View From the Highlands - Summer 2013

View from the Highlands39 Years Protecting the World’s Oldest Mountains

Summer 2013, Volume 43, No. 2

- The View Inside:• Timeline to a Successful Conservation Easement, p. 4

• Conservation in Action, p. 5-11

• Business Partnerships, p. 12-13

• Hikes & Outings, p. 14

• June Jamboree, p. 15

• Appalachian Spring, p. 16-17

• Members’ Corner, p. 18-19

Our relationship with the land highlights the importance of conservation for the long haul. In this edition of the “View,” we have stories full of people working and recreating in the land we cherish. From our dedicated volunteers and recognized conservation heroes, to hikers enjoying a first trip to the Roan or remembering decades of good times on the trail, we appreciate all who bring success & meaning to our preservation mission.

Triple B Challenge, June Jamboree 2013 (see page 15)In the Highlands of Roan

For Love of Beer & Mountains 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.

Razor Mountain Partnership Sunset HikeDate: Friday, August 9 Time: 6:00 - 10:00 PM Where: Near Barnardsville, NC Difficulty: Moderately strenuous Cost: Free for all participants

Join us along with Highland Brewing Company and US Fish & Wildlife Service for the first ever Razor Wit Partnership hike. Come out and hike the recently protected property adjacent to Razor Mountain, right in Asheville’s backyard. Over a mile and a half, hikers will climb approximately 1,300 feet of elevation and see a pristine and unscathed hardwood forest landscape. Along the way, SAHC Field Ecologist, Chris Coxen, will demonstrate tree ID techniques and point out some evening birds. Buncombe, Madison, and Yancey Counties converge at the top of the property, offering spectacular views of recently protected Snowball Mountain, Mt. Pisgah, Crabtree Bald, Roan mountain and many more. We will enjoy a light dinner and take in these spectacular views as the sun sets. At dusk, we will return along the same route and enjoy the peaceful approach of another summer night. For more info or to register for this hike, contact Cheryl Fowler at [email protected] or 828.253.0095 ext. 209. This hike is free, but reservations are required.More Upcoming “For Love of Beer & Mountains” Hikes:Thunderstruck Hike — October 5Clawhammer Hike — October 12

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Board of TrusteesJeanette Blazier, President Kingsport, TNMilton “Buddy” Tignor, Jr., Vice President Waynesville, NCNancy Edgerton, Secretary Asheville, NCBill Maxwell, Treasurer Charlotte, NC

Courtney Blossman Asheville, NCLeslie Casse Asheville, NCRichard Coker Maggie Valley, NCBruce Cunningham Kingsport, TNPatty Cunningham-Woolf Asheville, NCLyman “Greg” Gregory, III Asheville, NCJack Hamilton Asheville, NCLindsay Hearn Asheville, NCFlorence Krupnick Asheville, NCBill Lowndes Asheville, NCDavid Ramsey Erwin, TNKathy Singleton Kingsport, TN

Main Office34 Wall Street, Suite 502, Asheville, NC 28801-2710

828.253.0095 • FAX [email protected]

Stewardship Field Office804 Rock City Road, Kingsport, TN 37664

423.323.4993 • [email protected]

StaffCarl Silverstein Executive Director Kristy Urquhart Associate Director Michelle Pugliese Land Protection DirectorWilliam Hamilton Farmland Program DirectorHanni Muerdter Stewardship & Conservation Planning DirectorJudy Murray Roan Stewardship DirectorCheryl Fowler Membership DirectorLisa Fancher Finance Compliance DirectorAngela Shepherd Communications Director Chris Coxen Roan Field EcologistAllison Kiehl Farmland Stewardship & Sustainability Director Pauline Heyne Donor Relations ManagerMargot Wallston AmeriCorps Stewardship Associate Amy Annino AmeriCorps Stewardship Associate Rich Preyer AmeriCorps PR & Outreach AssociateJamie Ervin AmeriCorps Land Protection AssociateValerie True Coordinator, Blue Ridge Forever

Appalachian.org

We’ve just wrapped several major member activities with record attendance and participation attesting to the relevance of our work in

peoples’ lives. This year with clear views and incredible weather, the June Jamboree saw over 100 people in the Highlands of Roan on a total of five

hikes (p. 15). The Appalachian Spring Membership Event in May (p. 16-17) brought us home to Kingsport, TN, where founding members

of SAHC first envisioned a protected landscape surrounding the Appalachian Trail across the Roan. Two of these founding members

shared memories of the early days (p. 18- 19).

