View
from the Highlands
40 Years Protecting the World’s Oldest Mountains Spring 2014, Volume 44, No. 1
The View Inside: • Bob Moog’s Big Briar Cove, p. 4 • Hickory Nut Gap, p. 6 • Maney Fields, p. 7 • Farmland Preservation, p. 8 • Our Community Farm, p. 11 • Judy Murray’s Retirement, p. 16 • Appalachian Spring Event, p. 18 • June Jamboree Hikes, p. 19 • Legacy of Land & People, p. 23 • Business Partnerships, p. 24
Flame Azalea Photo courtesy of Witt Langstaff, Jr.
This issue is packed with info — From new land protection stories to the retirement of Roan Stewardship Director Judy Murray, who has dedicated 40 years of service to the Highlands of Roan. Be sure not to miss our upcoming Appalachian Spring member event on May 15! Tickets are on sale now at Appalachian.org. You can also reserve your space for our annual June Jamboree hikes on Saturday, June 14. We hope to see you on the mountain!
As we recognize Judy Murray’s retirement (p. 16), we also welcome two new members of our stewardship crew: our new Highlands of Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett and Stewardship Associate Sarah Sheeran.
Appalachian.org Office
34 Wall Street, Suite 502, Asheville, NC 28801-2710 828.253.0095 • FAX 828.253.1248 sahc@appalachian.org
Board of Trustees Milton “Buddy” Tignor, Jr., President Nancy Edgerton, Vice President Jay Leutze, Secretary Jack Hamilton, Treasurer Jeanette Blazier, At-Large
Waynesville, NC Asheville, NC Minneapolis, NC Asheville, NC Kingsport, TN
Courtney Blossman Leslie Casse Bruce Cunningham Patty Cunningham-Woolf Lyman “Greg” Gregory, III Jim Houser Anne Kilgore Florence Krupnick Bill Lowndes Kathy Singleton Mary Bruce Woody
Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Kingsport, TN Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Charlotte, NC Kingsport, TN Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Kingsport, TN Asheville, NC
Staff Carl Silverstein Kristy Urquhart Michelle Pugliese William Hamilton Hanni Muerdter Marquette Crockett Sarah Sheeran Cheryl Fowler Lisa Fancher Angela Shepherd Pauline Heyne Allison Kiehl Yael Girard Andrea Thompson Joe Lovenshimer Anna Zanetti Caitlin Edenfield Valerie True
Executive Director Associate Director Land Protection Director Farmland Program Director Stewardship & Conservation Planning Director Highlands of Roan Stewardship Director Stewardship Associate Membership Director Finance Compliance Director Communications Director Donor Relations Manager Farmland Stewardship & Sustainability Director Community Farm & Food Assistant AmeriCorps Stewardship Associate AmeriCorps Stewardship Associate AmeriCorps PR & Outreach Associate AmeriCorps Land Protection Associate Coordinator, Blue Ridge Forever
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Marquette Crockett — Highlands of Roan Stewardship Director Marquette was raised on a farm near Cumberland Gap, TN and received her MS in Biological Science from East Tennessee State University. For the past 8 years she has been the Wildlife Biologist for the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Davis, WV. She was a founding member of the Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative, a multi-agency group working to restore high elevation spruce-fir forests. Marquette will continue Judy’s work, facilitating an effective Roan stewardship program, leading hands-on grassy balds restoration, working with the State of TN in managing Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area, and serving as the primary land steward on SAHC-owned preserves in the Roan. Marquette’s fiance, Michael is also a wildlife biologist and performed a biological inventory of the 10,000-acre Rocky Fork tract.
Sarah Sheeran — Stewardship Associate Sarah is working with Hanni and the stewardship crew to assist landowners, monitor conservation easements, prepare baselines and care for our fee-simple properties. Sarah has served on SAHC’s Land Management Committee since 2010 and has been a long-time volunteer. With a background in plant ecology, rare plant conservation and resource management (M.S. in Ecology, UNC-Chapel Hill), she was most recently employed as the Education and Conservation Director at Navitat Canopy Adventures. Prior to Navitat, Sarah worked as the plant ecologist at SAHC-partner Equinox Environmental performing baseline documentations, natural resource inventories and non-native invasive plant management. Sarah’s husband, Rob, is a local artist and they have one daughter as well as another child on the way.
Happy Birthday to Us! SAHC is turning 40 this summer! Our organization was officially “born” on June 10. Throughout the summer, check our e-News, website (Appalachian.org), blog, Facebook page and other social networking media for more info about ways to help us celebrate our big 4-0 !
Highlights: • Big Briar Cove (see pages 4-5)
Letter from the
Director After a cold and snowy winter, we are loving the warmer weather and spring blossoms across the mountains. New growth and bright greens abound around us, and it’s a great time to reflect on the growth of our organization. We have successfully completed five new land protection projects, including preservation of local music icon Bob Moog’s Big Briar Cove (p. 4) and two prime tracts of productive farmland (p. 8). This year, we also honor our retiring Highlands of Roan Stewardship Director, Judy Murray, for 40 years of service (p. 16) and welcome two new members of our stewardship crew (p. 2). We have come a long way from our roots as an all-volunteer organization incorporated in 1974. To celebrate our 40th Anniversary we have a full slate of events and outings. We hope you will join us for our annual Appalachian Spring member event on May 15 (p. 18), and savor the beauty of the Highlands of Roan during the guided hikes of the June Jamboree (p. 14). We also invite you to visit our Community Farm (p. 12) on Saturday, June 7 to see the myriad projects taking shape there; then stop by one of our participating Land Trust Day businesses and shop to support conservation (p. 25). This spring, we have also developed two exciting new programs, our Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle (p. 23) and Real Estate Partner Program (p. 24). This issue of The View is full of information, and we hope you will take time to peruse and enjoy. Carl Silverstein Executive Director
• Hickory Nut Gap (see page 6) • Maney Fields (see pages 7) • Farmland Preservation (see pages 8-10) • New at Our Community Farm: Farmer Incubator Project, Trail & Trees (see page 11-13) • Conservation Funding (see page 14) • Conservation Field Journal (see page 15) • Judy Murray ’s Retirement & Volunteer Days on the Roan (see page 16-17) • Appalachian Spring (see page 18) • June Jamboree (see page 19-21) • Calendar (see page 22) • Gray ’s Lily Leadership Circle (see page 23) • Real Estate Partner Program (see page 24) • Land Trust Day (see page 25) • Members’ Corner (see pages 26-27)
The mission
of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland and scenic beauty of the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee for the benefit of present and future generations. We achieve this by forging and maintaining long-term conservation relationships with private landowners and public agencies, owning and managing land, and encouraging healthy local communities. View from the Highlands | 3
L a n d P r o t e c t i o n | U P D AT E S
Inspiration for the Music French Broad River Valley Focus Area
Big Briar Cove Musicians around the world know the name Bob Moog and respect his ground-breaking innovations in electronic instruments. However, what they may not know is that a quiet cove outside Asheville, NC provided a setting of respite and inspiration to nourish his uncanny genius. In late December we accepted a donated conservation easement on 105 acres of the late Bob Moog’s property in the South Turkey Creek community of Buncombe County. The quiet cove includes the former home and workshop of the local music icon. His widow, Ileana Grams-Moog, donated the conservation easement to SAHC to protect forest habitat and clean water resources on the property. Headwaters of South Turkey Creek originate on the Big Briar Cove tract.
The donated conservation easement protects rich cove forest habitat.
“Bob would have been very happy about the conservation easement at Big Briar Cove,” said Grams-Moog. “People do not often think of him as an outdoorsman, but Bob was very passionate about the outdoors and the wilderness. I know that donating this conservation easement to protect the land for the future is something he wanted.”
