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he Mills River Partnership is pleased to hold its second annual “Mills River Day” from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, hosted by North River Farms.
MountainTrue will take part in this free celebration, with a kids’ activity featuring macro-invertebrates, and our Water Quality Administrator Evan Parker will do kick-net demonstrations.
This year’s theme is “The River Connects Us,” to show the many aspects that join the Mills River community and watershed to the greater Hendersonville/Asheville area through the use of the river’s resources.
Mills River Day aims to educate participants about the river and water quality issues, help build a stronger sense of community and raise awareness of local agriculture. This family-friendly event will feature a bounce house, farm animals, wagon rides, farm equipment demonstrations and displays, fire safety house and fire truck demonstration.
Ice cream and BBQ vendors will be at the farm, and live music will be provided by the Lonesome Road Band.
In addition, local author Marci Spencer will be on site to sign her newest book, “Pisgah National Forest: a History.”
The event is free and open to the public and will be held rain or shine.
WE NEED YOU! MountainTrue needs volunteers for this event to help with tasks such as greeting participants, directing parking, supervising the bounce house and wagon ride, and helping us at our MountainTrue booth.
Be a watchdog for WNC’s forests!
Join us at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12 at the UNC Asheville Botanical Gardens for an emerald ash borer beetle awareness workshop.
MountainTrue is hosting Paul Merten, an entomologist from the Southern Research Station, who will teach us about the beetle and ash trees, and also discuss current research about how these exotic insects could affect these beloved forests.
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 12
Where: UNCA Botanical Gardens (151 W.T. Weaver Blvd., Asheville)
What to expect: An indoor presentation about emerald ash borer beetle followed by a walk around the Botanical Gardens to practice ash tree identification.
Everyone is welcome!
(Note: Commenting below will not reserve a space for you at this workshop. You must click the link above. Thanks!)
The Western North Carolina Regional Air Quality Agency will hold a public hearing on the draft air pollution permit for the Asheville coal plant. New reports demonstrate that the plant’s operations have been causing sulfur dioxide (SO2) pollution at levels considered unsafe by the Environmental Protection Agency for the past several years. An air modeling study by Air Resource Specialists shows that concentrations of SO2 in the air near people’s homes downwind of the Asheville plant are up to 3.5 times higher than what EPA has determined to be safe. Pollution from the plant has caused exceedences of these minimum public health standards approximately one out of every three to four days since 2010.
Make your voice heard at the public hearing, as well as submitting comments online.
Event: WNC Regional Air Quality Agency Public Hearigh: Asheville coal plant air permit
Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Location: Erwin High School auditorium, 60 Lees Creek Rd. Asheville 28804
Check out our tips for giving public testimony here
Please RSVP here
Check out our tips for giving public comments to the air board here
For more information, check out our Take Action Page or contact Joan Walker: Joan@mountaintrue.org, 828-258-8737 ext. 207
MountainTrue, formerly the Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO), will host a community Earth Day celebration in partnership with the Hendersonville Community Co-op from noon to 3 p.m. April 25 at the new Co-op store, located at the intersection of S. Grove and Spartanburg Highway.
As part of the Co-op’s grand opening week, April 22 -25, Earth Day activities are planned for Saturday.
The theme, “Kick the Disposable Bag Habit!” will highlight the Co-op’s “Bring Your Own Bag” program to encourage the use of reusable grocery bags instead of disposable ones. The Co-op offers an incentive to those shoppers who bring their own bags to the store.
During the afternoon there will be a Bag Monster sighting, a make-a-pledge table to “Kick the Disposable Habit,” an art table where cloth bags can be personalized, and a seed planting table where kids can plant sunflower seed starter pots to take home.
The community can visit the MountainTrue table to learn more about the organization, and register to win a $100 gift basket provided by the Co-op. The Todd Hoke & Paul Songy Band will perform from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
“Each time a shopper brings their own bag for groceries, they are saving the Co-op an expense and helping to reduce, re-use and recycle,” said Gretchen Schott Cummins, the Co-op’s outreach coordinator, about the “Bring Your Own Bag” program.
“The Co-op hands the shopper a ‘chip’ which they then deposit into a box representing a non-profit organization of their choice. We pass that savings on in the form of a financial donation. Since its inception, this program has raised more than $25,000 for community non-profit organizations. One of the guiding principles of the cooperative is ‘Concern for Sustainable Communities.’ We are grateful for the services these charitable organizations provide for our community.”
We need volunteers!
Come and help set up the tent and table or help with kids activities.
Date: Saturday April, 25
Time: 11:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Location: 60 S. Charleston Lane, Hendersonville
On April 9 and 11, the MountainTrue Forest Keepers are collaborating with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to help them kick off the 2015 Garlic Mustard Challenge!
Garlic mustard is a nasty invasive species that has infested sections of the AT.
This year, we have three goals:
- Pull a pound of garlic mustard for each mile of trail;
- Beat the 2014 record of 2,189 pounds of garlic mustard collectively pulled along the AT;
- And to enjoy fresh foraged samples of garlic mustard pesto!
We’ll meet for a carpool from the EarthFare in the Westgate Shopping Center at 9 a.m. on April 9 and 10. You may also meet the group at Garenflo Gap at 10 a.m. (April 9) and Lemon Gap at 10:30 a.m. (April 11).
Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes, long pants, as bring rain gear, water and lunch.
Snowy woods in Big Ivy/Photo by Steve Atkins
Save the date!
From noon-5 p.m. on April 25, MountainTrue and Friends of the Big Ivy will offer several guided hike options, each led by a naturalist, will traverse this beautiful, remote, mountain land composed of more than 30 miles of trails.
We’ll offer choices of four to five different hikes, all starting at noon.
Details on specific trails and hike leaders will be posted here soon.
Big Ivy has more than 3,000 acres of old growth forests and over 30 rare and endangered species worth protecting.
Save the date for the opportunity to explore our beautiful forests which are threatened by the current draft of the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Management Plan.
For more information, please contact Rachel at Rachel@mountaintrue.org.
he Mills River Partnership is pleased to hold its second annual “Mills River Day” from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, hosted by North River Farms. 
