Hendersonville Green Drinks: The Plight of NC's Hemlocks and What You Can Do
2017-12-14 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Black Bear Coffee, 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville, NC, 28792, United States
Join us on Thursday, Dec. 14, when Hendersonville Green Drinks welcomes Sara deFosset of the Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI). Sara will be speaking in depth about the efforts of the HRI to combat the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid’s effect on our Hemlock forests. She will also teach us how individuals can do their part to protect these wonderful native plants.
Sara deFosset, like the eastern and Carolina hemlock, is a North Carolina native with a background in the social sciences and horticulture. She earned her graduate degree in Sustainable Development at the University of California Santa Barbara. Later, she returned to NC where she serves as the Outreach Associate for the Hemlock Restoration Initiative. Sara expresses her love for plants in her work with the HRI and also as a part time garden designer, florist and farmer.
The HRI is a program of WNC Communities, actuated in 2014 by Commissioner of Agriculture, Steve Troxler. The mission of the HRI is to work with a variety of partners and existing programs to restore Hemlocks to long-term health throughout North Carolina and ensure that Eastern and Carolina Hemlocks can resist Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) and survive to maturity on North Carolina’s public and private lands. Sara will be speaking in depth about the efforts of the HRI to combat the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid’s effect on our Hemlock forests. She will also teach us how individuals can do their part to protect these wonderful native plants.
About Hendersonville Green Drinks
Hendersonville Green Drinks is presented by MountainTrue, Conserving Carolina and Black Bear Coffee. 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.

Give Your Christmas Trees, Lights & Holiday Cards a Second Life!
2018-01-06 09:00 - 14:00 | Jackson Park Ball Field, 801 Glover St, Hendersonville, NC, 28792, United States
Hendersonville, N.C. – MountainTrue is proud to host its annual Holiday Recycling Event at Jackson Park on Saturday, January 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Area residents are invited to bring their Christmas trees, broken string lights and used greeting cards to be mulched and recycled.
When: Saturday, January 6 | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Jackson Park, Ball Field #6, Hendersonville
Who: MountainTrue, City of Hendersonville, Henderson County, Henderson County Coop Extension Service of the 4-H Project, King Hardware & Rental.
Trees can be dropped off on or before January 6. Lights and greeting cards should be brought on the day of January 6.
The mulcher has been provided by King Hardware & Rental and Hendersonville and Henderson County personnel will be on site to much the trees. Lights will be recycled by the Henderson County Coop Extension Service of the 4-H Project.
MountainTrue volunteers will be on hand to help and serve free cookies and hot apple cider.
Don’t throw your tree away! Recycle it and turn it into nutritious mulch for your garden, plants and veggies.

Hendersonville Green Drinks: Protecting Pollinators
2018-01-11 17:30 - 19:00 | Black Bear Coffee, 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville, NC, 28792, United States
Hendersonville, N.C. — On Thursday, January 11, Hendersonville Green Drinks welcomes Kim Bailey, the coordinator of the Hendersonville Bee City USA program and a member of the national Bee City USA Board of Directors. Her organization aims to raise awareness of the role pollinators play in our communities and Kim will be speaking about what each of us can do to provide them with a healthy habitat.
Who: Kim Bailey, Bee City USA
What: January Green Drinks topic: Protecting Pollinators
When: January 11, 2017 – 5:30 networking, 6:00 presentation
Where: Black Bear Coffee, 318 N. Main St. Hendersonville, NC
Did you know that 90% of all wild plants rely on pollinators for the survival of their species? Or that one in every three bites of food we consume is courtesy of insect pollination? Just as plants and pollinators have collaborated for millions of years, Bee City USA believes that communities have the opportunity to join forces to sustain pollinators through more conscientious landscape management.
Kim Bailey has over twenty years of experience in educational instruction which includes teaching middle school life science, leading wilderness adventure trips, directing outdoor environmental education programs, and training teachers and naturalists. She now grows milkweed, wildflowers, fruits and vegetables, while learning more about the pollinators that also make their home at her family’s farm in Fruitland, NC.