“People do not often think of him as an outdoorsman, but Bob was very passionate about the outdoors and the wilderness... donating this conservation easement to protect the land for the future is something he wanted.” The property contains rare natural communities including rich cove forest, a stand of old growth forest, and a small remnant southern Appalachian bog. Ten creeks flow through the cove, including several streams that serve as headwaters of South Turkey Creek. These pristine waters flow through the Sandy Mush Game Lands before emptying into the French Broad River.
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“When he first learned about conservation easements, Bob was very interested and thought it would be a good thing to do for the cove,” Grams-Moog continued. “In his will, he directed me to preserve the environmental values of the land. I’m pleased to honor his wishes by donating the conservation easement at Big Briar Cove to SAHC.”
In addition to the natural resources on the tract, this conservation easement protects scenic views. Rising to 3,700 feet in elevation, the property is visible from scenic rural routes. As the home and work site of Moog, who is widely regarded as an early pioneer in electronic music, the property is also important for its cultural and historical context.
L a n d P r o t e c t i o n | U P D AT E S
When Moog purchased the property in 1978, he was already well established in his career as an inventor and entrepreneur. He founded Big Briar, Inc. and built and sold custom electronic musical instruments under the Big Briar name until 2002, when the name was changed to Moog Music, Inc. At the workshop on the Big Briar Cove property, Moog experimented with designs for his electronic instruments and produced many instruments that were sold through his company.
Who was Bob Moog?
Completing the conservation easement in December (L to R): SAHC Stewardship & Conservation Planning Director Hanni Muerdter, Ileana Grams-Moog, SAHC Land Protection Director Michelle Pugliese, SAHC Executive Director Carl Silverstein.
“This property is a biological gem situated near 6,000 acres that SAHC has already protected in the Sandy Mush farming community,” according to SAHC Executive Director Carl Silverstein. “We’re grateful to Ileana Grams-Moog for protecting this lovely cove with its significant forest, habitat, water resources, scenic value and historic connection to Bob Moog. We are deeply proud to be able to preserve it for future generations.” Transaction costs for this donated conservation easement project were
The 105-acre Big Briar Cove is situated near other SAHCprotected tracts in the Sandy Mush area.
covered in part by the ‘Money in the Ground – Mountains & Coasts’ grant program of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina.
Born in 1934, Bob Moog was an inventor and entrepreneur who pioneered electronic instrument design. He is perhaps best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer, one of the first widely used electronic musical instruments. With degrees in physics and electrical engineering, Moog founded two companies to produce electronic instruments over the course of his lifetime. He was honored with a Grammy Trustees Award for lifetime achievement in 1970 and Technical Grammy Award in 2002. He also taught music for three years at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. In 2005, Moog passed away in Asheville, but his legacy is carried on by Moog Music Inc., Moogfest, and the Bob Moog Foundation, also located in Asheville.
Bob Moog, photo courtesy of Ileana Grams-Moog. Moog’s Big Briar Cove tract, outside of Asheville, NC
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L a n d P r o t e c t i o n | U P D AT E S One Piece at a Time Black Mountains Focus Area
Hickory Nut Gap We protected another tract at Hickory Nut Gap with funding from the NC Scenic Byways program. This new conservation easement preserves 62 acres close to the Drovers Road Scenic Byway. The property will remain privately owned, with permanent protection against future development. This newly protected tract is adjacent to the Florence Nature Preserve, a popular public recreation area for hikers that is owned by Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. Placing a conservation easement on the adjoining 62-acre parcel will help preserve the public’s wilderness experience on the existing trail system at the Florence Nature Preserve.
“You may recall that we protected three properties at Hickory Nut Gap in December 2013, spanning both sides of the Drovers Road Scenic Byway,” said Michelle Pugliese, SAHC’s Land Protection Director.
There may be an opportunity to expand the public trail system onto this property, in accordance with the regional trail planning effort for the Hickory Nut Gap area. The regional trail planning is being done in partnership with Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and other stakeholders in the region.
Five tributaries of Ashworth Creek flow through the conservation easement property, three of which are headwater streams originating on its wooded slopes.
64 | S p r i n g 2 0 1 4
“This year we expanded the protection in the Gap, ensuring that the headwaters and tributaries of Ashworth Creek, and the intact forested views from the Drovers Road Scenic Byway, will remain pristine forever.”
The southern portion of the property lies within the Audubon Society Chimney Rock-Hickory Nut Gorge Important Bird Area and provides wildlife habitat. The new conservation easement protects headwater tributaries of Ashworth Creek.
“This property has been a conservation priority in the landscape because it adjoins the Florence Nature Preserve and is visible from the Drovers Road Scenic Byway,” said Pugliese. We purchased the new conservation easement with a generous gift from Fred and Alice Stanback and a grant from the NC Department of Transportation Scenic Byways Land Conservation Initiative. Scenic byways are designated routes that have been carefully selected to embody the beauty and culture of the state while providing travelers with safe and interesting alternate routes.
L a n d P r o t e c t i o n | U P D AT E S
100 Years in the family Black Mountains Focus Area
Maney Fields When we accepted a donated conservation easement on Maney Fields, this 44-acre tract in Madison County, owned and treasured by one family for over 100 years, became permanently preserved. “The Maney family is grateful to SAHC for all their efforts in preserving this very special place,” said landowner Diane Rosseter. “It is comforting to know that the beauty and uniqueness of the Maney Fields will be sustained and protected forever.” Three headwater tributaries of Terry Fork, which flows into Paint Fork and then into Little Ivy Creek, originate on the property. A high elevation wetland area on the property is located just below the 4,245 ft summit. The 360-degree view from the summit includes Barnardsville, Frosty Knob, Reems Creek, Sugar Creek, Rocky Face, Big Butte, Sandy Mush Bald,
View from Maney Fields, photo courtesy of Owen Carson from Equinox Environmental
Roan Mountain, Craggy Dome, and Craggy Peak. The tract adjoins the Merschat Farm, a 118-acre farm under a conservation easement held by Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation District. Maney Fields is also located near four other SAHC-protected properties. “Sitting at the closing table with Diane and Rob Rosseter and Diane’s father Ed Maney brought to life the long family history on Maney Fields,” said Michelle Pugliese, Land Protection Director. “Three generations of Maneys have cared for this land, and the devotion of the family to preserve it filled the
room that day. I am delighted to have helped their family leave a legacy on this mountain that will last forever.” This project was made possible by a generous donation of the value of the conservation easement from the landowner, as well as funds from Brad and Shelli Stanback and CTNC Money in the Ground mini-grant to cover transaction costs.
Historic structure in the 7-acre high elevation pasture at Maney Fields
Personal Perspective — Caitlin Edenfield, Land Protection AmeriCorps Associate “As the AmeriCorps Land Protection Associate, I was able to work closely with landowners, Diane and Rob Rosseter to complete the Maney Fields conservation easement. Diane and Rob were ideal landowners to work with because they were patient, flexible, and dedicated to the protection of their family land. I also helped facilitate many of the due diligence items such as the survey, appraisal, Phase 1 environmental site assessment, title work, legal review of the conservation easement. Upon closing the conservation easement I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that I helped preserve this land for perpetuity. I am grateful to be serving as an AmeriCorps member at SAHC and for the opportunity to be closely involved in the protection of our invaluable resources, like Maney Fields. My time with SAHC has influenced me to look for a full-time position with a land trust at the end of my term.” Our Project Conserve AmeriCorps Associates form an important and integral part of our team. They give us the capacity to expand our land protection and stewardship program work, and in turn receive valuable experience for their careers.
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Fa r m l a n d | P R E S E RVAT I O N
Preserving Prime Farmland French Broad River Valley Focus Area
“A Way of Life”
Two new farmland conservation easements in Buncombe County embody local landowners’ passion for farming — including young farmers who are forging their way to carry farming traditions into the future as well as a farm family with roots in the Southern Appalachians dating to the Revolutionary War. The conservation easements on working agricultural lands at Watalula Farm in Leicester and Duckett Farm in Sandy Mush total 88 acres and consist mostly of fertile prime soils.
