View
from the Highlands
42 Years Protecting the World’s Oldest Mountains 2016 Spring Issue
Falls on Justice Creek Photo by Witt Langstaff, Jr.
Conserving Mountains • Farms • Streams • Habitat
Office
34 Wall Street, Suite 502, Asheville, NC 28801-2710 828.253.0095 • FAX 828.253.1248 sahc@appalachian.org
Annual Giving Success
Board of Trustees Nancy Edgerton, President Jack Hamilton, Vice-President Jay Leutze, Secretary Laura McCue, Treasurer Milton “Buddy” Tignor, Jr., At-Large Courtney Blossman Patty Cunningham-Woolf Lyman “Greg” Gregory, III Jim Houser Anne Kilgore Bill Lowndes Rick Manske Robbie McLucas Jeff Needham Kathy Singleton Mary Bruce Woody
Hike at Upper Catawba Falls Photo by Craig Thompson
Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Minneapolis, NC Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Charlotte, NC Kingsport, TN Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Kingsport, TN 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 Chris Link
Executive Director Associate Director Land Protection Director Farmland Program Director Stewardship & Conservation Planning Director Roan Stewardship Director Stewardship Associate Membership Director Finance Compliance Director Communications Director Donor Relations Manager Community Farm & Food Program Associate
Spencer Scheidt Jesse Wood Haley Smith Teagan Dolan
AmeriCorps Stewardship & Volunteer Associate AmeriCorps Stewardship & Volunteer Associate AmeriCorps Conservation Education & Volunteer Associate AmeriCorps Land Protection & Education Associate
Thank You!
Thank you all for helping us surpass our year-end giving goal, raising more than $160,000 for land and water conservation in the mountains of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina! Thanks to YOU, we can continue this important work. In addition, we raised almost $1,500 from the Mountain Xpress Give!Local campaign, which launched last year to provide regional incentives for donors to give to nonprofit organizations across Western NC. We are pleased to have been chosen as one of the benefitting organizations for this inaugural year.
Appalachian Trail Highlands Countryside of Roan French Black Broad River Mountains Smoky Mountains Valley
Balsam Mountains
Map: SAHC Focus Areas. Over the past 42 years, we have protected over 69,000 acres across ten counties in North Carolina and Tennessee.
Highlights: • L and Protection Update (4)
Letter from the
Director
• Our Community Farm (5-7) • Tilson Homeplace Work Day (8) • Saw-whet Owls (9)
This season is all about growing, and in this issue of the View we focus on farming and agriculture. Check out our accomplishments at SAHC’s Community Farm over the past five years (pg. 5-7). We have put together a full schedule of farm workshops for 2016, and invite you to participate in these hands-on educational opportunities. Read about our Corporate Partner Meadows Family Farm (pg. 21), which generously donated labor and materials to help improve infrastructure at the farm.
• Salamanders (10)
We recently helped add public land to the Cold Mountain Game Lands (pg. 4).
• Appalachian Spring (17)
Our Spring and Summer calendar is filling up with hikes and events, and we hope you will be able to join us! Our annual Appalachian Spring member celebration (pg. 17) will be held at Highland Brewing Company in Asheville on May 19, and our June Jamboree day of hikes in the Highlands of Roan will be June 11 (pg. 14-16). On page 23, we announce our new organizational strategic plan for 2016-2020. And THANK YOU for helping us surpass our Annual Giving goal for 2015! Your generosity makes all this work possible. Carl Silverstein Executive Director
The mission
• Conservation Field Journal: Trail Magic (11-12) • Upcoming Volunteer Days in the Highlands of Roan (13) • June Jamboree (14-16) • Outreach & Events (18-19) • Partnership in the Business Community (20-21) • Members’ Corner (22-23) We have stories and upcoming event announcements to share between printed issues of the View from the Highlands. For recent updates, visit us regularly at Appalachian.org, sign up for our e-View (monthly e-mailed newsletter), or follow us on Facebook. Do you have a photo or story to share? We love to hear from our members. Contact us at sahc@appalachian.org.
of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for people to enjoy outdoor recreation in 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
Lak eL oga n
SAHC’s Land Protection in the Cold Mountain Area
Waynesville Watersh ed
L a n d P r o t e c t i o n U P D AT E S
Caldwell Tract
Crawford Creek Shining Rock Wildnerness
Waynesville Watershed Our assistance in helping NC WRC acquire this tract for the Cold Mountain Game Lands is part of ongoing conservation efforts in our Balsam Mountains Focus Area. The Balsam Mountains contain some of the most recognized public lands in the Southern Appalachians, including the Shining Rock Wilderness, Cold Mountain Game Lands and Mount Pisgah. They are a biodiversity hotspot and critical wildlife corridor between the Nantahala National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, characterized by fertile cove forests, rich species diversity, and hardwood forests. Since 1999, we have protected nearly 11,000 acres in this area. We hold conservation easements on more than 800 acres on Crawford Creek on the east side of Cold Mountain adjoining the Shining Rock Wilderness and the 8,000-acre Waynesville watershed (co-held with the Conservation Trust for NC). SAHC is committed for the long haul to protecting more tracts in this iconic location. 4 | 2 0 1 6 Wi n t e r Is s u e
New land protection project
Cold Mountain Game Lands
Other Protected Lands (SAHC & NC DENR)
Pisgah National Forest
Balsam Mountains Focus Area
Cold Mountain Game Lands
Balsam Mountains Focus Area
We assisted the NC Wildlife Resources Commission in purchasing a 64-acre tract adjoining the Cold Mountain Game Lands near Lake Logan. The forested tract, formerly owned by the Caldwell family, adjoins the Cold Mountain Game Lands and Significant Natural Heritage Areas, ranging in elevation from 3,400 - 4,000 feet. It was purchased by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NC WRC) for addition to the Cold Mountain Game Lands. Ownership by the state agency will help reduce land fragmentation and ensure that this area is protected and properly managed. Timber on the property includes large yellow poplar, oak, and black cherry
SAHC and NC WRC staff visit the property.
trees, and common wildlife species found on the tract include grouse, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, black bear, various songbirds, salamanders, and small mammals. Protection of this tract was made possible through the partnership of SAHC and NC WRC. We assisted in the purchase by raising 25% of the purchase price through private philanthropic gifts. The property will be open to the public for recreational opportunities, including hunting, hiking, bird-watching, and photography.
