Western Regional Office
The Western Regional Office is located in Murphy, serving communities in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Graham, Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina, and Town and Union counties in Georgia.
90 Tennessee St. Suite D
Murphy, NC 28906
Phone (828) 837-5414
Callie Moore, Western Regional Director
Tony Ward, Western Regional Program Coordinator
MountainTrue West News
Tell FERC to Protect Mountain Rivers
On October 4, 2021, the Oconaluftee River below Ela Dam — once a high quality mountain river — was completely filled with sediment during a reservoir drawdown for a repair by the dam's owner, Northbrook Carolina Hydro II, LLC. Tell FERC to protect rivers in the...
Highlands, NC Becomes the Country’s First BearWise Certified Town
It took a decade of effort, but this scenic Western North Carolina town did what no other town or city in the country has done to date: become a BearWise certified community. However, this major accomplishment was no easy feat.
Swim Guide Watershed Report: Hiwassee River Watershed
See how the Hiwassee River Watershed fared this year as we continue our data review from the 2021 Swim Guide season. We’ll let you know which areas were the cleanest and where we saw ongoing bacteria pollution problems. We’ll conclude with achievable solutions for the future and a call to action so you can continue to help us protect the places we share.
October 2021 E-Vistas Newsletter
Check out what the team at MountainTrue has been up to. In this edition, we have a deep-dive analysis on the NC Energy Bill that was signed by Governor Cooper last week, updates on pollution coming from The Cottages of Boone and our work to save ash trees from the emerald ash borer, and volunteer opportunities to help eradicate invasive plants in both the Western Region and in the High Country. To our volunteers, members and supporters, thank you for everything that you do to protect the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains.
Join Us for an Annual Member Gathering in Your Area!
We are excited to be gathering in person this year to connect with you, our members, to celebrate our award winners and see each others’ smiling faces!
In light of the current rate of COVID infections and the situation in hospitals across our region, we have chosen to host multiple, smaller, outdoor events in place of one large gathering. We are also requiring that all attendees be fully vaccinated in order to participate. If you are not vaccinated, you will have an opportunity to vote for new and returning board members online.
July 2021 E-Vistas Newsletter
In our July E-News we celebrate our Bio-Blitz winners, welcome Sarah Ogletree as the new director of the Creation Care Alliance, expose the impacts of clear-cutting at Bottomley Farms, and more.
Jackson County Wins the 2021 Bioblitz
After two weeks of hard-nosed competition, Jackson County has won the 2021 Bioblitz over Watauga and Transylvania Counties. Overall, 46 people contributed 2,947 observations and 317 people helped with the identification of 1,228 species. While Jackson County had 1,403 observations to Watauga County’s 1,068, the competition for the most species was much tighter – Jackson county prevailed 738 to 681. Transylvania County came in a distant third with 472 observations and 279 species.
Western Region Non-Native Invasive Plant (NNIP) Intern (Murphy, NC)
MountainTrue is seeking a dedicated individual to fill a part-time 12-week internship position for its western region in Fall 2021. The Intern will serve a minimum of 180 hours from August 30, 2021 through November 20, 2021. The position includes a combination of on-the-ground stewardship of public and conserved lands, volunteer recruitment and coordination, and public outreach. This is a paid position. Visit our website to learn more and apply.
Protect Old-Growth, Wildlife & Our Natural Heritage in Nantahala National Forest
Protect Old-Growth, Wildlife & Our Natural Heritage in Nantahala National Forest The US Forest Service is proposing a 1,500-acre timber sale in the Snowbird Mountains in Nantahala National Forest that would log documented old-growth stands, steep headwaters of...
Kaiya Pickens Wins Top 2021 Carson Conservation Scholarship Award
The Carson Conservation Scholarship assists young people from Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties who want to pursue higher education in natural resource conservation fields. This year’s top scholarship award winner, Kaiya Pickens, is planning a career in ecological restoration and has been volunteering with MountainTrue to remove non-native invasive plants on Murphy’s River Walk.