Watalula Farm Will Jeffers purchased the farm in 2011 from a farmer who desired to keep the land available for farming. An insightful young professional and graduate of Warren Wilson College, Jeffers learned that the property had come up for sale from his friends and neighboring farmers Anne and Aaron Grier of Gaining Ground Farm. “After living in Asheville for a number of years and feeling helpless as countless farms were developed, we always dreamed of preserving land for agricultural use,” says Jeffers. “Thanks
to an open dialogue between the seller, SAHC and neighboring farmers this dream became a reality with the preservation of Watalula Farm. We hope the story of this farm’s placement into conservation can be an example for future efforts.” Jeffers leases bottom land and pastures at Watalula to young farmers of Gaining Ground Farm and First Blossom Farm, keeping it agriculturally productive. Gaining Ground Farm produces vegetables and local beef for local tailgate markets, local restaurants, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). “We can produce a lot more and do better crop rotation by leasing and using the Watalula land in addition to the land we already lease as Gaining Ground Farm,” said Anne Grier. “It has been especially helpful in improving our ability to sell to local restaurants.
Anne Grier of Gaining Ground Farm, working the land they lease at Watalula Farm.
And, with the new conservation easement on Watalula Farm, we have a sense of security that the land will stay available for us and for others to use for farming now and in the future.” According to William Hamilton, SAHC’s Farmland Program Director, “This farm has been a constant agricultural contributor for the last one hundred years and is continuing to provide local jobs for the community. It has evolved to survive the changing economics of agriculture, and the new farmers will continue to seek economic viability through direct marketing of produce and meat to the local market.” This critical 52-acre property consists of 80% important agricultural soils (including 21% “prime” – nationally significant soils). A section of Newfound Creek also flows through the farm. The tract adjoins the Snelson Farm conservation easement preserved by Buncombe County. “The farm has all the right components – valuable soils, a great water supply, and beautiful scenery, all
A section of Newfound Creek runs through Watalula Farm
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Fa r m l a n d | P R E S E RVAT I O N
Funding & Farm Bill SAHC successfully applied for Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) funds to protect the prime agricultural soils on both these tracts.
located within 10 miles of downtown Asheville,” says Hamilton. “There was a significant threat of development, and we are proud to be able to preserve this innovative, highly productive, sustainable, and forward-thinking family farm for the future.”
Duckett Farm in Sandy Mush The Duckett farm is a multigenerational family farm operation located in Big Sandy Mush in northwestern Buncombe County. This recently protected 36-acre tract is part of 330 acres of family farm owned by Bill & Mabel Duckett, of which 296 acres are protected under conservation easement with SAHC. “The Duckett tract is situated right in the middle of the Sandy Mush Valley,” says Hamilton. “This parcel is especially important for conservation
because 26 of the 36 acres are recognized nationally as prime soils. Presently, the bottomland tract is used for hay and winter grazing land for cattle; it was previously used for row crops. Duckett practices a historic tradition of wintering cattle on the bottomlands in Sandy Mush valley and driving them up to summer grazing on high elevation mountain pastures, which are also protected by conservation easement with SAHC. The pastures connect to a remarkable network of protected lands in the Sandy Mush valley and the Newfound Mountains. While the cattle are at summer pasture, the newly protected conservation easement area is planted with hay, an erosion-minimizing practice encouraged by the farm’s Buncombe County Soil and Water conservation plan.
We secured funding and support for the projects from partners at the local, state, and national level, including Buncombe County, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina – Farmland Forever Fund, North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust, and the US Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service. The landowners also made generous contributions to make completion of the projects possible. “These are both incredible successes for local farmland preservation efforts,” said Hamilton. “The high occurrence of prime soils and the continued use and expansion of agricultural operations on these tracts made them priorities for conservation. We are grateful to the landowners for working to preserve their lands, and to our partners for providing critical funding for these projects.” If other farm landowners are interested in preserving land for agricultural use, we would be happy to discuss options with you. Contact William Hamilton at 828.253.0095 ext. 211 or william@appalachian.org for more information.
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Fa r m l a n d | P R E S E RVAT I O N
Prime Soils Prime soils are important for cultivation. They take thousands of years to form and consist of a balanced combination of sand, silt, and clay. They can be cultivated year after year and do not suffer from erosion if managed well. SAHC Farmland Program Director William Hamilton explains, “Only 2% of the land mass in Western North Carolina consists of nationally recognized prime soils. In most places, this land is also the most threatened by development because it is located in relatively level valleys. Most of it has already seen a change in land use. As a land trust working in the Southern Appalachian mountains, we recognize that preserving rich bottomland is a top priority to secure our food supply into the future.”
The recently protected 36-acre conservation easement on Duckett farm land (outlined in red) lies in the heart of Sandy Mush Valley.
“I’d like to see the land stay in farm use and not be developed, and that’s what my boys want, too,” said landowner Bill Duckett about the recently completed conservation easement, “This program works well for someone my age. I can’t farm like I used to, and it can serve to help me retire. That’s something all farm families have to face, eventually – a way to change over to the next generation.” Duckett’s children want to continue the farming tradition of the land, although they do not have plans to take over farming as a full-time operation. Placing the land under conservation easement helps the current generation continue the traditions of the past and ensure that the farm’s rich, agriculturally important soils will not be lost in the future.
Watalula Farm Soil Types
The newly protected 52-acre Watalula Farm tract in Leicester and 36-acre portion of Duckett farm in Sandy Mush each contain prime agricultural soils. 10 | Spring 2014
Soil Name French loam (FrA) Tate loam (TaB) Clifton Clay loam (CkC2) Evard-Cowee complex (EvD2) Other
Classification Acres Prime – 7 Nationally Significant Prime – 4.1 Nationally Significant Statewide – 9.4 NC Significant Local – 20.2 Buncombe Significant 11.5
“Most farms didn’t happen in one generation,” continued Duckett. “It takes more than one generation to put a farm together. It’s more a way of life than just property, not something to sell and let disappear. I’d like other farmers to be aware of the farmland preservation program – and the fact that there is funding available to preserve farms through the Farm Bill.” The Duckett farm tract is 100% open agricultural land, partly bordered by Sandy Mush Creek, which flows into the French Broad River.
Duckett Farm Soil Types Soil Name Dillard loam (DrB) French loam (FrA) Kanuga-Swannanoa complex (KsB) Statler loam (StB) Unison loam (UnB) Unison loam (UnC) Other
Classification Acres Prime – 5 Nationally Significant Prime – 0.98 Nationally Significant Prime – 7.82 Nationally Significant Prime – 0.73 Nationally Significant Prime – 11.98 Nationally Significant Statewide – 9.33 NC Significant 0.5
To find out more about specific soil types visit http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov
C o n s e r v at i o n | I N A C T I O N Community Farm and Food Project
Farmer Incubator Program Now accepting applications for the 2014 season. As part of our developing Farmland Access Service, we have created a Farmer Incubator at the SAHC Community Farm in Alexander, NC. Through this program we are helping farmers initiate new agricultural businesses by providing access to land at the Community Farm and equipment at reduced rates for up to five years. While at the incubator farm, farmers will also receive support, training, and tools to help them manage successful farm businesses on their own. About the Farm: • 100 acres – 40 acres of pasture and 60 in forest • Garden plots – two ½ acre plots or four ¼ acre plots available • Quonset barn, equipment sheds, livestock shelter, permanent and portable fencing • New well & livestock water system What we require: • 2+ years farming experience • Written business plan • General liability insurance policy • Commitment to grow products with ecologically sound practices • Ability to work a minimum of 20 hours/week on farming operation • Min. 1-year commitment to participate in the program • Commitment to help collectively maintain the farm site • Willingness to work collaboratively with incubator staff and other participant farmers.
