask

Here is a sample social media posts to inspire you:

Hey friends! I have accepted MountainTrue’s 40 Miles for 40 Years Hike-A-Thon challenge. [Why MountainTrue’s work matters to you]. My goal is to hike [insert #” of miles and raise “insert $amount.]

Please support me in celebrating MountainTrue’s 40th anniversary by pledging your support! You can make a pledge for my miles or a one-time gift here: [insert your personalized link.]

*Post with a photo of you hiking or enjoying the outdoors.

Download This Guide As a PDF

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