This summer season also has our staff hopping with site visits, landowner queries, appraisals, and funding searches for a new slate of land protection

projects. Ever wonder what goes into completing a conservation easement? We’ve outlined a sample project timeline on page 4.

This summer, we celebrate successes with our partnerships for healthy communities (p. 6-7, 12-13) and new life fostered by our habitat

restoration projects on Little Hump (p. 9-10).

This edition of “View from the Highlands” is full of people stories — people enjoying and in-love with the special places that surround us.

We are thankful that our members and partners continue to show their passion for the land by volunteering and hiking with us.

Carl Silverstein Executive Director

Letter from the

Director

Highlights:• Conservation Easement

Timeline (see page 4)

• Volunteer Days (see page 5)

• Green Opportunities Trail Building Crew (see pages 6-7)

• Grassy Ridge (see page 8)

• Conservation Field Journal (see pages 9-10)

• AmeriCorps & Summer Interns (see page 11)

• Partnerships in Business (see pages 12-13)

• Upcoming Hikes & Events (see page 14)

• June Jamboree Recap (see page 15)

• Appalachian Spring Recap (see pages 16-17)

• Members’ Corner (see pages 18-19)

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.

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For monthly updates and upcoming events, visit us online at Appalachian.org.

Trail Magic on “The Roan Highlands”Giclee prints of gouache/pastel original art

Commemorate your love for the Roan with this limited print by renowned artist Coralie Tweed. $275 each, with 50% of proceeds donated to SAHC. Contact us at 828.253.0095 to order yours.

From Trail Head to Summit:

Timeline to Conservation Easement SuccessBringing a land conservation project from a goal to a permanently protected property is a bit like climbing a mountain. Both require adequate preparation, skills and teamwork. Inevitably challenges arise and must be overcome. Although the task may seem daunting at first, taking it one step at a time is the key to success. Follow our trek to conservation success below . . .

L a n d P r o t e c t i o n | U P D AT E S

We begin with the Project Initiation phase. To make sure our limited resources are spent conserving the most significant lands in our six regional focus areas (below), we take the following steps to evaluate potential projects according to our strategic conservation plans:

• Initial landowner contact • Preliminary staff evaluation • Site visit

If SAHC and the landowner each choose to pursue a conservation easement, we begin the Project Design & Approval phase. Here we start our first big climb together, deciding on funding, land use restrictions and reserved rights. We also seek review from our Land Protection Committee and approval from our Board of Trustees.

The journey then reaches the Transaction Steps phase, when outside professionals are hired to complete the following steps required for every conservation easement transaction:• Survey• Title search• Environmental assessment• Appraisal

During the next phase, we begin another steep ascent that includes Conservation Easement & Baseline Report Drafting. Our land protection staff works closely with the landowner to write the conservation easement document, while our stewardship staff thoroughly documents the conservation values on the property in a report.

Finally we reach the summit…the Closing! All the parties sign the conservation easement and it is recorded at the county courthouse.

As you can see, this journey is neither quick nor easy. But standing atop our mountain we can admire what we accomplished together: a landscape and all its resources that are protected forever. We are deeply grateful for those who have joined us on this trek in the past, and look forward to climbing many more mountains in the future.