Potential Farm Operations: • Small-scale, pasture-raised livestock (beef cattle, poultry, sheep, goats, swine) • Annual and perennial vegetables • Cut flowers • Herbs • Some perennial fruits (i.e. – cane fruits, blueberries) • Nursery plants • Bees • Mushrooms and forest herbs • Others may be considered Selection Criteria: • Farming experience of applicant • Strength of business idea and business plan • Type of operation proposed and how it would fit in with the farm as a whole • Ability of applicant to commit to his/her business • Ability of applicant to commit to the program and the full requirements Applicants will be evaluated by a committee. Three spots are available for 2014. For the full program description and application, contact Yael Girard at yael@appalachian.org or (828) 253.0095 x 203.
About Farmland Access
Consistent with a national trend, the farming population of our area is aging, and we need new farmers to replace those who are retiring. Our Community Farm & Food ‘Farmer Incubator Program’ is based on successful programs across the country and will create new farm businesses to fill the gap left by retiring farmers. By providing access to farmland and equipment at a reduced rate SAHC is bringing young people back to the farm. Funding provided by: • Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education • Community Foundation of WNC • U.S. Department of Agriculture • New Belgium Brewing Partner support provided by: • NC Cooperative Extension • Organic Growers School • Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District • Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project • WNC FarmLink
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C o n s e r v at i o n | I N A C T I O N
At Our Community Farm
Trails and Trees Our staff and volunteers have stayed busy on the farm over the winter! In addition to installing infrastructure for our Farmer Incubator Program, we’ve continued to work on the 1.5-mile educational trail that loops across the farm. We’ve also begun the shortleaf pine reforestation project.
Warren Wilson College Volunteers The forecast said to expect a wintry mix on the first morning in March, as a group of Warren Wilson College (WWC) students prepared to volunteer at our Community Farm. With temperatures expected to not reach 40 degrees, many college students would have burrowed back under the covers and asked for a rain check. Not these folks. Under cloudy skies, they eagerly removed invasive plants and helped finish up sections of our trail. The group was a mix of students from the Forestry, Landscaping, and Recycling Crews at WWC. Students at WWC must complete 100 hours of volunteer service before graduating. Working at the farm allowed them to use skills gained from their work crews on a project that would bring them closer to their service goals. Midway through the morning, the sun came out and beamed on a beautiful prespring Appalachian day. Numerous jokes and stories were shared, hundreds of invasives pulled, and almost a half-mile of trail completed. Thank you all for your service! We look forward to more projects with WWC. Removing invasive plant species on the farm.
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Trail Construction Update We have installed new interpretive, educational signs along the trail on the farm. These signs depict a brief history of the farm and map of the trail, plus detailed information about the stream and shortleaf pine restoration projects at the farm. One sign also explains how fencing, off-stream watering tanks for livestock, and other agricultural best management practices help protect stream health. Look for scheduled hikes at the farm beginning Saturday, June 7. This spring, work on refining and completing the trail has progressed with volunteers from Warren Wilson College and the Carolina Mountain Hiking Club. Carolina Tree Care (a local arbor company) donated mulch for the trail, which will be used to inhibit weed and grass growth on areas of the trail that run through the pastures. We are also adding stairs and wooden walkways in areas that frequently remain wet and muddy.
Warren Wilson College volunteers complete a section of trail.
C o n s e r v at i o n | I N A C T I O N Why Restore the Shortleaf pine?
Interpretive signs have been installed along the 1.5-mile educational trail at the farm.
Bringing Back the Shortleaf Pine Before we began managing the farm, a portion of the property had been logged. We found shortleaf pine sprouts growing in the area. Since shortleaf pine is a native species that has been on the decline in North Carolina, we decided to pursue a reforestation project. We removed competing species and used a bush hog to mow down much of the blackberry/honeysuckle/bittersweet invasive jungle that was choking out
Planting shortleaf pine seedlings.
the remaining trees and preventing the area from being planted. After preparing the project area, we planted over 2,000 new shortleaf pine seedlings. With this reforestation project, our goal is to create a shortleaf pine forest interspersed with openings of native grasses. Native grasses provide good habitat for small creatures and ground nesting birds. We are very grateful to the following for making these projects possible: Trail: Pigeon River Fund New Belgium Brewing Company Southern SARE Conservation Trust for North Carolina Shortleaf Pine Reforestation: US Dept. of Agriculture NC Wildlife Resources Commission NC Forest Service
Join us for a Walk on the Farm on Saturday, June 7 In conjunction with Land Trust Day (see p. 29), we will host an open house and guided tour along the 1.5-mile educational loop trail at the farm. This guided hike will provide an opportunity to learn more about the stream restoration, agriculture, and shortleaf pine reforestation projects at the farm, and to possibly see wildlife, including hawks, songbirds, turkeys, and small mammals. For more info or to register for this hike, contact Anna Zanetti at anna@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 ext 205.
Shortleaf pine
Economic & Ecological Value
Shortleaf pine is one of the four most important southern pine trees in the United States for lumber, plywood, and pulpwood. The trees provide habitat for bobwhite quail, wild turkey, mourning dove, meadowlark, eastern cottontail rabbit, eastern grey squirrel, white-tailed deer, and a variety of songbirds.
Shortleaf Pine Decline
The majority of virgin shortleaf pine stands were harvested in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Harvesting left very few trees, and re-growth was slow. Widespread drought also weakened many shortleaf pine stands and encouraged southern pine beetle Pine beetle infestation and tree death.
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C o n s e r v at i o n | I N A C T I O N
What is the Land & Water Conservation Fund? The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established by an act of Congress in 1965. The Act designated that a portion of receipts from offshore oil and gas leases be placed into a fund annually for state and local conservation, as well as for the protection of our national treasures (parks, forests, and wildlife areas).
US Secretary of the Interior
Visits the Mountains On the eve of the President’s 2015 federal budget release, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell would not let the cat out of the bag. “I cannot tell you what’s in the budget that will be released tomorrow, but I can tell you that the administration thinks we need to live up to our SAHC Trustee Jay Leutze with US commitment to fully fund the Land and Water Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. Conservation Fund (LWCF).” Invited guests at an East Tennessee event broke into hearty applause.
The LWCF provides matching grant funds and has been a major source of funding for federal and state acquisitions of land and easements — often purchasing land acquired by land trusts.
She had come to hike the Smokies, as have so many Secretaries of the Interior before her. And she had come to celebrate the economic engine of public lands with conservation champion TN Senator Lamar Alexander. Lastly, she had come to honor the past with an announcement of a new archival facility being constructed to house the stories of the families who had lived within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park before the park’s existence.
The LWCF is set to expire in 2015. To reauthorize and fully dedicate LWCF funding, Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Max Baucus (D-MT) recently introduced S. 338.
“The LWCF turns 50 years old next year,” the Secretary reminded. “It has benefited every county in the country and we need to return it to full funding at the same time we re-authorize it.”
Please urge your Senators to sign-on as co-sponsors, and be sure to thank them if they co-sponsored similar legislation last year.
Her words were music to the ears of those in attendance. The LWCF has been chronically underfunded since its inception in 1965, and the current situation in Congress has only made it harder to use the fund to complete projects along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian Trail, and within towns and cities demanding more space for public parks and greenways. SAHC has utilized LWCF funding for US Forest Service projects in the Highlands of Roan and beyond, including the recent Rocky Fork acquisition. We have also deployed funds from the stateside grant section of the fund to help create the Yellow Mountain State Natural Area. This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the LWCF, and laud Secretary Jewell and Senator Alexander as two champions for full funding. NC Senator Richard Burr has introduced a bill that would fully fund and re-authorize LWCF (which is set to expire next year). To support Senator Burr’s bill, please contact your Senator and member of the House and urge them to support full funding.