Mature forest on the tract creates excellent wildlife habitat.
O u r C O M M U N I T Y FA R M
Our Community Farm The SAHC Community Farm is an integral part of our Farmland Conservation Program and Farmland Access Service. Donated to us in 2010, the property provides a joint model for environmental sustainability and productive agriculture. Here’s how the myriad aspects of the farm fit into our overall conservation work:
Land Protection Conservation Easements Land Acquisition
Lands Program Protect wild lands
Farmland Access Service
Provide Capital to Farmers through Agricultural Conservation Easement Projects
• • • •
Provide land to initiate or expand agricultural businesses Support local communities Boost local food production Ensure long-term productive use of farmland
Farmland Program Protect working farms & forests
Work with Partners to Create Farm Ownership and Leasing Opportunities
Community Farm & Food Project: Access to Land, Livelihood & Learning • • • • •
Beginning Farmer Incubator Program Farmer Education Workshop Series Educational Discovery Trail Stream Restoration and Mitigation Bank Shortleaf Pine Reforestation
View from the Highlands | 5
O u r C O M M U N I T Y FA R M
Upcoming Workshops:
Community Farm:
• Two-wheel “Walk Behind” Tractor Demo & Maintenance April 17 • Protecting your Biggest Asset: Your Body May 22 • Pasture Walk: Invasive Plant ID, Control and Removal June 9 • Irrigation Design at the Small Farm Scale July 7 • Black Soldier Fly Digester Design: Part 2, Closing the Loop July 24 • Cattle Talk 2: Handling and the Bud Box System August 25 • Forage Management August TBA • Farm Safety: Tractors, Skin Cancer, Pesticides & Sprayer Calibrations September 8 • Holistic Grazing Plan Process and Creating a Livestock Farmer Network September TBA • Mobile Walk-in Cooler Design/Build 1 October 9 • Mobile Walk-in Cooler Design/ Build 2 October 23 • Farm Planning: Base Mapping, Site Analysis, and Schematic Design November 13
Farmer Incubator Program Currently we have two operations successfully producing on the farm Second Spring Farm is gearing up for spring and summer production, and Sparrow Hill Farm plans to carry eight calf/cow pairs on the farm through 2016. Later this year we will be accepting applications to add one more farmer enterprise that compliments the program and land. Grant Support We are very grateful to the Community Foundation of WNC for awarding us a $30,000 grant to continue our Farmer Incubator Program. Education Center Renovations on an existing structure on the property are steadily progressing. The space will be used for future educational workshops, community events, and eventually a value-added professional grade kitchen. These renovations to date have been made possible through credit sales from our stream restoration and mitigation banking project. The credits were earned through our restoration and improvement of 3,355 linear feet of stream on the farm, in the French The Education Center will provide space for future workshops and events Broad River watershed. Initial investment for the stream restoration was made possible by a generous philanthropic donor, with the intent that capital generated from credits be used for infrastructure improvements on the Community Farm and farmland conservation. The approval and release of stream mitigation credits is being overseen by the Army Corps of Engineers over a period of seven years. SAHC is one of only a few land trusts in the nation to accomplish this kind of stream restoration and mitigation banking project.
(Workshops offered in conjunction with our partners at the Organic Growers School, WNCFarmlink, Buncombe County Ag Extension, Warren Wilson College, and others) For more info, to register for a workshop, or to be added to the Community Farm workshop e-mail list, contact chris@appalachian.org. 6 | 2 0 1 6 Wi n t e r Is s u e
Updates and New Improvements
Second Spring Farm: Sign Up for CSAs now! They are now accepting sign-ups for 2016 Spring-Fall CSAs. Pickups start in May. This year, refrigerated pickup is being offered 7 days a week at the French Broad Food Co-op. For details, or to sign up for a CSA share, visit secondspringfarm.com
O u r C O M M U N I T Y FA R M
Community Farm Workshop:
Season Extension Basics
Workshop participants tour a greenhouses on our Community Farm.
Pros and Cons of Season Extension Benefits • Higher productivity and income • Retention of or gain in customers • Higher prices at times of the year when other local growers do not have produce • Extended or year-round employment for skilled employees • Higher yields • Less pest pressure • Better quality Disadvantages include: • No break in the work schedule • Increased management demands • Higher production costs • Plastic disposal problems • Increased risk of crop failure if techniques are unsuccessful
More than 40 participants attended our most recent farm workshop. They ranged from farmers who work land owned by their family for generations, to young and intrepid growers who recently moved into the area. Ages and experience levels varied greatly — from small home gardeners to apprentices launching their own operations — all interested in learning more about season extension.
The two primary goals of extending winter production are to protect crops from frost or heat damage, and speed the growth of crops for quicker maturity and higher quality. Season extension techniques vary greatly in level of complexity. They can be as simple as selecting an early maturing, cold hardy, or heat-tolerant variety; planting a windbreak; or irrigating crops to reduce crop damage from heat or cold — or, as complex as year-round production in a heated greenhouse. Selection of crop varieties that mature over a range of dates allows a farmer to harvest a crop over an extended period. Heat tolerant varieties can be grown during warm months, and cold tolerant varieties during cold months, to stretch out the proportion of the year in which a crop can be marketed. Conducting on-farm variety trials is a good way to identify varieties that perform well in a particular region and when grown under a farm’s unique suite of practices. The use of plastic in horticultural crop production has increased dramatically in the past decade, greatly extending the possibilities for year-round production. Plastic film mulches, row covers, shade cloths, low tunnels, and high tunnels/hoop houses help to protect crops from the weather.