About Hendersonville Green Drinks
Hendersonville Green Drinks is presented by MountainTrue, Conserving Carolina and Black Bear Coffee. 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.

Franklin Hearing on Duke Energy Carolinas Proposed Rate Hike
2018-01-16 19:00 | NC
Gather at the Macon County Courthouse in Franklin to make your voice heard about Duke’s rate hike! Duke Energy Carolinas, which serves 2.2 million customers across the state including those in Macon, Transylvania, Polk, and parts of Jackson and Henderson counties, has requested approval to raise residential energy rates by 16.7% and to increase their revenue by approximately $647 million. With an increased monthly base charge from $11.80 to $17.79, all residential customers would now be charged about $213 per year before they even turn their lights on.
Public interest advocates believe the rate hike would discourage energy savings initiatives, pass coal ash cleanup costs onto the public, and hit families on low or fixed incomes the hardest. MountainTrue encourages all to voice their opinions at this hearing. Those who plan to speak should arrive at 6:30 pm.
Find out more about Duke’s proposed rate hike here.
Note: Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress are sister companies. While both companies are requesting a 16.7% rate hike for residential customers, they serve different territories across the state. Click the image below to find out who serves you:

Community Planning For All Trolley Tour: How MountainTrue promotes healthy communities
2018-01-27 11:00 - 13:00 | West Asheville Bus Shelter, 1 Craven St, Asheville, NC, 28806
On Saturday, January 27, join Asheville Design Center’s (ADC) Chris Joyell for a trolley tour of Asheville unlike any other. We will be visiting several community led design projects that have made Asheville the unique and wonderful city it is, like the outdoor classroom at the Burton St Peace Garden, the mural at Triangle Park, and the 13 Bones pedestrian bridge in the River Arts District. To begin our tour we will meet the trolley at the West Asheville bus shelter (opposite the Burger Bar), an ADC project!
For the past decade, ADC has recruited volunteer professionals to work with residents to create design solutions that promote healthy, thriving and equitable communities. In October of last year, ADC merged with MountainTrue, creating one organization that is better able to take a holistic approach to both our natural and built environments. As Asheville continues to grow, learn how MountainTrue commits to supporting the area’s neighborhoods and their residents by providing access to community-driven planning and design services. Join in on the conversation about community planning in Asheville and the future of development in our region.

Paddle-n-Plant: Live Staking with the French Broad Riverkeeper
2018-02-02 10:00 - 16:00, 2018-02-07 10:00 - 16:00, 2018-02-27 10:00 - 16:00 | Westfeldt Park, 83 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher, NC, 28732, United States
The French Broad Riverkeeper and MountainTrue are combating sediment erosion in our local waterways. Sediment is a major polluter in our river basin, clogging fish and aquatic habitats, increasing water temperatures, and transporting toxic substances. We are helping to reduce the amount of sediment that flows into our rivers by planting live-stakes along eroding riverbanks. These stakes will grow into trees that will stabilize the sides of the rivers and creeks where we plant them, and will reduce the overall amount of sediment getting into the river.
We’ll be planting through March, so come out to one or more of our Paddle-n-Plant work days!
Follow this link to sign up & read more about what to bring, what to expect, and what other work day dates are coming up!

