Central Region News

A message from Executive Director Bob Wagner: 

Although still in the throes of winter, January has roared into February, and we can see spring on the not-too-distant horizon. The MountainTrue team is busy planning, preparing, and organizing this winter. Even when the nights are long, our staff and volunteers are addressing critical issues — like adding more housing while minimizing environmental impact; relaunching an improved French Broad Paddle Trail website; eliminating the prevalence of single-use plastics that are clogging our waterways and threatening human health; addressing a flawed Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan so that our children can experience old growth forests and rich ecosystems; and removing dams to restore river health. These campaigns often take years to plan and accomplish, but ultimately, they’re worth it to protect our amazing forests, rivers, and mountains. We couldn’t do this work without continued support from our volunteers, donors, and advocates — thank you for joining us on this journey in 2024!

Photo: Part of the Nantahala National Forest within the scope of the Southside Timber Project. Photo credit: Will Harlan, Center for Biological Diversity, via Michaela Gregory of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

MountainTrue & coalition partners file lawsuit to protect sensitive habitat in Nantahala National Forest

MountainTrue is part of a coalition of conservation groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to prevent the agency from logging a sensitive area of the Nantahala National Forest in violation of federal law. The lawsuit was filed on the morning of January 31 in the federal district court for the Western District of North Carolina by the Southern Environmental Law Center and addresses the Southside Timber Project, which aims to log areas near the Whitewater River in the Nantahala National Forest. The landscape boasts stunning waterfalls, towering oak trees, and critical habitat for rare species. Read more in this letter by Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly.

We’re excited to announce our 1st Native Plant & Shrub Sale in Asheville!

The sale will open online on February 15 and will run through March 31, 2024, featuring native plants and shrubs grown by Carolina Native Nursery (think azaleas and more!). Proceeds from the sale will benefit MountainTrue. Orders will be available for pickup on Thursday, April 11, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ONLY, unless prior arrangements have been made. We hope you’re as excited about this as we are! What better way to get a head start on Earth Day than by showing your yard and resident pollinators a little local love?!

Save the date: cheers to trivia & good brews for MountainTrue

Beat the winter blues and join us for trivia and the River Arts District Brewing Company’s MountainTrue Beer Launch: Dream of Conscience at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Come drink some good brews and enjoy fresh pizza from Smokees Pizza.

Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?

MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.

Hike with Get Outside WNC to support MountainTrue!

MountainTrue is honored to be the Winter 2024 Beneficiary of Get Outside WNC, a local organization created by West Henderson High School senior Jenna Watson. Jenna is raising money for MountainTrue this winter by leading group hikes on scenic trails. Jenna’s hikes cost $10 per person and run through March 3, so join her outside! Jenna started Get Outside WNC to expose hikers to the physical and mental benefits of hiking. She says, “By sharing the beauty of our local environment with both new and seasoned hikers, I hope to spread my passion for nature, build community, and raise awareness of the fragility of the WNC environment.” So far, Jenna has led hikes to raise money for MountainTrue at Bearwallow Mountain, Moore Cove, and Triple and High Falls. Get Outside WNC’s upcoming hikes include:

•  Raven Cliff Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 18, near the North and South Carolina border in Caesars Head State Park
• Twin Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, in Pisgah National Forest

Sign up and learn more about upcoming hikes here. And be sure to follow Jenna and Get Outside WNC on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!

Green Sage x MountainTrue

MountainTrue is excited to be the 2024 recipient of Green Sage’s annual donation program. Bring your reusable Green Sage glass juice bottles and coffee mugs to any Green Sage location they’ll donate 10 cents to MountainTrue each time! Learn more about this program here.

