Grady Nance is a volunteer at MountainTrue. The nonprofit champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities in the Southern Blue Ridge.
Why I volunteer: Tree-passionate people
Pat Strang is a volunteer at Asheville GreenWorks, which works to create an equitable, climate-resilient future for the community.
Why I volunteer: New knowledge
Bettye Fox Boone and Saylor Fox are volunteers with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. The organization conserves unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. How long have you been volunteering with the conservancy and what inspired you to join? We have been volunteering with the Southern […]
No Mow May: Bees will thank you if you leave the mower in the shed
Letting your lawn get a little scruffy in early spring creates a smorgasbord of wild flowers on which pollinators can feast.
Q&A: A developer’s perspective on value of conservation
Andy Baker has spent the last 17 years building a home for himself, his family and many others through his development projects in Western North Carolina. Originally from Michigan, Baker graduated from Purdue University with a degree in forestry before pursuing a career in real estate development. Earlier this year, the Southeast Regional Land Conservancy […]
Thinking green: All hands on deck
Joe Franco is a senior at UNC Asheville, majoring in international studies with minors in political science and environmental studies.
Thinking green: Take heed
Anne Craig is an environmental activist.
Asheville considers ban on single-use plastic bags
“A third of microplastics we’re seeing in the French Broad watershed is coming from these plastics that we might use for 12 minutes and end up throwing away. So anything we can do to curb the input of that into our daily lives the better,” said Anna Alsobrook, watershed science and policy manager for MountainTrue.
Commissioners consider criteria for conservation easements
According to a presentation available prior to the meeting, the county plans to use a point system to score eligible projects. Points will be awarded for work that would protect a scenic viewshed, preserve water quality and conserve working forests, among other criteria.
Thinking green: adaptiveness and resiliency
Roger Helm is an instructor on global climate change at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville.
Air quality continues to improve, but vigilance remains essential
Air quality continues to improve, but not at the same rate everywhere, researchers find.
Q&A: Woman creates Mon-stors to ‘eat’ toys
“I knew that if I wanted my child to use whatever toy storage solution we had, it needed to be fun and like a game. “
Thinking green: Creating intergenerational knowledge
Xero Koffsky is a sophomore at Warren Wilson College, currently majoring in creative writing and minoring in global studies.
Plan charts future of Pisgah, Nantahala forests
The latest Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests Land Management Plan was implemented last month and outlines land use for the next 20 years.
Thinking green: Sunrise on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Simone Adams is the founder of Color My Outdoors, which works to change the outdoor narrative to celebrate people of color.
Thinking green: Keep food out of the landfills
Marisha MacMorran first joined Food Connection in 2015 as a food donor partner. Today, she serves as the organization’s executive director.
Cleanup time: Local governments and nonprofits tackle WNC’s filth
“We’ve pretty much been doing cleanups for 50 years without really seeing any real changes,” says Asheville GreenWorks’ operations manager Chelsea Adams. “We go back to the same roads, in the same section of river and creek, every single year and do cleanups over and over and over.”
Thinking green: Ways to promote sustainability in WNC
McKee Thorsen, a senior prefect at Asheville School, shares ways people in WNC can promote sustainability.
Buncombe seeks new county park via partnership
Within the next few years, Buncombe County residents may have new public trails to roam close to downtown Asheville. The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously April 18 to partner with the Asheville-based conservation nonprofit Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy to explore acquiring 343 acres on Deaverview Mountain for what could become the county’s largest […]
Green in brief: GreenWorks contributes to federal heat-mapping study
Asheville is one of 18 communities across the U.S. and Chile selected for the work, which will help scientists understand how cities experience extreme heat.
Planting defense: Wild lawnscapes enrich urban ecosystems
Adding a little wild to your yard adds benefits far beyond aesthetic. Diverse, native plants feed area’s biodiversity and help combat ecological threats.