High tunnels are metal frames covered in plastic sheeting. They function similarly to greenhouses, but are generally unheated and in most cases do not have exhaust fans. Temperature is regulated by raising and lowering protective coverings, so management can be labor intensive. Many high tunnels are constructed so they can be moved from one location to another, to permit crop rotation and soil management. The fully heated greenhouse allows crops to be grown year-round, even through sub-zero winters. Irrigation is applied to crops to prevent damage due to high or low temperatures, and fans move air to prevent accumulation of cold air near the ground, protecting blossoms and crops from cold damage.
Casara of Second Spring Farm demonstrates winter growing techniques to workshop participants.
Creating Hoop house Structures Second Spring Market Garden put up 15 hoop houses for winter production. They embedded steel rebar into the ground for support to hold arches of PVC pipe. Heavy duty carabiner clips are anchored at the base, through which sturdy twine can be run and pulled taut to keep the covering and hoop house structure in place. View from the Highlands | 7
C o n s e r v at i o n I N A C T I O N Landowner Ileanna Grams-Moog recently teamed up with Bill Whipple and the Nutty Buddy Collective (left) to put a portion of her property into creative agricultural use — a multilayered forest of native nut and fruit trees.
Landowner Perspective: by Ileanna Grams-Moog
Partnerships in Education & Stewardship
Tilson Homeplace Work Day
Conservation doesn’t end with recording a land protection document. Stewardship of protected lands extends in perpetuity, and sometimes requires remediation of past problems for a property. Dedicated East TN State Univ. students responded to our call for a “Service Saturday” in February, helping clean up debris from illicit dumping on a protected, historic TN property.
“My late husband, Robert A. Moog, had purchased this tract in 1978, and the conservation easement in 2013 realized our dream to permanently protect it. About five acres of mowed land were left open to agricultural use, but I had no plans for it.
SAHC stewardship volunteers, ETSU students, and landowners Ken and Lotta Murray removed an impressive amount of debris, despite the cold, damp weather of the workday.
Then Bill Whipple told me about an idea I found so exciting that I invited him to come see if it would work at Big Briar Cove. Bill’s idea? Connect landless horticulturists with landowners who aren’t using part of their land, and trade food for the landowner in return for the use of land to plant and harvest. His concept is to plant nut trees in a planned food forest with layers of nut trees, fruit trees, shrubs, berries and ground-growing food or medicinal plants. Because I am very concerned about the disruption of native ecosystems by imported invasive plants, I stipulated that this pilot project would use only locally native species, or those known not to pose a threat to them. Bill and a group of young and enthusiastic partners formed the Nutty Buddy Collective and began planting trees in the spring of 2014. I am watching the growth of the project with excitement.” For more info, visit NuttyBuddyCollective.com
Planting native nut trees at Big Briar Cove.
8 | 2016 Spring Issue
The benefits of working with these student volunteers extended far beyond the impressive mountains of trash pulled out of waterways and forests. Through our partnership, the students glimpsed some of the challenges of managing natural resources — in this case, hundreds of acres bordered by a public road. During the workday, volunteers tackled heaps of trash and debris that for decades had been dumped from cars on the public route encircling the 377-acre cove. Illegally-dumped debris had accumulated in gullies and on hillsides of this secluded corner in Unicoi County, which features the historic homestead of US House Representative and majority leader John Q. Tilson.
Landowners and caretakers Ken and Lotta Murray have been steadily reducing these debris piles for years, but the situation required a concerted effort to make a big impact. By the end of the day, our trashremoval efforts overflowed a dumpster-trailer, a second trailer bed, and a truck bed. Our team of ten removed a total of 1,300 pounds of assorted trash and debris from the conservation easement property, along with a number of tires — including one from a Model-T Ford. Impressed by their impact, the students began talking about organizing other cleanups on campus and in the region. It is empowering to tackle a problem with such a visible result, and that empowerment is contagious!
C o n s e r v at i o n I N A C T I O N
Whooooo is this?
Northern Saw-whet Owl The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a native species that is mainly a permanent resident in the northern and western sections of the United States. However, there are two main “disjunct” Appalachian populations of Saw-whet Owls, occurring in the Central and Southern Appalachians. Like so many other “northern” species, Saw-whet Owls are only able to survive in these areas by using the highest elevation habitats — northern hardwoods and spruce-fir forests. They depend on these dense forests for winter survival, but will use grassy balds and other openings for hunting (primarily deer mice). One of the greatest threats to Saw-whet Owls in our region is habitat loss. The smallest owl species in the eastern United States, Saw-whet Owls only
Juvenile Saw-whet Owls
reach 7 to 8 inches tall, including the Saw-whet Owl Photo Credit: Kameron Perensovich/Flickr Creative Commons tail. The Saw-whet has a distinctive Ridge and the newly acquired Broad call from which it gets its name — it Branch tract, and tracts that have emits a cry that sounds like a saw transferred to our partners, such as being sharpened on a whetstone. Rocky Fork and parts of the Yellow These tiny owls are very secretive, Mountain State Natural Area, provide so their population trends are hard Saw-whet habitat. The owls are also to track. The Saw-whet Owl has a known to live in the upper reaches of huge attitude for such a small bird — the Black Mountains, in our Big Tom very curious and not intimidated by people, they have even been known to Wilson Conservation Easement near fly down and perch overhead at a Mt. Mitchell. campfire! Roan Stewardship Director Marquette We are very proud to have Crockett has heard the distinctive protected tens of thousands of call of the Northern Saw-whet Owl acres of Saw-whet Owl habitat. at Carvers Gap, a popular access Our Highlands of Roan focus point for the Appalachian Trail in the area is a stronghold for these Highlands of Roan. owls. Many of our fee simple properties, including Grassy
Maps: Saw-whet Owl Habitat protected by SAHC
Mt. Mitchell
in the Highlands of Roan and Black Mountains Saw-whet Owl Habitat SAHC-protected lands
Highlands of Roan
Black Mountains View from the Highlands | 9
C o n s e r v at i o n I N A C T I O N
Cool Customers
Salamanders Did you know the Appalachian region has more salamander species than any other place on the planet? Longtail Salamander, photo by Ryan Hagerty
Salamander Spotting Springtime is a wonderful time to look for salamanders! You can easily find these amphibians crossing roads and trails on rainy nights or by gently turning over rocks and logs during the day. It’s best to simply observe salamanders without catching them. However, if you must handle them, please make sure that your hands and temporary containers are clean — salamanders are very sensitive to the salts, soaps, and chemicals found on our hands. If turning over rocks or logs, be sure to gently replace them and allow the salamander to crawl back under (they are someone’s home, after all).
