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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.
The Blue Ridge Bicycle Club encourages the community to participate in the 2nd Annual Hendersonville Bike Symposium.
In collaboration with area businesses and non-profit organizations, the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club is working to build a better bicycling infrastructure in Hendersonville and Henderson County. Interested community members are encouraged to join them on from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 26 at the TEDC Building at Blue Ridge Community College.
Some of the topics that will be covered in the symposium are as follows: the City of Hendersonville’s grant application to develop a comprehensive bicycling infrastructure, the new Berkeley Mills youth bicycling park, the current status of the Ecusta Trail initiative, the work being done by Trips for Kids to get less fortunate kids on bikes, the potential of adding a mountain bike park, and much more.
“We know there are so many people – friends, co-workers and neighbors, adults and children- who would like to ride bikes, but who just don’t feel safe on our roads,” explained Joe Sanders, President of the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club. “Our goal with this symposium is to connect Henderson County through collaboration and shared information. Participants will hear from local groups and organizations working to make cycling safer in our hometown.”
Along with the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, the symposium is co-sponsored by Blue Ridge Community College, Sycamore Cycles, and Henderson County Parks and Recreation and will feature representatives from several area bicycling related organizations and initiatives.
For more information, email joesanders0522@gmail.com or call 828-243-6732.
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About Blue Ridge Bicycle Club: The mission of the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club is to promote healthy and fun lifestyles through cycling in Western North Carolina. For more information about the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, please visit www.blueridgebicycleclub.org or call (828) 243-6732 .
RECONNECTS US WITH OUR HISTORY
Heritage apple trees are a tasty reminder of American history. In many parts of the country, a parcel of land was not considered occupied until there were several fruiting apple trees on it. This year’s heritage apple tree sale includes some of the oldest known apples in North America including some – Dula Beauty, King Luscious and Magnum Bonum – that originated in North Carolina.
This year’s sale includes more than 25 varieties of apple trees as well as native blueberries and elderberries, figs, American hazelnuts and hybrid chestnuts. Growing trees in your own backyard is the perfect way to remember our history and enjoy the fruits of your gardening labor while supporting environmental efforts to protect our mountains.
Fruit trees can be ordered now and will likely run out before the pickup dates of February 13-14th. Pre-Order ends Friday February 6, 2015 at 4pm!!!
To see a full list of available varieties, CLICK HERE.
For questions or support in ordering contact Rebecca: rebecca@mountaintrue.org, 828-692-0385 ext: 1003
All pre-ordered trees must be picked up at our Hendersonville office on Friday, Feb. 13 (4-7 p.m.) and Saturday, Feb. 14 (9 a.m. to noon). The office is located at 611 N. Church St., #101.
Unclaimed trees will be sold at Noon on a first-come, first-served basis.
Additionally, Useful Plants Nursery, a local permaculture nursery specializing in edible and medicinal plants, will bring a variety of interesting plants for purchase on pick-up days. To request a specific plant for your landscape, you may contact the nursery at www.usefulplants.org before than February 6. A portion of their sale proceeds will go to MountainTrue – Southern Regional Office.
TO ORDER YOUR TREES:
– Newly Available Heritage Apple Trees-
-Heritage Apple Trees-choose your tree(s)
-Hardy Modern Apple Trees-choose your tree(s)
American Hazelnut Tree
Blueberries-choose your cultivar(s)
Figs
Elderberries
The 2014 Heritage Apple Tree Sale is a fundraiser to support our water quality and environmental policy work in Henderson County.
The US Forest Service has just released a draft plan for WNC’s 1 million acres of National Forest. It opens up 70% of the Forest to logging, including many beloved recreation and backcountry areas. Below are just some of the special places deemed in the draft plan to be “suitable to the purposeful growing and harvesting of crops of trees to be cut into logs”.
Speak out for our National Forests, send your comments TODAY to the Forest Service demanding that the final management plan guides sensible, responsible management of the forests for all who enjoy and depend on them.