Hendersonville Green Drinks: Inspiring Ocean Conservation
2018-02-08 17:30 - 19:00 | Black Bear Coffee, 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville, NC, 28792, United States
On Thursday, February 8, Hendersonville Green Drinks welcomes BJ Ramer, the Founder and Executive Director of Team ECCO Ocean Center and Aquarium. This facility, located right on Main St. in downtown Hendersonville, is North Carolina’s first inland aquarium and a hub for marine education in Western NC. BJ will be discussing how the aquarium has impacted both tourism and education in the Hendersonville area, as well as introducing the facility’s new 2,000 gallon shark study tank.
Who: BJ Ramer, Founder and Executive Director of Team ECCO Aquarium and Shark Lab
What: February Green Drinks topic: Inspiring Ocean Conservation
When: February 8, 2018 – 5:30 networking, 6:00 presentation
Where: Black Bear Coffee, 318 N. Main St. Hendersonville, NC
Team ECCO has been bringing “salt water to the mountains” and raising awareness about ocean conservation in Western NC since 2001. The current Aquarium has been a fixture in Hendersonville since opening in October of 2011, seeing an average of 7,000 visitors through its doors annually. The Center integrates science, history, math, and culture into their immersive exhibits and educational programs, which reach over 3,500 participants every year. This facility acts as a nursery for baby sharks, as well as a haven for several reptiles who were surrendered pets, while offering Western North Carolinians the unique experience of getting in touch with the ocean.

About Hendersonville Green Drinks
Hendersonville Green Drinks is presented by MountainTrue, Conserving Carolina and Black Bear Coffee Co. 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.

The State of Conservation in the North Carolina Blue Ridge
2018-02-17 12:00 - 14:00 | Second Gear, 444 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC, 28806
Come to Second Gear in West Asheville on February 17 to hear MountainTrue’s Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly speak about conservation efforts in Western North Carolina. He will cover topics including trends and status of regional biodiversity, rare species, forest integrity, water quality, and protected lands. In addition to this, Josh will address threats to conservation in our region, including fragmentation, non-native invasive species, climate change, policies, and lack of public investment.

Documentary Screening: RiverWebs
2018-02-20 17:30 - 19:30 | Purple Onion, 16 E Main St, Saluda, NC, 28773
Join MountainTrue and the Green Riverkeeper at the Purple Onion in Saluda on February 20th from 5:30 to 7:30 as we screen RiverWebs, Freshwater Illustrated’s award-winning documentary about river ecosystems and the science that explores them. This film follows the life and work of Dr. Shigeru Nakano as he attempted to understand how streams and forests depend on each other, and his team who carried on this work after his tragic death. RiverWebs illustrates how the movements and behaviors of insects, in both the stream and the forest, influence their predators, like fish, bats, birds, and spiders.
Stick around after the screening for a presentation about how we monitor for stream quality in WNC and how you can get involved in our Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE) program. We will wrap up the evening with a Q&A with the Green Riverkeeper MountainTrue’s Water Quality Administrator and some current SMIE volunteers. This event is free and open to the public.

Building Our City with Ellen Dunham-Jones
2018-03-07 17:30 - 19:00 | Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway Street, Asheville, NC, 28801
21st Century Revitalization; Growing the Aging Suburban Landscape Towards Walkable Urbanism
Ellen will discuss how existing suburban developments can be redesigned into more urban and more sustainable places. While there has been considerable attention by practitioners and academics to development in urban cores and new neighborhoods on the periphery of cities, there has been little attention to the redesign and redevelopment of existing suburbs. Ellen will also show how development in existing suburbs can absorb new growth and evolve in relation to changed demographic, technological and economic conditions.
Doors open at 5:30pm, the presentation will begin at 6pm. Click here for tickets!
The Building our City Speaker Series is supported by the City of Asheville, Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, Asheville Downtown Association, Urban3, Mountain True and Aloft Asheville Downtown.

Paddle-n-Plant: Live Staking with the French Broad Riverkeeper and the Creation Care Alliance
2018-03-08 10:00 - 16:00 | Westfeldt Park, 83 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher, NC, 28732, United States