Redback Salamander with eggs
More than 70 species can be found in the Appalachian mountains, including many “endemic” species that are ONLY found here. Roughly 50 salamander species can be found right here in Western North Carolina / East Tennessee. The diversity of shapes, sizes, colors, and habits exhibited by these secretive critters has often been compared to song birds or wildflowers for showiness, and their ecological impacts are nearly immeasurable.
Juvenile Slimy Salamander, Photo by Kent Mason
Unfortunately, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources lists 47% of the world’s salamanders as threatened or endangered due to factors including habitat loss, climate change, and emerging diseases. This makes the conservation of Appalachian salamanders, and the lands where they live, more important than ever. There are many families of salamanders found in the mountains,
10 | 2016 Spring Issue
Red-spotted newt, photo by Witt Langstaff, Jr.
including mole salamanders who live underground most of their lives, aquatic families that include mudpuppies and hellbenders, and the newts — represented by one lone species, the red-spotted newt. The salamander family that by far exceeds all others for diversity is Family Plethodontidae, the lungless salamanders. Members of the lungless salamander family “breathe” through their moist skin and mouths. Other than that, the family exhibits so much diversity that it’s hard to describe. Members range from tiny bronze Pygmy salamanders, coming in at a max of 1.5 inches long to the showy Yonahlossee salamander that may reach 9 inches or more. The family also includes the slightly drab colored “dusky” salamanders, whom you will typically find along or in streams, and the colorful “woodland” salamanders, whom live and breed in leaf litter and under rocks and logs.
Spotted Salamander, photo by Ken Sturm
C o n s e r va t i o n
On the Roan with
Field Journal
Roan Stewardship D ir
Unattended Coo
ector M arquette C
rockett
lers and Tr ail M agic ?
A few months ago, I ha d a field meeting with co lleagues at Carvers Gap , and, arriving early, I decided to walk around the Trail. Near the end of my loop, I started seein g trash — a plastic bag here, a juice bottle ther e. It continued to increa se until I stumbled onto the “motherlode,” a cool er that had been left by a well-meaning person w ho wanted to leave “trail magic” for Appala chian Trail through-hike rs. Long empty of any edible contents, it was now packed with trash, chewed up by mammals and swim ming in icy cold, smelly, snowy sludge. I can assure you that as I hauled it out, there w as nothing magical about it... except for th e fact that it smelled lik e a nasty potion! Cooler & trash by the Trail As I tried to drain enou gh water out of the mes s to form it into a stable trash he ap, I began to ponder: “What exactly is trail m agic?” Admittedly, I’ve never through-hiked th e AT, but I’ve done enou gh backpacking to apprecia te a soft pillow or that lo ngawaited beer or chocolat e at the end of a hard tr ip. When I think of magic on the Roan, however, I think of the sun cutting throug h the fog on Big Hump, the glittering spider webs th at decorate the sides of the trail, even the feeling of a storm approaching. Unattended coole rs can cause unintended conseq uences.
View from the Highlands | 11
the beautiful, strange In short, I think of all rs from the mountain and constant reminde ly tiny creatures, we that although we are on l natural magic. are a part of an eterna
of Trail The official definition
s of Roan
e AT, Highland
Views from th
ed act of kindness, a Magic is “an unexpect So, Trail long-distance hikers”. y an m r fo e nc rie pe ex the Appalachian Trail quintessential part of went by, nd that! But as weeks hi be t ge ly ite fin de n ith a bit of Kismet. I ca Magic = Love mixed w oler. gged me about that co bu ely at er sp de ll sti ng somethi by the Appalachian st po ok bo ce Fa nt ce re n I saw a nd came up again whe ie fr y nk sti ur O it? In reply, I posted a te ha or it ve lo — ic ag d trail m t unattended coolers an ou ab y nc va er ns Co l Trai and trash are terrible for wildlife es ch ca od fo ed nd tte e brisk comment ‘Una pic of the cooler with th ts my any likes and commen m w ho at d de un to as perience I want!’ I was up the trail - not the ex way! r people feel the same he ot of T LO a ly, nt re picture received. Appa ne out of trail magic has to be do ue Tr is: th is ts en m m of those co My summary from all y things to be willing to do craz ve ha u Yo . ty ili sib on nse of place and resp love, but also with a se ance and ings like trail mainten th at th ow kn to d an , age and someone else’s like pack out your garb r the you to be responsible fo s ire qu re ic ag m l ai tr ue ide magic. In short, tr habitat work also prov love. ns on the places we all tio ac ur yo of es nc ue Leave No Trace conseq ns about incorporating tio nservancy offers sugges Co ail Tr ct on hikers, an hi lac pa Ap e Th the most positive impa ve ha to ic ag m il tra g providin in it. practices to help those volunteers who mainta e th d an , life ld wi d an the Trail, its plants w.appalachiantrail.com For more info, visit ww
12 | 2016 Spring Issue
C o n s e r v at i o n I N A C T I O N
Upcoming Volunteer Work Days: Garlic Mustard Pull at Roan Mtn State Park Date: Saturday, April 16 | Time: 10 am to 3 pm It’s spring time again! And as beautiful native wildflowers sprout up toward the sun, invasive species are tagging right along. Plucking out the pesky invaders when they’re young and tender isn’t hard work, but it does take a lot of hands! This year, SAHC is partnering with Roan Mountain State Park, to remove garlic mustard from the park and heavily trafficked highways around Carver’s Gap and SAHC properties in the Highlands of Roan. Come join us! We will meet at Roan Mountain State Park at 10 am. Volunteers will be briefed, divided into groups, and dispersed across the Park and along public roadsides to pull garlic mustard. Be sure to bring clothes and sturdy shoes you can work in, lunch, water, and a bag to carry personal items. We will provide work gloves. To sign up to volunteer, or if you have any questions, please contact Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett at marquette@appalachian.org.