Pisgah Ranger District
Multi-use trails
- Trace Ridge
- Spencer Gap
- Spencer Branch
- Fletcher Creek
- Middle Fork
- Bear Branch
- Portions of Laurel Mountain, Pilot Rock, Slate Cove, Bradley Creek
- Hiking trails
- Art Loeb trail (south of Blue Ridge Parkway)
- Bad Fork
- Thompson Ridge
- Cat Gap
- Caney Bottom
- Case Camp Ridge
- Pressley Cove trail
- Clawhammer trail
- Fish Hatchery area
- Daniel Ridge
- Cove Creek
- Farlow Gap
- Kiesee Creek
- Pilot Mountain
- Butter Gap
- Long Branch
- Cemetery Loop
- 475C (sole connection to Brevard via Bracken Mountain trail)
- Black Mountain area
- Black Mountain
- Buckhorn Gap
- Buckhorn trail
- Club Gap
- Bennett Gap
- Avery Creek
- Coontree Loop
- Sycamore Cove
- Thrift Cove
Popular areas
- Courthouse creek/falls
- Kuykendall campground
- Cove Creek campground
Grandfather Ranger District
Trails
- Kitsuma / Young’s Ridge
- Point Lookout trail
- Mountains to Sea trail (east from Table Rock, also Grandmother gap)
- Overmountain Victory Trail (west of Linville Gorge)
- Sand Mountain
Popular areas
- Old Fort picnic area
- Winding Stair Knob / Upper Creek falls
- Boone Fork campground/pond
Appalachian Ranger District
Trails
- Harmon Den / Max Patch area
- Rube Ridge
- Groundhog Creek
- Cherry Creek
- Cherry Ridge
- Cold Springs
- Robert Creek
- Buckeye Ridge
- Shut-in Creek
- Walnut Mountain
- Bluff Mountain
- Black Mountains area
- Lost Cove Ridge (Black Mountain Campground to Green Knob)
- Mountains to Sea trail (Big Laurel Mountain)
- Woody Ridge
- Colbert Ridge (Carolina Hemlocks campground, Celo)
- Big Ivy (Coleman Boundary)
- Staire Creek
- Bear Pen
- Corner Rock
- Walker Creek
- Elk Pen
- Snowball
- Bald Mountains: Jerry Miller trail / Whiteoak flats
- Unaka Mountain
- Lost Cove
- Devil’s Creek
- Shinbone
Popular areas
- Green Knob fire tower (north side of Blue Ridge Parkway)
- Corner Rock
- Cold Springs/Harmon Den
- Bluff Mountain
- Rocky Bluff Campground
- Rich Mountain Fire tower
Nantahala Ranger District
Trails
- Appletree
- Junaluska trail
- Hickory Branch
- Appletree
- London Bald
- Diamond Valley
- Laurel Creek
- Forest Walk
- Rocky Bald
- Wine Spring
- Rufus Morgan (falls)
- Silver Run falls
- Bartram Trail (Wayah Bald to Franklin)
- Foothills Trail (west of Whitewater Falls)
- Mountains to Sea trail (Balsam Gap to Haywood Gap)
- Standing Indian Recreation Area
- Waslik Poplar
- Park Creek
- Park Ridge
- Park Creek-Ridge Connector
- Kimsey Creek
- Lower Ridge (north of wilderness)
- Long Branch
- Hurricane Creek Loop
- Blackwell Gap Loop
- Thomas Branch
- Panthertown
- Turkey Knob
- Rattlesnake Knob
- Yellow Mountain (Shortoff mountain)
- Glade trail (Ammons branch)
- Slickrock (Ammons branch)
Popular areas
- Standing Indian Campground
- Kimsey Creek
- Appletree
- Cowee Bald
- Fontana Lake
- Yellow Mountain firetower
- Silver Run falls
- Balsam Lake, Lodge
Cheoah Ranger District
Trails
- Tsali
- Right Loop
- Left Loop
- Mouse
- Thompson
- Lewellyn Cove
- Fontana Loop
- Shell Stand Creek
- Swan Cabin
- Yellow Creek Mountain
- Lookout Rock
- Wauchecha Bald
- Belding Trail
- Haoe Lead
- Bear Creek
- Snowbirds
- Billy Top
- Valley River Trail (Old Bartram)
- Cheoah
- Massey Branch Fitness
- Cheoah Trail
- Camp Santeetlah
Popular areas
- Cheoah
- Santeetlah Lake
- Santeetlah Creek
- Fontana Lake
- Tsali
Tusquitee Ranger District
Trails
- Jackrabbit system
- Jackrabbit mountain
- Central loop
- Upper Ridge
- Sneaking Creek
- Burnt Tree Peninsula
- Yotee’s Run
- High Point
- Burrell Cove
- SABA Beach, Spur
- Fires Creek
- Rim trail (western half)