Summer ‘24 internship opportunities

1. French Broad Water Quality Internships: MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper and Clean Water team are hiring two French Broad Water Quality Interns for summer 2024. Both French Broad Water Quality Interns will assist our team with a variety of tasks needed to help improve ecosystem health within the French Broad River Basin. Both positions are based out of our Asheville office, with travel throughout the French Broad Watershed. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!
2. Western Region Water Quality Intern: MountainTrue’s Western Regional Office is hiring one Water Quality Intern for summer 2024. The intern’s primary responsibilities will be to assist with collection and analysis of weekly E. coli samples for our Swim Guide monitoring program; to manage the microplastics sampling program in the Hiwassee River basin; planning a summertime social event for all MountainTrue water program volunteers; and helping with educational events related to water quality in rivers, lakes, and streams. The intern must live within 50 miles of Murphy, NC, as the majority of their work will be within that 50-mile radius. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation wants your input

Buncombe County Parks and Recreation’s first systemwide plan is on the horizon. Community members can help guide the future of Buncombe County parks, recreational opportunities, greenways, trails, and open spaces.

Public community meeting: March 21 at Enka High School in Candler, NC (475 Enka Lake Road) from 5-7 p.m.

This community meeting will be interactive, so participants should come prepared to participate in various community parks and recreation, greenways, trails, and open space planning exercises. Language services will be available to Spanish-speaking community members.

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as several other counties across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

High Country News

A message from High Country Regional Director & Watauga Riverkeeper Andy Hill: 

Winter is the perfect time to set the groundwork for the warmer months, and we’re so excited to have more events and outings than ever before in 2024. If you can’t wait until then, we understand, so join us on some of our upcoming volunteer workdays! We appreciate your support, whether it’s your time, money, or advocacy; you help us keep this good work going.

Photo: Part of the Nantahala National Forest within the scope of the Southside Timber Project. Photo credit: Will Harlan, Center for Biological Diversity, via Michaela Gregory of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

MountainTrue & coalition partners file lawsuit to protect sensitive habitat in Nantahala National Forest

MountainTrue is part of a coalition of conservation groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to prevent the agency from logging a sensitive area of the Nantahala National Forest in violation of federal law. The lawsuit was filed on the morning of January 31 in the federal district court for the Western District of North Carolina by the Southern Environmental Law Center and addresses the Southside Timber Project, which aims to log areas near the Whitewater River in the Nantahala National Forest. The landscape boasts stunning waterfalls, towering oak trees, and critical habitat for rare species. Read more in this letter by Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly.

Photo: Legendary High Country Intern Emma Crider stoked on planting live stakes at a recent volunteer workday.

Livestaking season is officially back and better than ever!

This season, we’re focusing our efforts on the old Ward’s Mill Dam site for continued post-removal restoration work. The dam has been removed for over three years now, and we’re thankful to be able to continue repairing the vegetative buffer thanks to support from TVA’s Shade Your Stream program and the Tennessee River Basin Network. Bring the family out to enjoy some much-needed outside time and meet our High Country team! Upcoming live staking workdays include: 

• Friday, February (11AM-2PM)
• Saturday, February 17 (10AM-2PM)
• Saturday, March 23 (10 AM-2PM) 
• Friday, April 5 (11-2PM)

Save the bats!

Check out this article in the Watauga Democrat: NCWRC accepting public comments on plan for endangered species found in Watauga, Avery. Learn more about how the new Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan negatively affects several endangered bat species in this press release published by MountainTrue and our conservation coalition partners last July. Stay tuned for more news about this and other public lands issues in upcoming MountainTrue e-newsletters and on our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter).

Photo: Middle Fork Trash Trout (left) and Winklers Creek Trash Trout (right) after recent heavy storms.​

Trash Trout updates

After some wicked January storms came through the High Country, our team bundled up and got out in the water to tend to our Trash Trouts. While they all remained stable and in place, some intense log jams prevented easy passage and efficient litter collection. We cleared out both the Winklers Creek and Middle Fork Trash Trouts just in time for another storm system to move in. Thank you to all of the partners, volunteers, and community members who allow us to continue monitoring these wonderful litter collection devices!

VWIN sampling in the High Country

While the High Country team was ringing in the new year, we were also organizing and welcoming our new group of VWIN (Volunteer Water Information Network) volunteers into the volunteer family! We know 2024 will be the best VWIN year yet, and we thank all of our volunteers who make community science programs like this possible! With new sites added and some new friends taking over, we have a fun and busy year ahead of us! 