For more information on LWCF, visit www.lwcfcoalition.org 14 | Spring 2014
C o n s e r va t i o n
Field Journal
On the Roan wit I began writing the Field
couple of years ago to share
h SAHC Field Eco
logist Chris Coxe n
Journal
a
my experiences with ou r
membership. As this is my la
st entry in the Journal,
I want to celebrate som e of my favorite memor
and share these momen ts
with you. It is difficult
convey the nuanced im ages but I will try to conden se
of great times and mem ories,
glimpses of over three years of my work into this
also see them for a mom ent.
ies
Chris Coxen
to
small space so that you might
I will never forget the
rising sun slowly burn ing away the morning fog and tall dew drench ed grass of the Roan’s valleys as I searched for Golden-w inged Warblers in May . I will always remembe r working with city youth volunt eers that had never wa lked through moss covered spruce-fir forest and wi tnessing the wonder in their ey es when I explained th at Sunrise on Grassy Rid ge ecologically, we were tec hnically standing in Ca nada. I will miss sleeping thro ugh steady summer ra in during the Grassy Ridg e Mow Off and then hi king home with our so aked volunteers, all of us somehow still smiling. Thank yo u for supporting SAHC and thereby affording me the opportunity to have these experiences while impa cting positive conserva tion change onto the la ndscape. Your support allows th is organization to do gr eat work and it has be en an honor to be a part of the team. I will miss these mountains while I am at graduate school in New Mexico and hope to return to , them again soon.
View from the Highlands | 15
C o n s e r v at i o n | I N A C T I O N
Honoring 40 Years of Service to the Roan
For Love of Mountains
Founding member Margy Clark with Judy Murray (right) at her retirement party in Kingsport, TN.
“It was the mountains that really drew me here,” says Judy. “Two days after I landed in Tennessee, I was on the Roan.”
Judy chaired the RMPC for several years, obtained her graduate degree in ecology, served as SAHC’s volunteer land steward, and then became Highlands of Roan Stewardship Director. With her guidance, SAHC spearheaded a coalition of partners dedicated to the management and restoration of Roan’s unique grassy balds.
Judy began organizing the Grassy Ridge Mow-off in the 1990s to help keep the
SAHC incorporated as nonprofit by founders of the RMPC. Judy initiates discussions for protection of grassy balds.
1970s
16 | Spring 2014
“We’ve been holding an annual Grassy Ridge Mow-off Volunteer Weekend for over 20 years. Volunteers come in for the weekend
The Highlands of Roan stewardship partners address the growing problem of encroachment on the balds. No longer naturally grazed, the open expanses of grassy balds and their incredible diversity of rare native species are in danger of being lost.
“There is a delicate balance between public use and resource protection, and that has never been more apparent than
Judy serves as a Chair of the RMPC.
grassy balds open. Each summer, a group of volunteers camps at Grassy Ridge and spends the weekend hand-mowing to maintain the balds.
on Roan Mountain,” says Judy.
She came to work at Eastman Chemical Company straight out of college, and her early experiences with the Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club eventually led to her lifelong work in the Highlands of Roan. Guided by SAHC founder Stan Murray, members of the hiking club formed the Roan Mountain Preservation Committee (RMPC) of the Appalachian Trail Conference in order to preserve the views and landscape surrounding the Appalachian Trail through the Highlands of Roan.
1960s
When she came to Kingsport, TN in 1960, Judy Murray knew that she loved mountains. Two days after arriving, her first visit to the Highlands of Roan kindled a passion that became the driving force behind much of the preservation and habitat restoration work we and our partners have accomplished on the Roan. This year Judy retired from her position as our Highlands of Roan Stewardship Director, and we give her a resounding and heartfelt ‘thank you’ for her dedicated service over the past forty years.
1980s
Judy has been leading the Grassy Ridge Mow-off on Roan since the 1990s.
Judy organizes Grassy Ridge Mow-off for Roan management.
Judy becomes SAHC Roan Stewardship Director. Nat’l Forests designate special 1990s management prescription for Roan.
2000s
New Highlands of Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett hired.
Golden-winged Warbler becomes species of national concern. SAHC actively manages habitat on Roan.
2014
C o n s e r v at i o n | I N A C T I O N
or just for a day to mow and help restore the balds. Many return time after time, and it’s certainly one of the highlights of my year.”
still unprotected), and user impacts due to the popularity of the area. Judy stresses the importance of “Leave No Trace” principles for people enjoying the Roan.
“On Saturday nights after supper is over and the dishes are washed and put away, we all grab our cups, camp chairs, flashlights, and warm clothing and head for the Rock where we gather to share tales, travel stories,
“Roan is different from other places. It’s an extraordinary piece of our natural heritage — an ecological crown jewel. It’s natural, and we want to keep it that way.”
“Sometimes I like to be the last one to turn in for the night, when I have the stars, the wind, and the Rock to myself. A time for silent reflection from the place I love most in the world.” favorite books and lots of laughs,” Judy reflects. “Sometimes I like to be the last one to turn in for the night, when I have the stars, the wind, and the Rock to myself. A time for silent reflection from the place I love most in the world. Somehow, it makes me feel connected to all the mountains on the planet.” Special moments like this have fueled Judy’s stewardship of the Roan. The Highlands of Roan management partners focus on the entire ecosystem and work collaboratively across state lines. Some of the challenges facing the Roan and our new Roan Stewardship Director include non-native invasive species, fragmentation of the landscape (much of which is
Mow-off volunteers camp on the mountain.
The Grassy Ridge Mow-off crew gathers on Saturday night at the Rock to share stories and lots of laughs. It is a beautiful time and place to make memories.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities on the Grassy Balds
Want to help preserve incredible views along the Appalachian Trail by maintaining the unique ecosystem of Roan’s grassy balds? Join a crew this summer!
Grassy Ridge Mow-off – July 18 to 20
We’ve been holding an annual Grassy Ridge Mow-off Volunteer Weekend for over 20 years. Come for the weekend or just for a day to help mow and restore the balds. In addition to rewarding work, volunteers enjoy swapping stories and delicious meals at camp. For more info or to volunteer contact: Judy Murray at roanwoman@aol.com.
Roany Boyz — July 23 to 27
The Roany Boyz camp at Engine Gap and help maintain grassy balds around the AT. Come for the entire time, or just a day. All are welcome. Revel in a wonderful camaraderie with dedicated volunteers who have been doing this work for over a decade, and help keep the balds along the trail open for all to enjoy. For more info or to join contact: Carol Coffey at caroltee@aol.com. View from the Highlands | 17
4 0 t h | A N N I V E R S A RY More info online at: Appalachian.org/spring.html
Celebrating 40 Years of Conservation!
Annual Member Event & Celebration
Appalachian Spring
Date: Thursday, May 15th Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm Where: The Meadow at Highland Brewing Company, Asheville, NC
Appalachian Spring is SAHC’s annual membership event. This year we celebrate 40 years of conservation in our community, Outdoor event area at Highland Brewing Company protecting over 63,000 acres! Because of our dedicated members and community supporters, we can continue protecting the special places we all love. Please join us for an evening of celebration and merriment. Highland Brewing Company is donating the outdoor venue space and crafting a limited Elevation Ale in honor of our 40th anniversary, available at the event.
Firecracker Jazz Band
Ticket Price includes: Dinner prepared by Nona Mia Italian Kitchen, music by Firecracker Jazz Band, one drink ticket, and fellowship. This year we have an enticing array of raffle prizes! Raffle sales help us raise money to support our work.
Purchase tickets online now at Appalachian.org or call 828.253.0095. SAHC Members: $25 | Non-Members: $30
We are very grateful for the support of our event sponsors:
Grove Arcade | Webb Investment Services | White Oak Financial Management Inc
Proxy Form: Annual Membership Meeting of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
As part of the event, the membership will elect nominees to the Board of Trustees. This is a proxy form. Please sign and return the proxy immediately, particularly if you cannot attend the event. This is very important. No business may be conducted unless a quorum of the membership is present in person or by proxy.