What is Garlic Mustard? A pervasive invasive plant species spread easily by tiny seeds which cling to hikers, wildlife, and tire tread. Garlic mustard poses a severe threat to native plants and animals. It out-competes native plants by aggressively monopolizing light, moisture, nutrients, soil and space. Although sometimes used for human consumption, wildlife tend to bypass the pungent foliage, leaving it to proliferate while putting additional strain on native plant populations.
Spring Cleaning at Hampton Creek Cove/ National Trails Day Volunteer Opportunity Date: Saturday, June 4 | Time: 10 am to 3 pm We will meet at the Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area parking area at 10 am and will spend the day cutting brush and weeds and putting up new trail signs and markers. Seven miles of public trails cross the Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area, including a certified section of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail — and these trails need some love! As part of National Trails Day, we are calling for volunteers to help finish some infrastructure trail improvements — including trimming around the new hiker stiles and installing signage — as well as general trail maintenance in the Cove. We will work for approximately 4 hours, with a break for lunch. Come for all day, or just a part! Volunteers should wear sturdy shoes and bring rain gear, sunscreen, lunch, and water. We will provide hand tools, work gloves, and any other safety equipment. Please RSVP to Marquette Crockett at marquette@appalachian.org by May 31st. View from the Highlands | 13
June JA MBOREE
June Jamboree! Free Guided Hikes and Outings in the Highlands of Roan Date: Saturday, June 11th
June Jamboree Schedule #1 Carver’s Gap to Grassy Ridge Hike (9 am) #2 Roll ‘n’ Stroll (11 am) #3 Riding the Roan (9:30 am) #4 Yoga in the Roan with Kris Moon (11 am) #5 Challenge Hike (9 am) Social: Big Rock Creek property (drop by between 1-4 pm)
Please join us for our annual day of free, guided adventures and social fellowship in the beautiful Highlands of Roan. We offer five group outings with choices for all age and ability levels. Descriptions, details and start times for each are provided on the following pages. Hikes are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most difficult. Upon registration, you will receive additional information, including directions to the departure location. Be sure to bring: sturdy hiking shoes, camera, water, lunch, sunscreen, and appropriate clothing for your hike. The weather may be sunny, rainy, windy or cool.
We hope you can join us in the Highlands!
Social Gathering Join us on our recently protected property at Big Rock Creek (formerly TrailRidge Mountain Camp and Camp Pleiades) to enjoy fellowship with friends and family and learn about our recent conservation initiatives. Light refreshments and beverages provided. Location of the property and directions below: From Johnson City, TN: Follow I-26 E/US-23 S; Take Exit 32 for TN 173 toward Unicoi Rd.; Turn left on State Hwy 173; Turn right onto Unicoi Dr; Turn left onto TN-107 E (10 mi); Continue onto NC-226 S; Turn left onto Hughes Gap Rd (2.4 mi); Turn left at 114 Abby Road and you’ve arrived. From Asheville, NC: Take US-19N/US-23N/I-26 West to exit 9 Burnsville/ Spruce Pine (36.7 mi); Turn right onto 19E headed north (17.7 mi); Turn left onto 197N (11.1mi); Turn right onto NC -226 (6.9 mi); Go past elementary school and turn right onto Hughes Gap Rd (2.4 mi); Turn left at 114 Abby Road and you’ve arrived. 14 | 2016 Spring Issue
Big Rock Creek Property, 114 Abby Rd., Bakersville, NC
June JA MBOREE Hike #1 — Carvers Gap to Grassy Ridge Location: Carvers Gap | Start Time: 9:00 am | Est. End Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm Leader: Marquette Crockett and Chris Coxen | Difficulty: Moderately Strenuous (7-8) Join Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett and former SAHC Field Ecologist Chris Coxen for this classic and rewarding hike atop the highest elevation balds in the Highland of Roan, widely considered among the most spectacular scenery along the Appalachian Trail. Grassy Ridge is the highest point near the AT, reaching 6,189 feet in elevation. Enjoy a natural, unobstructed 360-degree view, blooming rhododendron, flame azalea, and so much more. Easier Hike Option: hike out to Round Bald or Jane Bald, to enjoy the flowers and expansive views.
Hike #2 — Roll ‘n’ Stroll Location: Rhododendron Gardens | Start Time: 11:00 am | Est. End Time: 1:00 pm Leader: Carl Silverstein | Difficulty: Easy (2) The Rhododendron Gardens on top of the Roan will be blazing with color this time of year. Executive Director Carl Silverstein will lead hikers across gentle terrain with stunning views of the Roan landscape. On this leisurely stroll, hikers will learn about a number of SAHC’s land protection projects that can be viewed from the gardens as we walk along. This family-friendly hike is designed to provide people of all hiking abilities with an 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/stroller accessible.
Hike #3 — Ride the Roan: Scenic 37 mile Road Bike Loop Location: Big Rock Creek | Start Time: 9:30 am | Est. End Time: ~ 2:00 pm Leader: Michelle Pugliese | Difficulty: Strenuous (10+); Experience Required Join Land Protection Director, Michelle Pugliese on this 37 mile ride through scenic mountain terrain. The ride will begin and end at our Big Rock Creek property. In the first 5 miles tackle a strenuous climb along SR226, crossing the AT followed by a rewarding decent through Cherokee NF. Riders will enjoy the rolling TN countryside, including a pedal along the scenic Doe River and through Roan Mt. State Park. One more climb up to the AT at Hughes Gap and then down to the Social for cold beverages and fellowship. Ride will include a lunch break and one other brief stop along the way. Elevation gain: ~4,700 ft. • Unsupported ride • Experienced bikers only View from the Highlands | 15
June JA MBOREE Hike #4 — Yoga in the Roan with Kris Moon Location: Little Cove Creek | Start Time: 11:00 am | Est. End Time: 1:00 pm Leader: Kris Moon | Difficulty: Easy (1-2) Join yogi Kris Moon for an uplifting breath-and alignment-based yoga class in a beautiful meadow by a stream at our Little Cove Creek property in the Roan. We’ll start with warm up poses, and include a comprehensive sequence of postures, breath work, and meditation. This session is open to all levels. Afterward, enjoy lunch and admire the seasonal wildflowers. No prior yoga experience is required, but please bring a blanket, yoga mat, and wear comfortable, stretchy clothes.