VWIN Volunteers directly support widespread, frequent, and long-term surface water monitoring, allowing us to keep tabs on our overall water chemistry. If you would like to donate or become a backup volunteer to support the continued monitoring of our watershed, please contact hannah@mountaintrue.org.

Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?

MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.

Southern Region News

Update: Clear Creek action alert

The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is currently accepting public comments on Draft NPDES Permit No. NC0090247 — which would violate the Clean Water Act by allowing Henderson County to construct a new wastewater treatment plant in Edneyville that could discharge up to 200,000 gallons of wastewater per day into a stream that is already listed as impaired and significantly impacted by pollution. Take action to protect water quality by:

💧Attending the public hearing in Hendersonville, NC, from 6-8 p.m. TODAY (February 5) and asking DEQ to deny Draft NPDES Permit No. NC0090247.

💧Sending a letter to DEQ to let them know you oppose the draft permit and a separate letter to the Henderson County Commission urging them to clean up Clear Creek and connect Edneyville to Hendersonville’s existing sewer system.

Photo: Part of the Nantahala National Forest within the scope of the Southside Timber Project. Photo credit: Will Harlan, Center for Biological Diversity, via Michaela Gregory of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

MountainTrue & coalition partners file lawsuit to protect sensitive habitat in Nantahala National Forest

MountainTrue is part of a coalition of conservation groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to prevent the agency from logging a sensitive area of the Nantahala National Forest in violation of federal law. The lawsuit was filed on the morning of January 31 in the federal district court for the Western District of North Carolina by the Southern Environmental Law Center and addresses the Southside Timber Project, which aims to log areas near the Whitewater River in the Nantahala National Forest. The landscape boasts stunning waterfalls, towering oak trees, and critical habitat for rare species. Read more in this letter by Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly.

Photo: Fresh sand deposited on Lawndale swimming beach after flooding in early January. Photo by David Caldwell.​

Mother Nature brings abundance to greenway construction site

“Several years ago, the Stagecoach Greenway was just a hope and a dream. Now, the Lawndale trail is well on its way to becoming a reality. The Lawndale park, the trail’s southern terminus, is currently under construction with a tentative grand opening date in May.” Broad Riverkeeper David Caldwell visited the site during a storm on January 9 that delivered five inches of rain to the First Broad River basin. The river in Lawndale rose from 1.2 feet that morning to 16.6 feet that evening, inundating the site of Lawndale Park. The floodwaters did minor damage to some infrastructure but also brought a fresh new deep layer of white sand to the beach that will open for visitors this summer!

Welcoming our newest MountainTrue team member

Join us in giving a warm welcome to the newest addition to our Southern Regional Office team, Oliva Gray! Olivia is currently serving as our NC Climate Action Corps Community Stewardship Coordinator and will apply her knowledge of food systems to assist Green Riverkeeper Erica Shanks and the Southern Region team in accomplishing MountainTrue’s sustainable agriculture goals. Olivia graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Economics. Throughout college, she interned at a number of regenerative nonprofit farms and fell in love with the environmental nonprofit world. Upon graduating, she landed her first AmeriCorps position with the University of Hawai’i Maui College, where she focused on campus and county-wide food security efforts. Welcome, Olivia!

Hike with Get Outside WNC to support MountainTrue!

MountainTrue is honored to be the Winter 2024 Beneficiary of Get Outside WNC, a local organization created by West Henderson High School senior Jenna Watson. Jenna is raising money for MountainTrue this winter by leading group hikes on scenic trails. Jenna’s hikes cost $10 per person and run through March 3, so join her outside! Jenna started Get Outside WNC to expose hikers to the physical and mental benefits of hiking. She says, “By sharing the beauty of our local environment with both new and seasoned hikers, I hope to spread my passion for nature, build community, and raise awareness of the fragility of the WNC environment.” So far, Jenna has led hikes to raise money for MountainTrue at Bearwallow Mountain, Moore Cove, and Triple and High Falls. Get Outside WNC’s upcoming hikes include:

•  Raven Cliff Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 18, near the North and South Carolina border in Caesars Head State Park
• Twin Falls at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, in Pisgah National Forest

Sign up and learn more about upcoming hikes here. And be sure to follow Jenna and Get Outside WNC on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!