Hendersonville Green Drinks: The Value of Prescribed Burns
2018-03-08 17:30 - 19:00 | Black Bear Coffee, 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville, NC, 28792, United States
This month Hendersonville Green Drinks welcomes Adam Warwick, the Fire and Stewardship Manager for the Nature Conservancy’s Southern Blue Ridge Program in Asheville. Fire has shaped Southern Appalachian forests for thousands of years and has a natural role in our forest ecosystem. However, highly effective government wildland fire suppression programs have led to a dramatic decline in fires, and in many cases, have left us with unhealthy ecosystems. We were offered a glimpse of Southern Appalachian fire potential in the Fall 2016, which culminated with the Smokies’ Chimney Tops 2 Fire that claimed 14 lives, and was one the largest natural disasters in Tennessee’s history. Land managers across the Southern Blue Ridge are working together through the Southern Blue Ridge Fire Learning Network to use controlled burning to restore and maintain natural areas that traditionally experienced wildland fire.
Who: Adam Warwick, The Nature Conservancy
What: March Green Drinks topic: The Value of Prescribed Burns
When: March 8, 2018 – 5:30 networking, 6:00 presentation
Where: Black Bear Coffee, 318 N. Main St. Hendersonville, NC
Adam oversees management of a 20-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 over 15 years of experience monitoring wildlife and conserving native ecosystems on both public and private lands. He has developed expertise in black bear, red-cockaded woodpecker and bat ecology and specializes in using controlled burning to perpetuate fire-dependent plant and animals of northern Florida and the Southern Appalachians.

About Hendersonville Green Drinks
Hendersonville Green Drinks is presented by MountainTrue, Conserving Carolina and Black Bear Coffee Co. 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.

Know Before You Go: Guide to the French Broad Paddle Trail
2018-03-08 18:30 - 20:00 | The Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St., Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
MountainTrue, Headwaters Outfitters, and the Wedge are excited to offer this free course on paddling the French Broad! We will cover topics including the history of the paddle trail, how to pack, trip suggestions, leaving no trace, and paddling with your kids and pets!
We will also be selling our French Broad Paddle Trail Maps, written by Chris Gibbs and our very own French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson for $17.95. This map includes information about different river accesses and take out sites from Rosman, NC to Newport, TN.
See you there!

Know Before You Go: Guide to the French Broad Paddle Trail
2018-03-10 14:00 - 16:00 | Forks of the River Taproom, 25 Parkway Rd, Rosman, NC, 28772, United States
MountainTrue, Headwaters Outfitters, and the Forks of the River Taproom are excited to offer this free course on paddling the French Broad! We will cover topics including the history of the paddle trail, how to pack, trip suggestions, leaving no trace, and paddling with your kids and pets!
We will also be selling our French Broad Paddle Trail Maps, written by Chris Gibbs and our very own French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson for $17.95. This map includes information about different river accesses and take out sites from Rosman, NC to Newport, TN.
See you there!

Community Forum on Landslide Risks and Prevention
2018-03-12 17:30 - 19:30 | Henderson County Library, 301 N Washington Street, Hendersonville, NC, 28739
MountainTrue and the Center for Cultural Preservation invite the public to a community forum on landslide risk and prevention on Monday, March 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Henderson County Public Library in Hendersonville.

What: Community Forum on Landslide Risk and Prevention
When: Monday, March 12 – 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Henderson County Public Library, 301 N Washington Street, Hendersonville, NC

The evening will begin with an abbreviated version of “Come Hell or High Water” a film that documents the impacts of The Great Flood of 1916 by David Weintraub, Executive Director of the Center for Cultural Preservation. Then guest speaker Jennifer Bauer, Co-Owner and Principal Geologist with Appalachian Landslide Consultants, will present on landslide risk in our region and the benefits and utility of landslide hazard maps. The evening will conclude with a panel discussion and question-and-answer session featuring Gray Jernigan, Southern Regional Director of MountainTrue, David Weintraub and Jennifer Bauer.

