MountainTrue

We're hiring: Organizing Director?? About the position: The Organizing Director will lead and manage MountainTrue’s grassroots organizing efforts across our programs, focusing on training staff and organizers in the skills necessary to build authentic relationships, empower our communities, and develop local leaders to drive community-led solutions. Accepting applications on a rolling basis - learn more + apply: https://lnkd.in/e6MK58ZS

Asheville residents: your input is needed on the Draft Recovery Funding Plan! The City of Asheville has released its draft plan outlining how $225 million in federal disaster recovery funding might be spent, which includes millions allocated for infrastructure, economic recovery, and housing, intended to address recovery needs that other sources cannot meet. While the plan will be amended over time and describes broad program projects (not specific projects), there are significant allocations proposed for the revitalization of flooded commercial districts, workforce development, small business support, and affordable multifamily housing construction. The city is asking residents to provide input on the plan through April 3. You can provide comments and feedback on the draft plan online at https://lnkd.in/eN2CQ27z. The city will also host three public feedback sessions, which will discuss the whole plan as well as one of the three program categories: housing, economic revitalization, and infrastructure. ?? March 19: Housing – 6-8 p.m., Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, Banquet Hall. ?? March 24: Economic Revitalization – 10 a.m.-noon, Radical Hotel, Golden Hour Restaurant. ?? March 26: Infrastructure – 10 a.m.-12 noon, AB-Tech, Ferguson Auditorium.

In response to complaints from the community and our own concerns about excessive woody debris removal in our waterways, MountainTrue met with Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) leadership earlier this week to learn more and advocate for a more balanced approach. We left the meeting feeling optimistic about these changes and hope to see improvements in the field, however, public vigilance remains crucial. Our community can play an important role in identifying potential violations against the standards that all USACE contractors must follow. Learn more + submit instances of perceived violations using this form:

A status update on our post-Helene cleanups: Our cleanup work continues and we have removed millions of pounds of trash from our waterways, but we are also expanding our capacity. Thanks to a partnership with Land of Sky Regional Council, we’re hiring 10 staff dedicated to cleaning up our waterways. We’ve also been hard at work lobbying the NC General Assembly for additional cleanup funds for WNC. Stay tuned for more info and join us on a volunteer cleanup this spring: https://lnkd.in/etEQJTvN

?? Asheville Design Center volunteers needed! If you're a designer interested in volunteering and ready to pledge some hours, or if your community needs design assistance, sign up here: https://lnkd.in/g-qKHTRM To make this initiative a success, we need volunteers from a variety of design disciplines, including: ??Architects ??Engineers (structural & civil) ??Landscape Architects ??Environmental Consultants ??Land Planners ??Surveyors ??Soil Scientists

A message from your new French Broad Riverkeeper, Anna Alsobrook: “I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Hartwell [Carson, previous French Broad Riverkeeper] for the last 10 years, and there’s not a week that goes by that I don’t learn something from him. I’m so grateful for his mentorship and guidance. The French Broad is lucky to have had his voice for the last 20 years. My love of the French Broad started with a canoe-camping trip down section 10 of the river with an NC Outward Bound trip. I’d never done or seen anything quite like that before. I saw a sacredness to this river and these mountains. It has truly been an honor to work for its protection, and I am thrilled to step into the Riverkeeper role.” Anna has been part of the MountainTrue team since 2014, most recently serving as our Watershed Science & Policy Manager. And don’t worry, we’re not saying goodbye to previous French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson; he’s now transitioned to MountainTrue’s Clean Water Program Director and can still be reached at [email protected]! Stay up-to-date with Anna’s work as French Broad Riverkeeper on Instagram and Facebook; she can also be reached via email at [email protected].

On March 6, Steven Bingler, the visionary behind New Orleans' Unified Recovery Plan after Hurricane Katrina, presented to a packed house at Art Space Charter School in Swannanoa, NC. Bingler shared how an organic, community-centered approach ultimately succeeded where early top-down efforts failed. He recounted how New Orleans’ initial recovery plans, which lacked deep community engagement, were quickly abandoned in favor of a locally driven strategy. This innovative approach stitched together smaller, community-led plans into a unified vision that gained broad support and reshaped the city’s future. Bingler also met in smaller groups with area designers, as well as Swannanoa community members, offering his advice and encouragement, always highlighting the opportunities that disaster recovery may offer.

We’re hiring: Creation Care Alliance (CCA) Organizer based in WNC?? About the position: The CCA Organizer leads our CCA grassroots organizing efforts, focusing on building authentic relationships with people of diverse faiths, empowering local communities, expanding and strengthening our network of Covenant Partner congregations, and developing local leaders to drive community-led solutions. Accepting applications on a rolling basis - learn more + apply: https://lnkd.in/d2mx7HsX

Join us for another installment of Hendersonville Green Drinks at Trailside Brewing Company at 5:30 p.m. this Thursday?? Learn about the advantages of supporting a hyper-local food system from the owners of Stump Farms! https://lnkd.in/eRRM_Px5

Help us memorialize the old-growth forest at Brushy Mountain near Cashiers! Join us outside from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, 3/22, to help document the age of trees at Brushy Mountain - we'll use the info we collect to compile a report to raise awareness of the value of old-growth forests. Learn more + register: https://lnkd.in/ekVPbS3n