Summer ‘24 internships with our French Broad Riverkeeper team

MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper and Clean Water team are hiring two French Broad Water Quality Interns for summer 2024. Both French Broad Water Quality Interns will assist our team with a variety of tasks needed to help improve ecosystem health within the French Broad River Basin. Both positions are based out of our Asheville office, with travel throughout the French Broad Watershed. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!

New French Broad Paddle Trail website

The French Broad Paddle Trail has a new website! Created and maintained by MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper program, the new website covers access, camping, and general recreation information for the French Broad River between Rosman, NC, and Newport, TN. Check it out at www.frenchbroadpaddle.com and contact Jack Henderson at jack@mountaintrue.org with questions.

Hendersonville Comprehensive Plan: Gen H Open House

The final Gen H Open House will be held next Tuesday, February 13, from 4-6 p.m. at the Henderson Public Library (301 N Washington Street). At the event, you can provide input on possible land use scenarios, see ideas for character areas that will describe how land uses translate into the character or the look and feel of places in the community, provide ideas for key focus areas within the city, and review the goals and vision for the Gen H plan. Learn more about the Gen H Plan here.

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Buncombe, Cherokee, Haywood, Henderson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Transylvania, and Yancey counties, as well as several other counties across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?

MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.

Western Region News

A message from Western Regional Director Callie Moore: 

A member recently shared a weekly reflection by Rev. Susan Sparks called “The Hidden Secret of Winter Trees,” which really resonated with me. Some people don’t appreciate our majestic hardwood forests in winter, but I love being able to see every peak and valley with a clarity you just can’t get with spring and summer foliage. The trees spend the winter months building root systems and storing up energy. Rev. Sparks stated it beautifully when she said, “We always think of the season of spring as the beginning of life, but in fact, spring is not the beginning. It’s the manifestation of the transformation happening inside those great trees right now, in the winter.” 

This winter at MountainTrue, we’re busy clearing nonnative invasive plants, installing live stakes, and preparing for spring. We’re also taking time to celebrate at our annual Watershed Gala and getting some hikes in before the weather heats up again. I hope you’ll take some time in February to appreciate those bare winter trees and join us as we build our roots in preparation for spring. Thank you for being MountainTrue!

Hiwassee Watershed Gala set for February 29, online auction begins 10 days prior

The 16th Annual Hiwassee Watershed Gala will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at the Charles Suber Banquet Hall at Young Harris College. The Gala is an upscale social gathering that celebrates good water quality still being measured in many rivers, lakes, and streams and recognizes those who work to sustain it, including the 2024 Holman Water Quality Stewardship Award winner, John Kay of Young Harris, GA. 

This year’s event will be shorter and slightly less formal, featuring a menu of heavy hors d’oeuvres instead of a plated meal. The online auction that begins at noon on February 19 will transition to an in-person silent auction during the event. Popular local musician Troy Underwood will provide his bluesy, soul, and folk sound for the evening. After the award presentation, a few select items will be auctioned live by local auctioneer and entertainer Tim Ryan. 

Wednesday, February 21, is the deadline for purchasing tickets. Buy yours today! There’s still time to sponsor or donate auction items for the event, and a few volunteers are still needed (half-price tickets!). Email Callie Moore to participate in any of these ways.

Photo: Part of the Nantahala National Forest within the scope of the Southside Timber Project. Photo credit: Will Harlan, Center for Biological Diversity, via Michaela Gregory of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

MountainTrue & coalition partners file lawsuit to protect sensitive habitat in Nantahala National Forest

MountainTrue is part of a coalition of conservation groups that filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service to prevent the agency from logging a sensitive area of the Nantahala National Forest in violation of federal law. The lawsuit was filed on the morning of January 31 in the federal district court for the Western District of North Carolina by the Southern Environmental Law Center and addresses the Southside Timber Project, which aims to log areas near the Whitewater River in the Nantahala National Forest. The landscape boasts stunning waterfalls, towering oak trees, and critical habitat for rare species. Read more in this letter by Public Lands Field Biologist Josh Kelly.