The Future of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel Event in Sylva, NC
2018-03-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Jackson County Public Library, Sylva, 310 Keener St., Sylva, NC, 28779, United States
In the interest of ensuring that the next 15 year management plan for our national forests is one that reflects our interests and priorities, MountainTrue is hosting a series of events across WNC called “The Future of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel on the Forest Management Plan.” This event on March 15th will take place in the community room of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva, NC. It is free and open to the public and will feature panelists representing different forest interest groups, from recreational users to forest product industries to conservationists. Josh Kelly of MountainTrue, Tommy Cabe the Tribal Forest Resource Specialist for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Andrea Leslie of the NC Wildlife Resource Commission, and Bill Kane of the NC Wildlife Federation will serve on this panel moderated by Jack Igleman, a journalist and Professor of Economics at Blue Ridge Community College.
The panelists will engage in constructive dialogue about working toward the common goal of a win-win forest management plan that balances the differing priorities of different user groups, followed by a Q&A with the audience. We hope you will come out and share this invitation with your friends and neighbors!

Campsite Build Day!
2018-03-16 10:00 - 15:00, 2018-03-20 10:00 - 15:00 | Yadkin Rd, 30 Yadkin Rd, Fletcher, NC, 28732
We’re opening a new paddle-in only campsite this summer, and need some help in getting it ready. This site will fill a current gap in the Trail, allowing folks to paddle from Brevard to Asheville (let’s be honest, it’s more like Oskar Blues – Sierra Nevada – New Belgium) more easily. Work will include mowing, clearing, step-building, picnic table construction, invasives removal, and general campsite maintenance. We’ve got lots of tools, loppers, and gloves, but bring your own if you like. Email anna@mountaintrue.org for any questions and click here to RSVP!
To Bring:

Wear clothes you don’t care to get dirty
Lunch
Water Bottle
Sunscreen

SMIE Spring Training
2018-03-17 09:00 - 16:00 | Blue Ridge Community College, 180 W Campus Dr, Flat Rock, NC, 28731, United States
Are you invested in the health of your local rivers and streams? Do you want to get involved in a meaningful way? Then MountainTrue has an opportunity for you!
We rely on volunteers to monitor stream health throughout Henderson County and participate in bio-monitoring twice per year, once in April and once in October. Through the Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE) bio-monitoring program, we sample aquatic macro-invertebrates, or aquatic insects, as indicators of water quality. Bugs tell us a lot about the health and vitality of our rivers and streams.
Learn how you can help at our SMIE training on March 17. Learn the protocols of biomonitoring including how to collect and identify bugs, record data, and utilize sampling equipment. The first half of the day will take place at Blue Ridge Community College followed by a field site visit after lunch!
Both new and returning SMIE volunteers are welcome! Please bring a water bottle, a pen or pencil, waders if you have them (some waders will be provided and not all participants will need to enter the stream).

Live Staking with the Watauga Riverkeeper
2018-03-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Cove Creek School, 930 Vanderpool Rd, Vilas, NC, 28692
Sediment is a major polluter in our river basin, clogging fish and aquatic habitats, increasing water temperatures, and transporting toxic substances. Come to help Andy Hill, the Watauga Riverkeeper reduce the amount of sediment that flows into our rivers by planting live-stakes along eroding riverbanks. These stakes will grow into trees that will stabilize the sides of the rivers and creeks where we plant them, and will reduce the overall amount of sediment getting into the river.
Make sure to bring:

warm layers (dress for weather, but also make sure it’s things you don’t mind to get dirty)
rubber boots and/or waders (We have some, but not many so bring your own if you have them.)
pocket knife and/or clippers/garden shears (if you have them)
water to drink
really, just what you think you need to keep warm and dry that day.

Save Our Ashes Training
2018-03-18 10:00 - 16:00 | Ingles, 499 Weaverville Rd, Asheville, NC, 28804
Be a forest keeper and help MountainTrue in our efforts to preserve ash trees around WNC as they are attacked by Emerald Ash Borer!
By participating in this training, you will learn how to identify ash trees, assess their health, use tools important in forest data collection, and have fun in the woods with MountainTrue members and staff. After becoming proficient in our inventory protocol, you will have the opportunity to be a part of a team of people inventorying trails around WNC and collecting data essential to our conservation efforts.