Hike #5 — Challenge Hike: Cloudland Hotel Site to Big Rock Creek Start Location: Cloudland Hotel Site | Start Time: 9:00 am | Est. End Time: 3:00 pm Leader: Hanni Muerdter and Haley Smith | Difficulty: Very strenuous (10+) This 9 mile hike will begin on the AT at the site of the Historical Cloudland Hotel near the Rhododendron Gardens. We will follow the AT steeply downhill for over 3 miles, descending to an elevation of 4,140 feet at Hughes Gap. We will then climb about 2 miles to the top of the ridge and see views of the Tennessee side of Roan. After hiking on the ridgeline, we will travel off-trail through National Forest land down to our Big Rock Creek property, where we will finish the day descending a mile along steeply graded trails before finding ourselves in the midst of the afternoon’s festivities. Hikers should expect some very steep sections and a chance to see a variety of wildflowers, rhododendron, and other blooms.
RESERVATIONS — June Jamboree ( June 11) in the Highlands of Roan Register online at Appalachian.org or mail this completed form to: SAHC, 34 Wall St., Suite 502, Asheville, NC, 28801 For questions or assistance with registration, contact Haley Smith at haley@appalachian.org. Hike #: ________ Name: Phone: Email: Hike #: ________ Name: Phone: Email: Kids: (For planning purposes, please include names of all participants)
Total # Attending the after-hike social: _________ Optional Donation Enclosed: $________ 16 | 2016 Spring Issue
I realize that the June Jamboree event is free for all participants, but I would like to make a donation to help offset the cost of the event. Please RSVP for planning purposes.
Events & OUTREACH
Appalachian Spring Member Celebration
Date: Thursday, May 19 Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Where: The Meadow at Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC Join us in celebrating 42 years of conservation in our community! Because of you — our dedicated members, volunteers, and community supporters — we can continue protecting the special places we all love. Enjoy an evening in the meadow of celebration and merriment. Food catered by the Green Opportunities Kitchen-Ready Program.
Outdoor event area at Highland Brewing Company
Event Ticket Price includes: Heavy appetizers, 1 drink ticket, music and fellowship. Purchase your tickets early to save! Early bird prices (thru April 30): $25 for SAHC members/ $30 non-members In advance (after April 30): $30 members/$35 non-members. At the door: $40 for everyone.
The Screaming J’s Band
We are very grateful for the support of our event sponsors:
To become an event sponsor or donate raffle items, contact Cheryl Fowler at cheryl@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 ext 209.
Tickets are available for purchase at Appalachian.org, or fill out the order form below. Tickets # Total $
Name(s) for guest list:
Payment Enclosed. Please make payable to SAHC. Do not mail cash. Mail forms to SAHC at 34 Wall Street, Suite 502, Asheville, NC, 28801. Charge my Credit Card Name: Exp. Date Address: Sec. Code Phone:
Card #: E-mail:
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 if you cannot attend the event.
The Board recommends the nomination of Popsie Lynch of Fairview, NC; Matt Moses of Erwin, TN; and Stu Ryman of Asheville, NC to be nominated for a first three-year term, and Jim Houser of Charlotte, NC; Anne Kilgore of Kingsport, TN ; and Jay Leutze of Minneapolis, 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 Nancy Edgerton 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 19, 2016. 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: ______________
q Vote against
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Events & OUTREACH
C a lenda r Upcoming Hikes and Events “For Love of Beer & Mountains” Early’s Hoppy Wheat Release Friday, April 15 Garlic Mustard Pull at Roan Mountain State Park Saturday, April 16 Popper Memorial Hike Saturday, April 30 Yoga on the Mountain Saturday, May 7 “For Love of Beer & Mountains” Partnership Saw-Whet Hike Saturday, May 8 Pedal to Protect Farmland Saturday, May 14 Appalachian Spring Membership Celebration Thursday, May 19 “For Love of Beer & Mountains” Partnership Early’s Mtn Hike Saturday, May 28 Live at Aloft! Sunday, May 29 Land Trust Day/ National Trails Day Saturday, June 4 Community Farm Outing Saturday, June 4 Trail Work Volunteer Day at HCC Saturday, June 4 June Jamboree Saturday, June 11
“For Love of Beer & Mountains” Partnership Events Early’s Hoppy Wheat Release Party Date: Friday, April 15 | Time: 4:00 -9:00 pm Where: Highland Brewing Company, Asheville, NC Join us to celebrate the release of a brand new seasonal brew named after Early’s Mountain! This mountain stands at the gateway to the Sandy Mush Community, where SAHC has helped protect over 10,000 acres. Highland Brewing Company will donate $1 from each pint sold to SAHC, to support land and water conservation. FREE, live music begins at 7:00 pm. This public event is family-friendly.
Early’s Mountain Hike Date: Saturday, May 28 | Time: 10:00 am | Difficulty: Moderate (4-5) Where: Bee Branch Farm, Sandy Mush, NC | Cost: Free, registration required This hike is a 3+ mile loop on a 500-acre working farm that SAHC protected with a conservation easement in 2009. Learn about conservation easements as a tool for protecting farmland, Bee Branch Farm family history, and Sandy Mush lore. We will make a small climb at the halfway point to gain panoramic views of the valley and enjoy our picnic lunch.
Saw-whet Hike
Date: Sunday, May 8 | Time: 10:00 am | Difficulty: Moderately Strenuous (6-7) Where: Big Bald Banding Station, Mars Hill, NC Cost: Free, registration required Join us for the first SAHC and Highland Brewing Co. Sawwhet Saison partnership hike, celebrating Highland’s recent release of the new Saw-whet Saison. Hikers will have a chance to check Saw-whet owl nest boxes at the Big Bald Banding Station with the guidance of folks from Southern Appalachian Raptor Research and then hike to the top of Big Bald and down to Little Bald to enjoy lunch.
