Volunteers needed to help control, remove invasive exotic plants Saturday, Aug. 17, on the A.T.

Press release from WNCA and
the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Weed Management Partnership

ASHEVILLE – The Western North Carolina Alliance, as a partner of the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Weed Management Partnership (SACWMP), seeks volunteers for an invasive exotic plant control event from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17 along the Appalachian Trail.

We’ll give instruction on how to identify invasive exotic plants of concern in the Mill Ridge area (near Hot Springs), as well as how to use manual and chemical control methods. Then we’ll put these skills to work treating invasive plant species found along the Trail.

SACWMP will provide all equipment needed for the event. Volunteers are asked to bring lunch, water, and rain gear, as well as sturdy hiking boots, long pants and a long sleeve shirt.

Carpooling is available from Asheville, leaving at 8 a.m. and returning by 4 p.m.

Individuals or groups interested in volunteering should register with WNCA Volunteer Coordinator, Cynthia Camilleri, by emailing Cynthia@WNCA.org or by calling the WNCA office at (828) 258-8737, ext. 207.

The Southern Appalachian Cooperative Weed Management Partnership members include the Western North Carolina Alliance, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Equinox Environmental Consultation & Design, National Forests in North Carolina, National Park Service, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, and Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation and Development Council.

For more than 30 years, the Western North Carolina Alliance has been a trusted community partner, marshaling grassroots support to keep our forests healthy, our air and water clean, and our communities vibrant. Utilizing a combination of policy advocacy, scientific research, and community collaboration, the Alliance and its chapters throughout Western North Carolina unleash the power of citizens’ voices to protect the natural heritage of our region so that people and the environment can thrive. For more information, please visit www.wnca.org.

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About Margaret Williams
Editor Margaret Williams first wrote for Xpress in 1994. An Alabama native, she has lived in Western North Carolina since 1987 and completed her Masters of Liberal Arts & Sciences from UNC-Asheville in 2016. Follow me @mvwilliams

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