What: Ash inventory training
Why: To gather data that will help MountainTrue in our efforts to treat ash trees and protect them from EAB attack
Where: Meet at Ingles (499 Weaverville Rd, Asheville, NC 28804). From there we will venture onto the AT from Spivey Gap to Little Bald
When: From 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday, March 18th
Notes: Please bring water and a packed lunch

HP's Sustainability Strategist, John Frey Talks Corporate Sustainability
2018-03-21 09:00 - 10:00 | Asheville Social Hall, 81 Broadway St, Asheville, NC, 28801
MountainTrue is excited to co-host John Frey, Senior Technologist and Sustainability Strategist with Hewlett Packard Enterprises, as the special guest presenter at 1 Million Cups Asheville on Wednesday March 21st. John comes to Asheville as a keynote speaker for ClimateCon and will be exploring topics for business leaders such as how to identify the environmental and social drivers that most impact company success; how to collaborate with others for maximum impact; and the benefits and risks of full transparency in progress towards meeting sustainability goals. The event takes place 9am at the Asheville Social Hall, an event space in downtown Asheville at 81 Broadway St. Come be inspired by how HPE has leveraged sustainability for their own success!

The Future of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel Event in Boone, NC
2018-03-22 18:00 - 19:30 | Watauga County Public Library, Boone, 140 Queen St, Boone, NC, 28607, United States
In the interest of ensuring that the next 15 year management plan for our national forests is one that reflects our interests and priorities, MountainTrue is hosting a series of events across WNC called “The Future of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel on the Forest Management Plan.” This event on March 22nd will take place in the Evelyn Johnson meeting room of the Watauga County Public Library in Boone, NC. It is free and open to the public and will feature panelists representing different forest interest groups, from recreational users to forest product industries to conservationists. Josh Kelly of MountainTrue, Julie White of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) Pisgah Chapter, Jim Sitts of Columbia Forest Products, Deirdre Perot of Back Country Horsemen of America and the NC Horse Council, and Curtis Smalling of the NC Audubon Society will serve on this panel moderated by Jack Igleman, a journalist and Professor of Economics at Blue Ridge Community College.
The panelists will engage in constructive dialogue about working toward the common goal of a win-win forest management plan that balances the differing priorities of different user groups, followed by a Q&A with the audience. We hope you will come out and share this invitation with your friends and neighbors!

Beer and Vegan Cheese Pairing
2018-03-25 15:00 - 17:00 | Sanctuary Brewing Company, 147 1st Ave E, Hendersonville, NC, 28792, United States
Join Sanctuary Brewing Company, Asheville Vegan Outreach, and MountainTrue for our first vegan cheese and beer pairing. Brewmaster Joe Dinan will be pairing his craft brews with cheeses created and described by some of our finest local vegan chefs, including Trey Allen Singleton of Sanctuary Brewing, Jason Sellers of Plant, Stepfanie Romine, co-author of the No Meat Athlete cookbook, and Lauren Eller Vaught of Edible Musings! Suggested $10 donation benefits Sweet Bear Rescue Farm and Brother Wolf Animal Rescue.

Spring Greenfest Keynote Talk with Audrey & Frank Peterman
2018-03-26 19:00 - 20:30 | UNCA Humanities Lecture Hall, Humanities Lecture Hall, Asheville, NC, 28804
Audrey and Frank Peterman are the authors of Legacy on the Land: A Black Couple Discovers Our National Inheritance and Tells Why Every American Should Care, and Our True Nature: Finding a Zest for Life in the National Park System!
After their last child graduated college, this couple took the ultimate road trip, traveling 12,000 miles across 40 states visiting national parks and forests. they emerged dedicated to breaking invisible color barriers separating people from the great American outdoors, and have led countless tours of national parks.
They will deliver the keynote talk to UNC Asheville’s 2018 Spring Greenfest at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 26 in Humanities Lecture Hall. This talk is free and open to everyone.