Check Appalachian.org for more! 18 | 2016 Spring Issue
Highland Brewing Company partners with SAHC to support conservation efforts and heighten awareness of the unique and fragile natural treasures of the Southern Appalachians. Highland donates a portion of sales from each seasonal release party and works with us to co-lead partnership hikes.
Events & OUTREACH For more information or to register for guided hikes & outings, contact our Americorps Outreach Associate Haley Smith at 828.253.0095 ext. 205 or haley@appalachian.org.
Popper Memorial Hike
Date: Saturday, April 30 | Time: 10:00 am Difficulty: Moderate (4-5) Where:Price’s Creek Tract, Burnsville, NC Cost: Free for SAHC members; $10 for non-members We invite you to join us for a memorial hike to honor and remember our friend Bill Popper and his dedication to preserving the 573-acre property in Yancey County that he loved so much. The Price’s Creek tract has many varieties of wildflowers where we will find May Apple, Blood Root, Lark Spur and much more. We will hike through a Northern Hardwood Forest ecosystem and make our way to a lovely spot on Price’s Creek for lunch.
Pedal to Protect Farmland
Date: Saturday, May 14 | Time: 11:00 am Difficulty: 25-mile, moderate ride Where: Begin and End at the Wedge in Asheville; travel to and from SAHC Community Farm Cost: Free for members; $10 for non-members Take a ride with SAHC! Join Land Protection Director and biking enthusiast Michelle Pugliese for our inaugural road ride, featuring a stopover at the SAHC Community Farm with light refreshments and a peek at our incubator farm operations. The route is approximately 25 miles, with 2 decent climbs--the first being a fun, short and steep climb at mile 5, the second being a longer gradual slog with a few shorter, steeper stretches on the way back. The ride should take approximately 3 hours. Experience Level: Must have experience riding a road bike on city and rural roads alongside vehicular traffic, and be comfortable riding 25 miles.
Yoga on the Mountain w/ Kim Drye
Date: Saturday, May 7 | Time: 10:00 am Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (2-3) Where: Fairview Farming Community Cost: Free for SAHC members; $10 for non-members We will hike to the top of a beautiful high-elevation pasture, lay down a yoga mat, and practice our sun salutations, among many other poses with the leadership of certified yoga teacher Kim Drye. From this location, hikers and yogis alike will experience the beauty of their surroundings and the invigorating calm brought on by practicing yoga. No prior experience is required, but please bring a blanket, yoga mat, and comfortable (stretchy) clothes, as well as sturdy shoes for the hike, water, sunscreen and a pack to carry personal items.
Sundays Live @Aloft
Date: Sunday, May 29 (Memorial Day Weekend) Time: 4:00 to 8:00 pm Enjoy live music, signature sips, and snacks while taking in spectacular Asheville mountain views on the Air Level at the Aloft Hotel in downtown Asheville. Enjoy music from a local performer and a stunning setting for just a $5 donation at the door, which will go directly to SAHC for local conservation! This public event is pet-friendly. View from the Highlands | 19
Pa r t n e r s h i p s i n t h e B U S I N E S S C O M M U N I T Y
Shop and Dine to Support Conservation! Date: Saturday, June 4
Fundraising by Design — Saw-Whet Shirts by Mtn Merch Mtn Merch in Biltmore Village has designed a co-branded SAHC/NCLine Saw-Whet Owl T-shirt, with $5 from the sale of each shirt benefitting our land and water conservation efforts! Mtn Merch is a retail shop specializing in local wares, and we are very grateful for their support. The shirts are available for purchase throughout March, April, and May at the Mtn Merch store, 22 Lodge Street, Asheville, NC 28803. You can also purchase shirts directly from SAHC during our Appalachian Spring celebration on May 19, through our website at Appalachian.org, or by calling our office at 828.253.0095. Check out Mtn. Merch online at: mtnmerch.com
Front
Back
Join us in celebrating SAHC’s economic impact! Land Trust Day is held each year in conjunction with National Trails Day, the first Saturday in June. Recognizing that their customers deeply value the natural resources and scenic places we preserve, our Land Trust Day business partners donate a percentage of the day’s sales to support SAHC’s land and water conservation efforts.
Your purchase on June 4 will help our work! These local business have
already committed to participate in Land Trust Day 2016:
ART TO WEAR
(check Appalachian.org for future updates)
Do you know of a local business who might be interested in sponsoring conservation for a day? We are looking for more sponsor participants for Land Trust Day. Contact Cheryl Fowler at 828.253.0095 ext 209 or cheryl@appalachian.org for details.
Land Trust Day Outing
Date: Saturday, June 4th | Time: 10 am | Difficulty: Easy (2-3) Where: SAHC Communit y Farm, Alexander, NC Cost: Free for SAHC members; $10 for non-members Join us for a moderately easy, family-friendly guided tour along the Discovery Trail at the SAHC Community Farm in Alexander. Along the way, you will learn about the various projects under way at the farm, including our Farmer Incubator Program. We will walk through active farming areas, see the successfully restored streams flowing through the property, discuss our shortleaf pine restoration project, and give you a preview of our newly renovated education facility. We will accomplish all of this in plenty of time for you to return to town to shop and enjoy lunch at one of the businesses participating in Land Trust Day. Optional: You may bring a lunch and blanket or camp chairs and enjoy a picnic on the farm following the hike.
20 | 2016 Spring Issue
Pa r t n e r s h i p s i n t h e B U S I N E S S C O M M U N I T Y
Corporate Partner Profile:
Meadows Family Farm
Meadows Family Farms has been owned, operated, lived on and loved by four generations of the Strader Family. Kenneth and Dani Strader have worked side by side for 35 years and raised four children on the Meadows Family Farm land. They support SAHC at a Corporate Partner level because they appreciate our Community Farm endeavor. “We are a family farm dedicated in all that we do to honoring our ancestors,” say the Straders. “Through honest industry and diligent labor, they have made it possible for us to provide for ourselves and our community by simply continuing a way of life that we love.” “We find great joy in rediscovering the irrefutable agricultural truths that our predecessors learned and knew over 100 years ago. Now, with a granddaughter chasing chickens, we continue to work every day, drawing from the old to grow something new, always with the intention to enhance and preserve our farm for generations to come.”
to grazing pasture land and buckwheat grown to naturally nurture the soil.