The Board recommends the nomination of Rick Manske of Asheville, NC and Laura McCue of Asheville, NC to be nominated for a first three-year term, and Bill Lowndes of Asheville, NC, Kathy Singleton of Kingsport, TN, Courtney Blossman of Asheville, NC, and Jack Hamilton of Asheville, NC be nominated to a second three-year term. The nominees are active members of the Conservancy who have generously agreed to devote their time and talents on its behalf. Proxy: I hereby appoint Milton ‘Buddy”Tignor, Jr. or Carl Silverstein as proxies to vote, on my behalf as indicated below, at the Annual Membership Event of The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy to be held on May 15, 2014. I also give my proxy authority to act on other business (if any) that may come before the meeting.
Nominees to the Board of Trustees: q Vote for all nominees listed above, except withhold vote from the following nominees (if any) Signature: ____________________________________Date: ______________ (You can mail form to SAHC at 34 Wall Street, Suite 502, Asheville, NC, 28801)
18 | Spring 2014
q Vote against
June | JA MBOREE
Guided HIkes in the Highl ands of Roan
Schedule
June Jamboree
Hike #1 — Carvers Gap to Grassy Ridge (9 am) Hike #2 — Roll and Stroll (12 noon) Post-hike social for Hikes #1 & 2 will be at the Roan Cabins
Honoring our origin in the stunning Highlands of Roan, SAHC hosts a day of guided hikes each June to gather and enjoy our treasured flagship focus area.
Hike #3 — Yoga on the Mountain (11 am) Hike #4 — Kids in the Creek (11 am) Hike #5 — Challenge Hike (8 am) Post-hike social for Hikes #3, 4 & 5 will be on SAHC’s National Trails Tract
This year we have five guided hikes planned, catering to a variety of skill levels and interests. Since the hike locations are spread out across the Roan, we will host post-hike gatherings at two different locations. Descriptions, details and start times for each hike, as well as the post-hike socials, are given below. You will receive directions to the departure location and carpool information upon registration.
Date: Saturday, June 14th
Be sure to bring: sturdy hiking shoes, camera, walking stick, water, lunch, sunscreen, binoculars, and appropriate clothing for your hike. The weather may be sunny, rainy, windy or cool. Hikes are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most difficult. We hope you can join us in the Highlands this year!
Hike #1 — Carvers Gap to Grassy Ridge Start Time: 9:00 am Leader: Bill Ryan Difficulty: 7.5 Fellowship Location: Roan Cabins (2:30 - 5 pm) This classic and rewarding hike is full of adventure reaching the highest elevation within the Roan Balds, which are considered among the most spectacular scenery along the Appalachian Trail. Grassy Ridge, elevation 6,189 feet is the highest point near the AT with a natural unobstructed 360 degree view and so much more with blooming rhododendron, flame azalea, patches of spruce fir forest and rare plans such as Gray’s lily and Roan Mountain bluets. Flame azalea
Hike #2 — Roll n’ Stroll in Rhododendron Gardens Start Time: 12 noon Leader: Judy Murray Difficulty: 2+ Fellowship Location: Roan Cabins (2:30 - 5 pm) The Rhododendron Gardens on top of Roan will be blazing with color this time of year. Judy Murray, will take hikers along gentle terrain with stunning views of the Roan landscape. On this leisurely stroll hikers will learn about SAHC’s newest land protection projects including several tracts in Yellow Mountain State Natural Area like the Justice Creek property on Spear Tops and Hawk Mountain Farm. This hike is designed to give people of all hiking abilities the opportunity to get outside and enjoy some of the property that SAHC has diligently protected over the last four decades. *This trail is paved and wheelchair accessible. Catawba rhododendron View from the Highlands | 19
June | JA MBOREE
Hike #3 — Yoga on the Mountain Start Time: 11:00 am Leader: Danielle Fath-Goldstein Difficulty: 4 Fellowship Location: National Trails Tract (2:30 - 5 pm) Lay your yoga mat in the open meadow, tucked within the stunning Highlands of Roan. Prepare to move into your exalted warrior or tree pose while feeling the sun warm your skin as the high elevation breezes simultaneously cool you. Enjoy an easy to moderate hike through our protected Natural Trails Tract in the Roaring Creek Valley, along pristine streams and critical bird habitat, to the Pisgah National Forest for a gentle yoga practice. The meadow lies below the Appalachian Trail and Yellow Mountain, overlooking one of our most cherished conservation focus areas. After yoga we will walk a short gravel road, which is also the route of the Overmountain Victory Trail, back to our cars. 20 | Spring 2014
Hike #4 — Kids in the Creek Start Time: 11:00 am Leader: Lizzy Stokes-Cawley Difficulty: 3 Fellowship Location: National Trails Tract (2:30 - 5 pm)
Hike #5 — Challenge Hike Start Time: 8:00 am Leader: Tom Gatti Difficulty: 10+ Fellowship Location: National Trails Tract (2:30 - 5 pm)
Bring your kids to play in the creek on SAHC’s beautiful National Trails Tract. This shorter hike is designed to get kids outdoors and explore some of the beautiful water protected by SAHC. Kids will learn about some basic stream ecology, look for crayfish and salamanders. Kids are welcome to bring fishnets, buckets, or other toys to play with in the creek. This hike is for kids 7 years and older. Parents are welcomed to participate as well. Please bring water appropriate clothing and shoes plus appropriate day hiking materials.
The June Jamboree Challenge hike will start where the Appalachian Trail crosses Highway 19E, 4 miles west of the town of Roan Mountain. Participants will steadily hike 5.4 miles climbing a total of 2,707 feet to the summit of Hump Mountain. We will continue south along the Appalachian Trail over Little Hump and then along the spine of Yellow Mountain to Yellow Mountain Gap at 8.7 miles. From Yellow Mountain Gap we’ll hike another 1.7 miles to Low Gap and the Stan Murray Shelter. From here we leave the trail (long pants are recommended) and make our way to Elk Hollow Creek which we will follow for a mile or so down to the National Trails Tract, celebrate, and ride back to our cars.
June | JA MBOREE
RESERVATIONS — June Jamboree ( June 14) in the Highlands of Roan To register online or for more info, go to our website Appalachian.org or call Anna Zanetti at (828) 253-0095 x 205. Name(s): (For planning purposes, please include all participants, and ages for children participating in “Kids’ Day in the Creek).
Phone: Email: Hike #: ________ # of Hikers: ________
|
# Attending the post-hike social: _________
I realize that the June Jamboree event is free for all participants,
Optional Donation Enclosed: $________ but I would like to make a donation to help offset the cost of the event.
Support Our Conservation Work!
Please mail completed form to: SAHC at 34 Wall Street, Suite 502, Asheville, NC, 28801
Name Address City/State/Zip Phone E-mail
Please check applicable boxes: New Member __ Renewal __ Annual Membership Level: Family $50 __ Single $35__ Organization $100 ____ Additional donation $________
___ Please send me information about planned/estate giving and other ways to support SAHC.
G i f t s • Tr i b u t e s • M e m o r i a l s I’d like to make this contribution __ A gift membership for __ In honor of __ In memory of Name to recognize (gift recipient or honoree): Send dedication or gift acknowledgment to: Address: E-mail address:
Monthly Giving Our monthly giving program is an easy way to support our work! Choose an amount that makes sense for your budget and become one of our growing family of sustaining members.
___ Please enroll me in monthly giving at $_____ per month Credit Card #:________________________________________ 3-digit security code: _________ Expires: _________ Name as it appears on the card: ___________________________________
Membership Benefits:
As a member of SAHC you receive: Free guided hikes on protected properties, View from the Highlands newsletter, monthly E-news, discounts on merchandise, invitations & discounts to special events. Know that whatever you give will go toward active, focused, and sensible land conservation work. Thank you! Make your gift online at Appalachian.org or fill out & mail this form.
(Donations & annual membership dues are tax deductible. Make checks payable to SAHC. Mail to: 34 Wall Street, Suite 502, Asheville, NC 28801) Financial information about the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at (919) 733-4510. The license is not an endorsement by the state.
