MountainTrue

?? 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

?? Action alert! ?? Public land at the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) is under threat of being developed. Unfortunately, in early January, the university began the process of assessing the woods for potential development. Excavators cleared wide paths through the forest, with boring and drilling work beginning a few weeks later. The university failed to issue advance notice of these activities to their students and the surrounding community. Visit https://lnkd.in/engH2q37 to learn more + sign the petition to Save the UNCA Woods! And be sure to check out the Save the Woods group on Facebook, Instagram, & their website: https://lnkd.in/ee9qDiyW

MountainTrue's Watauga Riverkeeper, Andy Hill, recently sat down with the Watauga Democrat to chat about how we're working to help our WNC communities recover from Helene. Check it out: https://bit.ly/3DtVLtn

MountainTrue's Broad Riverkeeper is hosting two post-Helene cleanups along the Upper Broad River below Lake Lure this month — get outside with us + help clean up our waterways! ??? Sunday, 3/16, from 1-5 p.m. - https://lnkd.in/ejy6iN9S ??? Thursday, 3/20, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. - https://lnkd.in/ehDVJ9xz

Join us & our community partners for two cleanups hosted by the Town of Woodfin on March 8 & 9 at Silver-Line Park! Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eZpNyhQX See y'all out there??