Mt. Mitchell: $25,000+ See your name here! Waterrock Knob: $15,000+ Highland Brewing Company New Morning Ltd. Salesforce Roan Mountain: $10,000+ Conservation Advisors of NC Mast General Store
“While livestock has always been a part of the farm, we have taken it Dani and Kenneth Strader ‘back to the basics’ by embracing the ‘old’ philosophy of all natural, carefully nurtured, grass fed beef, and cage-free pork, eggs and poultry,” says Dani. “The work is hard and the days are long, but results are delicious and would undoubtedly make Kenneth’s great grandfather extremely proud.” The Straders have donated over $9,000 in materials and labor to install and repair fencing at our Community Farm. They also provided farm-fresh meats for our Gray’s Lily Leadership reception at the farm last fall.
What started as a small self-sustaining farm back in the 1960’s now encompasses acreage in Guilford and Moore Counties in NC. This ever-evolving agricultural enterprise has produced everything from acres of tobacco hand-tied and cured on-site to organic heirloom tomatoes prized by local chefs, and from row crops of feed corn and soybeans
Corporate Partners & Giving Levels
“I am pleased to see and be a part of a place that gives young people who have a passion and desire for farming a stepping stone,” says Kenneth.
For more info, visit meadowsfamilyfarms.com
Cold Mountain: $5,000+ Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo Causeway Interactive Eastman Chemical Company Kee Mapping & Surveying Meadows Family Farm Big Yellow: $2,500+ Addison Farms Vineyards Appalachian Realty Associates Brunk Auctions First Citizens Bank Jubilee! Community Mamacita’s Taqueria Max Patch: $1,000+ Chef Peter Affatato Altamont Environmental Catawba Brewing Co. Eastman Credit Union Equinox Environmental Farmhouse Gallery & Gardens French Broad River Garden Club Foundation Keith Hargrove Architect PC Lululemon USA, Inc. Navitat Canopy Adventures Network Computer Solutions Roberts & Stevens, Attorneys at Law Samsel Architects Starks Financial Group USA Raft
View from the Highlands | 21
Members’ CORNER
Memorials
We share in honoring the memory of those friends who have passed. In Memory of John B. Lowndes Judy Murray & Tom Gatti In Memory of Dr. Charles T. McCullough Carolyn Novak & Don Johnson In Memory of Judith Roach Judy Kelly In Memory of Lee Wallace Carolyn Novak & Don Johnson
Tributes
A tribute gift is a special way to honor someone.
In Honor of Mike Green John & Sarah Green In Honor of Zellie Earnest Josephine Morrison
Winter Tree Identification Hike in the Rough Creek Watershed, January 2016
Welcome, New Members! Daniel Barron Jake & Cynthia Blood Nile Bowman Lori Kijek
Chris and Katerina Neglia Jennifer Powell Catherine Shane The Block
To become a member, fill out the enclosed membership form in this newsletter, join online at Appalachian.org, or contact Membership Director Cheryl Fowler at 828.253.0095 ext 209 or cheryl@appalachian.org.
Members Enjoy Free Guided Hikes
22 | 2016 Spring Issue
Members’ CORNER
Vision:
2016-2020 Strategic Plan
Planning for the Future Every five years, we update our organization’s strategic plan in order to ensure that we are meeting the challenges of our conservation mission as effectively and efficiently as possible. Last fall, we adopted a new 5-year plan to guide our conservation initiatives and continue our successes through 2020. The process involved obtaining input from staff, volunteers, Trustees, partners, and other community stakeholders over the course of the year. We accomplished the following steps: • Reviewed and made minor updates to SAHC’s Vision and Mission statements. • Prepared a Statement of Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practices, and a Statement of Values and Ethics • Analyzed SAHC’s operating context and situation, taking into consideration external socio-economic and political factors, industry trends, institutional landscape, demographic trends, and internal capacity. • Updated SAHC’s Goals, emphasizing best approaches to implement the Mission, and any changes that may be needed in personnel, funding, or other aspects of SAHC, and • Developed strategies for implementing goals • Affirmed annual performance summary process for evaluating results. At the December 2015 regular quarterly meeting, the SAHC Board of Trustees officially adopted the plan. Our 2016 - 2020 strategic objectives will help guide our work over the next five years, so we can continue to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for people to enjoy outdoor recreation in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.
Improve quality of life for current and future generations by protecting and stewarding places we love and connecting people with them.
Strategic Goals: Protect priority lands that further our mission of conserving “unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for people to enjoy outdoor recreation.
Steward land and conservation easements SAHC holds, and convene partnerships to restore and effectively manage the fragile, globally significant ecosystems of the Highlands of Roan.
Connect people with land, advancing opportunities for access for farming, outdoor recreation, and outreach regarding SAHC’s conservation mission.
Grow our financial and organizational strength and stability in order to achieve excellence in our program goals.
View from the Highlands | 23
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Asheville, NC Permit No. 460
34 Wall Street, Suite 502 Asheville, NC 28801-2710 (828) 253-0095 Return Service Requested
Printed on Post Consumer Recycled Paper
Upcoming Hikes & Events! Garlic Mustard Pull at Roan Mtn. Saturday, April 16
Increase your conservation impact! Remember SAHC with a gift of cash or stock. Our Wells Fargo account number is 4205-3519 and the DTC number for transfers is 0141. Your broker can arrange the transfer for you or call our office for assistance at 828.253.0095.
Popper Memorial Hike Saturday, April 30
Yoga on the Mountain Saturday, May 7
Appalachian Spring Member Celebration Thursday, May 19
Land Trust Day/National Trails Day Saturday, June 4
June Jamboree Saturday, June 11 See pg 18 for more events. Follow us online for recent updates!
Appalachian.org