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Events | OUTREACH
Calendar May 15 Appalachian Spring Event Highland Brewing Company Asheville, NC May 17 “For Love of Beer & Mtns” Little Hump Hike Highlands of Roan May 18 Yoga on the Mountain Fairview Farming Community June 7 Land Trust Day Shop for Conservation! June 7 Community Farm Open House and Hike Alexander, NC June 14 June Jamboree Highlands of Roan July 18-20 Grassy Ridge Mow-off Highlands of Roan July 23-27 Roany Boyz Highlands of Roan August 9 Birding Hike with Simon Thompson, Ventures Birding Location TBA August 22-24 Yoga with Lillah Location TBA
For more info on events visit Appalachian.org. 22 | Spring 2014
Enjoy the View!
For all hikes, direct questions and registrations to Anna Zanetti, SAHC PR & Outreach AmeriCorps Associate, at 828-253-0095 x 205 or anna@appalachian.org.
Little Hump “For Love of Beer & Mountains” Partnership Hike
Date: Saturday, May 17 Time: 10:00 am Where: Highlands of Roan Leaders: Anna Zanetti Difficulty: 8 (Difficult) Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife Service and Highland Brewing Company on our Little Hump “For Love of Beer and Mountains” Partnership Hike. This is a strenuous but rewarding hike to Little Hump in the Highlands of Roan. We will make our way up along roaring creek on the Overmountain Victory Trail until we connect with the Appalachian Trail. From there, we will hike north and gain approximately 1,500 ft of elevation to earn a spectacular view of the surrounding valley. While the hike is short (approx. 5 miles), it will be a very challenging climb from Roaring Creek Valley to the top of Little Hump.
What to bring: Sturdy hiking shoes, rain gear, water bottle, backpack lunch, appropriate clothing, camera and a pack to carry all of your personal items. Dogs are welcome. This hike is free for all participants.
About the partnership: Highland Brewing Company (HBC) has partnered with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help raise awareness of the beauty and uniqueness of our region’s resources and bring attention to efforts to protect them. HBC names each seasonal release for a feature of our natural landscape.
Yoga on the Mountain
Date: Sunday, May 18 Time: 10:00 am Where: Fairview Farming Community Leaders: Kim Drye of Here Now Yoga and Michelle Pugliese, Land Protection Director Difficulty: 5 (Moderate)
We will hike to the top of Blue Ridge Pastures, lay down yoga mats, and practice our sun salutations among many other poses. Once at the top of Blue Ridge Pastures we will see Bearwallow Mountain and Hickory Nut Gap Gorge, hikers and yogis alike will experience true beauty of the surrounding area and learn why conservation is so important in the Fairview Farming Community. You do not need to have any prior yoga experience. What to bring: Sturdy shoes, blanket, yoga mat, comfortable clothes, water, sunscreen and a pack to carry all personal items. Hike is free for members and $10 for non-members.
Legacy | L AND & PEOPLE Conservation Champions of the
Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle
SAHC is excited to announce a new major giving circle to recognize those who give $1,000 or more annually. We are thrilled to welcome over 90 founding members to this circle who are already giving at this level or higher. Through the Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle we recognize our philanthropic leaders and use this critical funding to leverage other private, foundation and public funding to help conserve significant areas.
Mary Bruce and Stephen Woody
“We are pleased to have our names listed among the founding members of SAHC’s Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle. This gift level ensures that progress of this worthy land conservation organization will move forward, enabling protection of globally significant places forever. We also know our gifts will be multiplied and matched with great efficiency. As a new SAHC Trustee, I am impressed by the strength, wisdom and passion each staff and Trustee brings to SAHC’s fund raising efforts private, public and foundational. The Woody’s grandsons.
Stephen and I have hiked the Southern Appalachians now for nearly 50 years. We never tire of their beauty, their serenity — whether it be in the Smokies, up on the Roan, Yellow Mountain or Mt. LeConte, whether in the chill of winter with views to forever, or by a mountain stream on a hot summer’s day. We now have five grandsons who love to hike and explore our favorite places with us. They are perhaps the reason we feel so strongly about SAHC’s mission of protection so that these special viewsheds, these streams and waterfalls, theses rare plant communities will be there for them and their children to enjoy and savor as we always have. Choosing Gray’s lily (Lilium grayi) for this giving level is significant to us because of its beauty and rarity. We treasure our late June hikes up to Roan Mountain to look for this elusive, delicate red lily. And like Gray’s lily, a rare and treasured wildflower, so too is SAHC a treasure. Knowing that places in the Southern Appalachians such as Roan Mountain are protected in perpetuity is what SAHC is all about. We encourage you to consider joining the Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle.”
Mary Bruce Woody SAHC Trustee
Named for a remarkable native bloom, Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle is a charitable giving program that is fundamental to the success of SAHC. Gray’s lily was originally found on Roan Mountain in 1840. This rare flower is found on high-elevation grassy balds, meadows, mountain bogs, and seeps along the NC and TN borders. Conservation is needed to protect its existing populations and habitat. If you would like to learn more about the Gray’s Lily Leadership Circle, contact Pauline Heyne at 828.253.0095, ext. 216 or Pauline@ appalachian.org.
View from the Highlands | 23
Pa r t n e r s h i p s | B U S I N E S S C O M M U N I T Y
Welcome! New Real Estate Program Partners: Carolina Mountain Sales D’Ann Ford, REALTOR®/Broker Patty & Ben, The Woolf Team Conservation Advisors William Hamilton, Broker Cool Mountain Realty Jenny Brunet, REALTOR® Karen Cernek, REALTOR® Cassandra DeJong, REALTOR® Odilia Forlenza, Broker Peter Haseloff, Broker Rick Jaynes, Broker Exit Realty Vista Lisa Gurney, REALTOR® Landcrazy.com, Inc. Jackie Cure, Owner/Broker
Building Healthy Communities with our
Real Estate Partner Program We recently re-launched our Real Estate Partner program. As part of this program, real estate brokers and agents give their clients a one-of-a-kind closing gift — a membership to SAHC. For the past 40 years, we have preserved the clean water sources, dazzling viewsheds, unique habitat, productive farmland, and recreational settings that make the Southern Appalachians so special. Home buyers are attracted to the very qualities of a healthy community that we protect. Recognizing this connection, we developed a program for real estate agents to partner with SAHC. For each new sale, participants in this program give their clients a tax-deductible gift membership to SAHC as a closing gift. This contribution entitles gift recipients to enjoy the benefits of membership for a full year - including free guided hikes in our outings program and discounts to select events. “As a REALTOR®, I have a fantastic opportunity to be an ambassador for our mountains to people new to the area. By providing a membership to SAHC, I can introduce people to the important work that SAHC does to protect the natural resources of the area they chose to live in. I can’t think of a better way to welcome folks to our mountains than to involve them on a personal level.” Patty Cunningham-Woolf SAHC Trustee & Real Estate Partner
RE/MAX Results Jimmy and Margaret Vestal
For more info about benefits in participating in our Real Estate Partner Program, contact Cheryl Fowler at cheryl@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 ext 209.
“Healing Our Backs with Yoga” TM Weekend Date: August 22- 24 Location: TBA
Join local yoga instructor Lillah Schwartz for ‘A layperson’s guide to back pain relief.’ A national expert in yoga’s structural benefits, Lillah offers this signature course to assist people with back, neck or shoulder conditions. Tap into yoga’s healing, strengthening power to find relief. This event will be co-sponsored by WNC Woman magazine and Ashevillage Institute, with 22% of proceeds donated to SAHC. Yoga instructor Lillah Schwartz, Healing Our Backs with Yoga ™
24 | Spring 2014
For more information on Lillah, the ‘back whisperer,’ visit YogawithLillah.com.
