Climate change not only affects the forests and waterways of Western North Carolina--it is also directly impacting how our cities and towns develop. Join Chris Joyell, Director of the Asheville Design Center and MountainTrue's Healthy Communities Program, as we explore how climate change will impact our decisions around affordable housing, transportation and racial equity.
Did you know there are over 30 Forest Communities in the Southern Appalachians? Join our Public Lands Director and Ecologist Bob Gale on a hike to learn more about the biodiversity of flora throughout the Forest Communities on the Tanawha Trail. We will find ourselves immersed in the Spruce-Fir Forest Community and the High Elevation Red Oak Community along this trail. This 4-mile hike is strenuous and can be steep in a few places; there are various rocky areas where footing can be tricky. Please consider your ability to climb over rocks and maintain balance while hiking over roots before signing up to attend this hike.
Join MountainTrue's Americorps Water Quality Administrator, Mara Chamlee, to learn about her Master's Capstone work at Colorado State University focused on the Yampa River in Northwest Colorado. Although the Western United States faces a different set of challenges when it comes to water conservation, there are many lessons to be learned on how communities define what a "healthy river" means to them. Those lessons can be applied to river systems across the country and here in Western North Carolina.
Calling all women** and nonbinary folks to join us on Sunday, February 13 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. for the first hike of a special edition hiking series, MountainTrue Celebrates You! Our first hike along the Florence Nature Preserve will focus on community building, story-telling, and knowledge sharing. We invite you to trek along this trail with us as we exchange stories and knowledge of local plants and river ecology!
**Directly inspired by The All We Can Save Project, our use of “women” is always open, expansive, and trans-inclusive.
The US Forest Service released the revised Forest Plan for Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests on January 21. Join us for a look under the hood of the 2000 pages of the Forest Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement and what it means for one million acres of Western North Carolina.
Join MountainTrue as we team up with Flying Bikes Tours to take out a fleet of electric bikes! We'll be exploring the Oklawaha Greenway, with stops along the way to discuss Henderson County's ongoing Comprehensive Planning process and how the county can address affordable housing, recreation, and transportation. Registration is required for this trip.
The state projects that in the next 25 years, over 75,000 people will move to Buncombe County. Housing experts estimate that these newcomers will require around 50,000 new homes. Where will these homes be built? Can our roads absorb this influx of new residents? How can we preserve our rural heritage while building town centers that people love?
Using Smart Growth Principles as a guide, Joyell will explore these questions against the backdrop of the ongoing Comprehensive Planning effort, which will inform the next 25 years of growth and development in Buncombe County. He will discuss how we can realize a vision for growth that encourages economic development, respects our natural resources and agricultural heritage and enhances our quality of life for generations to come.
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is one of the Nation’s most impressive remnants of old-growth forest. The forest contains magnificent examples of more than 100 tree species, many over 400-years-old, and some more than 20 feet in circumference and 100 feet tall. This 3,800-acre forest was set aside in 1936 as a memorial to the author of the poem “Trees,” Joyce Kilmer, who was killed in action in France during World War I. This forest, part of the Joyce Kilmer-Slick Rock Wilderness, is maintained in its primitive state. The only way to see this forest is on foot. Registration for this event is required.
Join MountainTrue for a hike in the proposed Craggy Mountain National Scenic Area. The Craggy Mountains are one of the mightiest mountain ranges in eastern North America and are traversed by the Blue Ridge Parkway. The National Forest Lands of the Craggy Mountains have popular support to become a national scenic area designed to permanently protect the scenic and biological values of the area. Join biologist Josh Kelly for a six-mile hike through the spectacular high elevation forests and vistas of the Craggies. Along the way, we will appreciate the flora, fauna, and natural history of the area. Registration for this event is required.
Want to get outside and on the water this Spring? Then join our Green Riverkeeper for a trip down the Lower Green River! This section is perfect for anyone looking for a casual Class I-II whitewater rapid experience. We'll equip each paddler with safety gear and your own inflatable kayak. The trip covers approximately 5 miles over 4 hours. Registration is required.