River Cane Makes a Come Back

RiverLink promotes the environmental and economic vitality of the French Broad River and its watershed.

A Note From the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

Each day during my drive home I pass through the heart of construction activity in the River Arts District. Rather than getting annoyed at the traffic delays I feel excited at the progress being made to build greenways and bike paths that will ensure more people can experience the river.

I have a general idea of what the final product will look like, but seeing this vision come to life is truly exciting. This progress would not have been achievable without the support of many different stakeholders. You as a community made it possible, including supporting RiverLink as a catalyst for this kind of transformation. We are all part of something larger than ourselves as we work to transform the Riverfront in this manner.

We are at the end of the second month of this new decade and we continue to move towards a broad vision to bring river revitalization to more communities throughout the watershed “from Rosman to Hot Springs.”

This month’s newsletter is packed full of information that furthers our mission towards this amazing vision. Thank you for all you do to make this kind of impact in our watershed communities possible!

Garrett and the RiverLink Team

PS- Mark your calendars for two of our biggest events:

Earth Day Kids Festival - April 18

RiverFest and the Anything That Floats Parade - July 25

Environmental Education Program

Buncombe County Early College (BCEC) and RiverLink have teamed up to work on a real-world design project for Azalea Park along the Swannanoa River.

This is the second year for the partnership, which empowers first year students to play an active role in the restoration of their community.

RiverLink staff has worked with these students to teach them the basics of stream ecology and guide them through the property they'll be working to improve.

Photo credit: Buncombe County Schools.

Now students will embark on a 4 month journey where they work with professionals, design prototypes, and make proposals for the improvement of Azalea Park .

All of their efforts are guided by the question " How can we improve human interactions with nature ?".

Students will be working in groups to make proposals for riverbank trails , educational signage , new park structures and more .

We cannot wait to see what these bright young minds come up with!

Learn More about Environmental Education

Watershed Resources Program

Love Your Watershed Service Day

Was a Huge Success!

Our clean-up day on Saturday February 22 at Town Branch in Asheville was a great success! The weather was gorgeous and our volunteers worked hard to remove 20 bags of trash from the stream and surrounding area.

They also helped us remove non-native invasive vines like Japanese Honeysuckle, Porcelainberry and Bittersweet. These invasive plants kill native trees by preventing sunlight from reaching them, and their weight causes trees to topple over.

A big thank you also goes out to Fresh Market in Asheville for donating yummy snacks and lunch to feed all of our hardworking volunteers!

Learn More about Watershed Resources

Did You Know?

Plant of the Month

This months featured plant is River Cane (Arundinaria gigantea). Growing to heights of 30+ feet , This native bamboo was an historically significant plant to both humans and wildlife. The Eastern Band of Cherokees had many uses for it, including making baskets and darts, and it provided important habitat for a number of birds.

Cane breaks , or large contiguous areas of river cane , were once a common feature in rich bottomland areas, but the

spread of agricultural development severely impacted the plants' habitat. River Cane is able to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in waterways , and its roots help prevent streambank erosion , making it an important tool in addressing water quality issues. Today successful efforts are being made to re-introduce this vital, native plant to riparian areas along many rivers in Western NC, including the French Broad.

Board Member Highlight

John Ross, RiverLink Board Member

We want to take a moment to congratulate John Ross on the completion of his new book, Through the Mountains: The French Broad and Time. The book is scheduled to be published next spring by The University of Tennessee Press. Through the Mountains… is a comprehensive natural and human history of the French Broad River, its major tributaries, and watershed in North Carolina and Tennessee.

“More than 20 million people visit French Broad country every year. They come to enjoy the mountains, its waters, and its history. T hrough the Mountains…” tells the story of how and why those features came to be. "

A member of RiverLink’s board of directors since 2018, Ross is the author of a number of books about the outdoors including Trout Unlimited’s Guide to America’s 100 Best Trout Streams and Rivers of Restoration which profiles 21 of Trout Unlimited’s major watershed conservation projects across the country.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion for the river with us John!

In Memory

Please join us in offering condolences to the family of Ira Jeffrey Mendelsohn. Jeff passed away on Saturday, February 15, 2020. An avid bike-rider, Jeff was doing what he loved most when he suffered a tragic accident.

A longtime Asheville resident, Jeff loved to cycle, play golf, and celebrate friendships through his many acts of kindness. Throughout his life, Jeff created poetry and art wherever he went. He appreciated the small things in life and found beauty in the tiniest of details.

We are grateful for all the good he brought to our community.

Read the full obituary here.

At the request of the family, donations may be made to RiverLink in Jeff's honor. Please click the link below to make a donation.

Donate

RiverLink

170 Lyman Street

Asheville, NC 28803

828-525-8474

www.riverlink.org