- Chunky Gal trail (portions)
- Rockhouse Creek
- Phillips Ridge
- Huskins Branch
- Shortoff
- Ammon Knob
- Cover Trail
- Omphus Ridge
- Hanging Dog
- Ramsey Bluff
- Ramsey Bend, Connector
- Farmer Top
- Nottely River
- Mingus
- Choga horse trail (Junaluska Gap)
- Benton MacKaye Trail
Popular areas
- Hiwassee Lake
- Hanging Dog campground
- Fires Creek
- Chatuge Lake / Jackrabbit campground
Join WNCA and others who love our public lands from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. July 10 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in downtown Asheville. The meeting is part of the ongoing Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Plan Revision and will focus on the areas outlined below.
In each section, we have also listed the concerns that WNCA’s Public Lands program staff would like to see addressed during each session.
We hope you’ll join us on July 10 and have your say about the future of these precious National Forests!
Wildlife Session (9-11:30 a.m.)
· The Forest Service has been narrowly focused on wildlife species that benefit from human disturbance, such as logging;
· A more inclusive consideration of wildlife and wildlife needs is needed to have a balanced plan;
· There are many rare species that prefer mature forest – these species are just as important as those that prefer young forests;
· Aquatic species need the same level of attention as terrestrial species;
· Of particular concern are species, like salamanders, that can’t move long distances.
Wild and Scenic River Session (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)
· Wild and Scenic Designation protects the water quality and scenery of rivers and streams;
· Eligible Rivers, such as the Nolichucky, should be recommended for designation;
· Other streams, like Santeetlah Creek, that meet Wild and Scenic criteria should be added to the list of eligible streams;
Ecological Integrity Session (1 – 3:30 p.m.)
· Ecological integrity is a key component of the 2012 Forest Service Planning Rule;
· Ecological integrity is defined as “the ability of an ecological system to support and maintain a community of organisms that has species composition, diversity, and functional organization comparable to those of natural habitats within a region.” [The Nature Conservancy 2003];
· “Plans will include plan components to maintain or restore ecological integrity, so that ecosystems can resist change, are resilient under changing conditions, and are able to recover from disturbance.” [2012 Planning Rule];
· Providing for connectivity of natural habitats by preventing or reducing fragmentation caused by roads and development is an important concept of ecological integrity, as is protecting core forest areas, like roadless portions of our National Forest;
· Protecting riparian forests and wetlands and eliminating artificial barriers, like culverts and dams, is important to the ecological integrity of aquatic systems;
· The strongest tool for protecting ecological integrity in the Forest Service planning rule is requiring the Forest Service to define the Natural Range of Variation of ecosystems on each forest;
· The Natural Range of Variation describes the range of conditions expected from natural ecosystems and is a dynamic concept that allows ecosystem changes that are not artificial.
For more information, contact
Public Lands Biologist Josh Kelly at Josh@WNCA.org
You can also learn more about the Forest Plan Revision process and get further details about the July 10 meeting here.
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. 