Pa r t n e r s h i p s | B U S I N E S S C O M M U N I T Y Shop to Support Conservation on
Land Trust Day – June 7 What is Land Trust Day? A day designated to recognize the work that land trusts contribute to preserve our vital resources. On Land Trust Day, businesses donate a percentage of the day’s sales to support conservation. Why? The natural assets we protect have helped this region become an international destination for hiking, biking, camping, boating, fishing, and hunting. Our work also helps farmers preserve their farmland, so they can continue to produce locally grown food. How does Land Trust Day help my business? The land resources protected by SAHC are major economic drivers in the WNC region. By helping SAHC protect our land resources, you help protect the places your customers care about. Participating in this partnership says to your customers – ‘We care about what makes this place special.’ “For more than a decade, Mast General Store has celebrated Land Trust Day. The first Saturday in June is National Trails Day, so it just makes sense that we also make an effort to preserve lands to be enjoyed by future generations,” said Deb Lazenby of Mast Store. “This Land Trust Day, we will donate a percentage of the day’s sales to a land trust in each of its communities, including SAHC.”
We are currently seeking businesses to participate in Land Trust Day 2014. The following Asheville, NC area businesses have already signed
up. Your purchase at one of these or other participating business on June 7 will support our conservation work. Please be sure to thank them! ART TO WEAR
(Asheville & Waynesville locations)
For more info about benefits or to become a Land Trust Day sponsor, contact Cheryl Fowler at cheryl@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 ext 209.
We thank the following corporate partners for their support & invite new leaders to join them in protecting our region’s land and water resources. Contact Cheryl at cheryl@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 x 209 for more info.
Our Corporate Partners: Waterrock Knob Partners: (elevation 6,292 ft.) - $15,000+ Altamont Environmental, Inc Highland Brewing Company New Morning Ltd, including: Bellagio Art to Wear Bellagio Everyday Blue Spiral 1 Gallery Fine Arts Theatre New Morning Gallery Salesforce Cold Mountain Partners: (elevation 6,030 ft.) - $5,000+ Mast General Store New Belgium Brewing Co. Big Yellow Partners: (elevation 5,480 ft.) - $2,500+ Equinox Environmental First Citizens Bank Friends at Jubilee! Community Kee Mapping & Surveying Max Patch Partners: (elevation 4,629 ft.) - $1,000+ Carolina Tree Care Eastman Credit Union Keith Hargrove Architect PC Navitat Canopy Adventures Network Computer Solutions Parsec Financial Management Roberts & Stevens, Attorneys at Law Samsel Architects Wells Fargo
View from the Highlands | 25
Members’ | CORNER
New Members
Welcome to SAHC! We couldn’t do this without you! Mary Anglin Asher Bernstein Mary Ellen Brewington Dan Byrd Matthew Byrd Mr. & Mrs. Lee Chambers Dave Charlton John Chilton Wiley Crook Carolyn Dorner Durand & Gallentine Investment Group Caitlin Edenfield Lee Farese Mike & Betsy Fleenor Jill Hammack & D’Ann Ford Steve Frank Tony Franklin Stephanie Gillis Ronald & Heather Girard Linda Golymbieski Alice & Rick Gora
Greenco Beverage Co., Inc. Ellen Grigg Doug Harris Theresa Jeffries Tina Jenkins Elizabeth & Georgi Kostovi Alex Krug August & Susan Landl Risa & Howard Larsen Marsha LePhew Hal Mabray & Cathy Silverstein Douglas Mackay Marlowe Mager Richard Martula Kirsten Mitchell Frank Moretz John Norris Janis & Kurt Olson Glenda Pender Carolyn Pilgrim David Rainey May & John Rhea
Jon Sarver & Amanda Mills James Semans Bill & Tracy Shuping Christopher Sirmans William & Jane Stanley Starks Financial Group Jim & Anne Stokely Leslie and Susan Stradley Will Strayhorn Elizabeth Terrell Brenneman Thompson Russell Towers Margaret & Jimmy Vestal Rose & Bryan Wall Andrew Warner Anthony & Janice Warren Jane White Charles & Barbara Wilcox David & Laura Wright Anna Zanetti
Tributes A tribute gift is a special way to honor someone or a special occasion. In Honor of Randy Billings
In Honor of Jack Hamilton
In Honor of Kathy Singleton
Caitlin Edenfield
Patty Johnson
Dorothy Chappell
In Honor of Chuck & Lisa Carver
In Honor of Kay Hultquist
In Honor David & Melissa Smith
Pam & Joe Morris
James and Katherine Overholser
Pat Dunn & Lee Ann Smith
In Honor of Chatham County Line
In Honor of Jay Leutze
Jennie Smith-Pariola
David & Melissa Smith
Dorothy Chappell
In Honor of Philip Thomas
In Honor of Gene & Charlie Chilton
Joel & Pamela Herning
John Finnegan & Stephanie Horton
John Chilton
C.D. & Sally Smith
In Honor of Dave Werle
In Honor of Zellie Earnest
In Honor of Laura Mitchell
Starks Financial Group
Josephine Morrison
Kathleen Turczyn
In Honor of Emma Zanetti
In Honor of Bob Gault
In Honor of Judy Murray & Tom Gatti
Anna Zanetti
R .G. Wells
Rick Phelps
In Honor of Kristen Glover
In Honor of J.M. & Enid Silverstein
Timothy Armstrong
Lynn Silverstein
26 | Spring 2014
Members’ | CORNER
In Memoriam: Richard Amis Coker, Jr. Born in Germany on October 13, 1958, he was the son of Judy Alexander Coker of Maggie Valley and the late Richard Amis Coker.
Richard Amis Coker Jr., 55, of Maggie Valley, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 9, 2013 at his home. Richard served SAHC as dedicated Trustee, brightening our Board Retreats with his wit and humor. He will be sorely missed by many.
An alumnus of Appalachian State University where he received a B.A. in Business Management, Richard was the sole owner of Coker Construction and one of many coowners and operators of the family business, Cataloochee Ranch. He was a member of the Maggie Valley United Methodist Church, an active board member of the Cataloochee Ranch, and a prior member of the Cataloochee Ski Resort, where he Spring at Cataloochee Ranch
“Richard is probably entertaining the Angels with his pranks, ” said Judy Coker, Richard’s mother and former SAHC Trustee. “When news of Richard’s passing, from cancer, reached me, I thought of how many times we enjoyed his and his family’s hospitality, playing music, walking, horseback riding up on Hemphill Bald, picking ramps... One of my fondest recollections is playing the Maggie Valley Opry and swapping moonshiner stories. Richard had booked the show with Raymond Fairchild. My brothers and I played there on the night of a mighty blizzard in early November. I can still see Richard standing by the pot-bellied stove, the only heat in the building — And his smile! My brothers and I played for the small audience, and for Richard and the gang from the ranch. I will miss him, and his quiet presence. Let us bless each other and our environment, remembering Richard’s goodness. And above all, let us keep the music flowing, for that was Richard’s great joy!” ~ Peter Rowan
Memorials We share in honoring the memory of those friends who have passed. In Memory of Dr. Kay D. Bachman David & Elizabeth McIntire In Memory of David C. Bailey Mack & Yvonne Day Roger & Kate Henry Penland-Bailey Company Sonny & Marty Prevost Laurie Schueler Lynn Winkel In Memory of Joe Bogle Linda M. Good In Memory of Robert Celko Charlotte Reece In Memory of Richard Coker Mary Berryhill & Robert Snyder Sima Cooperman Judy Murray and Tom Gatti Janet Habas Cecil & Grace Pless Ann & Gregory Riccardi In Memory of Jim Crews Mary Crews In Memory of Robert Hadley Denton Helen Gift In Memory of Laurey Masterson Jackson & Laurie Hamilton In Memory of Patricia E. McMahon James Schreiber In Memory Deborah Dyer Neves W. Mills & Nancy Dyer In Memory of David Tate Ray & Susan Ellis In Memory of Robert S. Webb Sally & Alan Cone
View from the Highlands | 27
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Upcoming! To leave a legacy for future generations, remember SAHC in your estate planning. The Legacy Society of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy secures our incredible landscape and mountain heritage for future generations. Contact us at 828.253.0095 to be recognized as a part of the Legacy Society.
Appalachian Spring May 15, 2014
Land Trust Day June 7, 2014
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