Fundraising for Lake Chatuge parrot feather treatment

MountainTrue is pleased to announce a cooperative project with SaveLakeChatuge.org to address the invasive aquatic weeds that have infested the south end of Lake Chatuge in Towns County, GA, for the past two summers. Parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) is a nonnative aquatic plant that poses a significant threat to the native flora and fauna of Lake Chatuge. It can rapidly colonize water bodies, outcompeting native vegetation, disrupting the natural habitat, and impeding recreational activities. Recognizing that professional treatment of the infestation this year is of the utmost importance to controlling the spread and recognizing that government funding may not be available to start treatment at the recommended time, MountainTrue and project partners are working to collect private donations to fund the treatment plan. Click here to access MountainTrue’s secure project donation page to help! All donations are tax-deductible.

Photo: Volunteers work to clear nonnative invasive plants along the Jackson Co. Greenway in Cullowhee, NC.

Volunteer opportunities continue in Jackson County

Volunteer workdays to control nonnative invasive plants and restore native habitat at the Jackson County Greenway continue every second Friday, and on Saturday, March 16, from 1-4 p.m. Our partners for these events include Mainspring Conservation Trust, Jackson County Parks & Recreation, and the WCU Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. No prior experience is necessary; we’ll provide tools and training. Please register in advance so that we’ll have enough tools, gloves, etc. 

We’re also in need of volunteers to collect water samples from area streams for microplastic analysis on a quarterly basis. Email AmeriCorps service member Eve Davis to volunteer.

Photo: Volunteers pause for a photo before installing live stakes at the Union Co. Farmers Market on Jan 26, 2024. Also pictured are Market Manager, Dustin Rogers, and MountainTrue’s Western Region Program Coordinator, Tony Ward, who led the workday.​

Successful live staking workday at Union County Farmers Market

Volunteers, including several members of Sharp Memorial UMC in Young Harris, GA, installed approximately 1,000 live stakes of silky dogwood along a small tributary to Butternut Creek at the Union County Farmers Market in Blairsville, GA, on January 26. Live staking involves taking dormant cuttings of a living tree and planting them along the edge of a waterway. Around 80% or more of these stakes will sprout into living shrubs this spring, providing shade and erosion control for the stream. The next Western Region planting workday is set for Wednesday, February 14, at Island Park in Bryson City, NC. Click here to learn more and register.

Summer ‘24 internship opportunity

MountainTrue’s Western Regional Office is hiring a Western Region Water Quality Intern for summer 2024. The intern’s primary responsibilities will be to assist with collection and analysis of weekly E. coli samples for our Swim Guide monitoring program; to manage the microplastics sampling program in the Hiwassee River basin; planning a summertime social event for all MountainTrue water program volunteers; and helping with educational events related to water quality in rivers, lakes, and streams. The intern must live within 50 miles of Murphy, NC, as the majority of their work will be within that 50-mile radius. Click here to learn more and apply by March 30!

Septic system repair grants available for qualifying property owners

MountainTrue has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and local health departments to provide septic system repair grants to qualifying property owners in Cherokee County and others across WNC. Residents of rural areas outside of town are highly likely to have onsite septic systems. Problems with septic systems usually arise as systems age or when maintenance is neglected. Cherokee County is being prioritized because a long stretch of the Valley River is not safe for swimming due to bacterial contamination and leaking septic systems in older neighborhoods has been identified as one part of the problem. Macon County is also being prioritized based on new Swim Guide data in the Little Tennessee River in Franklin. Property owners: review eligibility requirements and apply for the repair program here.

Recording available: Why should environmentalists support building more housing?

MountainTrue’s Neighbors for More Neighbors WNC program recently hosted a free webinar to educate folks about the regional and environmental benefits of building small homes and multi-family buildings close to our town centers. If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch, check out the recording on our YouTube.