Donovan Green

As Resilient Forests Organizer, Donovan supports MountainTrue’s efforts related to environmental outreach, community organizing, and public lands protection throughout all 26 counties of the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Transitioning from a lifelong career in the outdoor industry, Donovan’s passion for the mountains of Western North Carolina runs deep. Growing up in rural Eastern Kentucky, Donovan moved to Asheville in 2017 to attend Warren Wilson College, where they earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Outdoor Education. While building a career as Regional Program Coordinator with REI Experiences, Donovan began to acknowledge the heavy impact overuse puts on our forests. Although Donovan consistently advocated for alternate routes to lessen the impact of over-recreation, it became obvious that profit was prioritized over environmental impact. After Hurricane Helene, Donovan was unexpectedly laid off from REI. They saw this as an opportunity to shift their career into conservation and be the voice for the forests they love as well as the critters that exist within them.