The Future of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel Event in Brevard, NC
2018-03-27 18:00 - 19:30 | Transylvania County Public Library, Brevard, 212 South Gaston Street, Brevard, NC, 28712, United States
In the interest of ensuring that the next 15 year management plan for our national forests is one that reflects our interests and priorities, MountainTrue is hosting a series of events across WNC called “The Future of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel on the Forest Management Plan.” This event on March 27th will take place in the Rogow Room of the Transylvania County Public Library in Brevard, NC. It is free and open to the public and will feature panelists representing different forest interest groups, from recreational users to forest product industries to conservationists. Tom Thomas of the NC Horse Council and Back Country Horsemen of America, Megan Sutton of The Nature Conservancy, David Whitmire of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Council, Fred Hardin of Gilkey Lumber and Kevin Colburn of American Whitewater will serve on the panel moderated by Lee McMinn, the Chair of the Transylvania Natural Resources Commission.
The panelists will engage in constructive dialogue about working toward the common goal of a win-win forest management plan that balances the differing priorities of different user groups, followed by a Q&A with the audience. We hope you will come out and share this invitation with your friends and neighbors!

The Future of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel Event in Andrews, NC
2018-03-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Andrews Community Center, 535 Main St., Andrews, NC, 28901, United States
In the interest of ensuring that the next 15 year management plan for our national forests is one that reflects our interests and priorities, MountainTrue is hosting a series of events across WNC called “The Future of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests: An Expert Panel on the Forest Management Plan.” This event on March 29th will take place in the Andrews Community Center in Andrews, NC. It is free and open to the public and will feature panelists representing different forest interest groups, from recreational users to forest product industries to conservationists. Callie Moore of the Hiwassee Watershed Coalition, Tommy Cabe the Tribal Forest Resource Specialist for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Sophia Paulos the Economic Development Director of Graham County, and Chris Coxen of the National Wild Turkey Federation will serve on this panel moderated by Jack Igleman, a journalist and Professor of Economics at Blue Ridge Community College.
The panelists will engage in constructive dialogue about working toward the common goal of a win-win forest management plan that balances the differing priorities of different user groups, followed by a Q&A with the audience. We hope you will come out and share this invitation with your friends and neighbors!

The Building Our City Speaker Series Presents: Hunter Franks
2018-04-03 17:30 - 19:00 | Center for Craft, 67 Broadway St, Asheville, NC, 28801
On April 3, the Building Our City Speaker Series will welcome Hunter Franks, the Founder and Artistic Director of the League of Creative Interventionists. The event is free and open to the public.
Franks’ participatory projects break down social barriers and catalyze connections between people and communities. They include a 500-person meal on a freeway, a storytelling exchange to connect disparate neighborhoods, a public display of first love stories and a vacant warehouse turned community hub. Franks will share what he has learned from these projects, including the value of trust, the power of the unknown and the importance of creating sustainable and generative work. He will discuss how the League of Creative Interventionists works with communities to create public art and cultural programs that tell real and just narratives, create empathetic spaces and develop powerful leaders, and will share how we can apply those principles her in Asheville. To learn more: http://www.creativeinterventionists.com/about/
This event also marks the launch of the Broadway Cultural Gateway Project, a community visioning project that seeks to engage local residents, business and property owners, and arts/cultural groups to leverage Broadway Street’s unique assets and historic character to reimagine what’s possible in the future. The project is an effort of the Center for Craft and the Asheville Design Center, and will focus on the city block encompassing Broadway St., N. Lexington Ave, W. Walnut St., and Woodfin St. in downtown Asheville.
Doors open at 5:30pm, and Hunter Frank will speak at 6pm.
The Building Our City Speaker Series features national experts on urban design, planning, placemaking, transportation and other community development topics to explore the role of thoughtful design in building livable communities. These deep-dive community conversations are dedicated to creating a better understanding of the role design plays in the growth of Asheville and its surrounding regions. By hosting professionals from outside the region, we hope to bring innovative ideas as well as examples of other community’s successes and failures. Building Our City is supported by the City of Asheville, Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, Asheville Downtown Association, Urban3, MountainTrue and Aloft Asheville Downtown.