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Project Initiation Project Design & Approval Transaction Steps

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JanuaryFebruary

MarchJune

July NovemberDecember

Conservation Easement & Baseline Report Drafting

April May AugustSeptember

October

Appalachian Trail Countryside Highlands

of Roan

Black Mountains

Balsam Mountains

French Broad River

ValleySmoky Mountains

SAHC Focus Areas Map

Many people look forward to spring’s arrival as the best time to watch the forest reawaken after winter as wildflowers begin to bloom. But spring also stirs to life a host of invasive, non-native plants which compete with our native wildflowers and trees for essential resources.

One of the first invasive plants to pop up amidst our native spring ephemerals is garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata). Garlic mustard is a biennial plant, which means it grows over a period of two years. The first year it produces a clump of leaves that stay close to the ground. The second year it sends up a tall stem, flowers, and then finally seeds. A single plant can produce

hundreds of seeds that easily scatter many feet from the parent plant.

Garlic mustard is native to Europe, but can now be found throughout much of the U.S. and the world. It was first documented in the U.S. in 1868 in Long Island, NY, and is said to have been cultivated for its medicinal and culinary uses.

Garlic mustard has a strong, garlicky odor, but what really stinks about it is what it does to the forest floor once it gets a foothold. It creates conditions that are favorable to its own existence, while simultaneously creating unfavorable conditions for many other plant species. Garlic mustard is allelopathic, which means it produces chemicals that get into the soil and inhibit

the mycorrhizae other plants depend on to grow—even canopy tree species can be stunted by the presence of garlic mustard down below on the forest floor.

Deer and other herbivores don’t like garlic mustard, either, so they leave it to flourish, preferring to nibble on other plants, which further compromises native plant

populations.

This spring volunteers stepped up to prevent the stinky invasive from taking over an otherwise beautiful and healthy rich cove forest in the Sandy Mush Valley near Asheville, NC. They removed garlic mustard from two adjoining rich cove forests, and we were heartened to see less garlic mustard sprout up in the area attended by volunteers last year. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped beat back invasives this year!

Banishing Garlic Mustard Invaders

Volunteer Days

C o n s e r v at i o n | I N A C T I O N

Garlic mustard “Pull N’ Eat” volunteer activities help manage invasive species on protected properties in Sandy Mush valley this spring.


Two groups of 6th graders from French Broad River Academy ventured out to an SAHC-protected property in Sandy Mush to help remove garlic mustard. We were incredibly impressed by the groups’ knowledge, enthusiasm, pulling skills, and level of maturity.

This year we had a total of 60 volunteers in five different groups help expand our invasive species removal work, including the Whole Body Team at Greenlife Grocery in Asheville, NC.

Sampling garlic mustard pesto along with native wild edibles brings an added dimension to volunteer days.

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Garlic mustard, photo from US Fish & Wildlife Service

Trail Building at our Community FarmIt was hot – probably the first really hot day since an early summer monsoon season drenched Western North Carolina, and the ticks were already out in full force. But that didn’t stop the work crew from Green Opportunities (GO) as they rigorously tackled trail building at the SAHC Community Farm.

As part of our multi-faceted Farm and Food Project, the completed trail will eventually loop approximately 1.5 – 2 miles across the 100-acre farm property. Our interpretive signs will educate visitors about the farm and our short leaf pine and stream restoration projects. We have partnered with GO to continue the trail building project begun by AmeriCorps volunteers in March.

Grant funds awarded for our Community Farm and Food Project enable us to employ a team of six GO Labor Crew members on the trail. The GO Labor Crew is an as-you-need it labor service aimed at providing local contractors with dependable, short-term labor, while offering paid work experience to participants of GO’s green collar job training programs. They are equipped to provide work in construction, agriculture, landscaping, weatherization, solar installation, waste management, and general labor.

After a brief review in trail work from SAHC Conservation Planning and Stewardship Director Hanni Muerdter, the work crew from GO dug into the ground, giving definition to the trail.

Work progressed by outsloping – creating the trail at a slight slope away from the hillside, rather than at a 90-degree angle, in order to disperse rainfall in sheets, as quickly as possible, and prevent erosion in deep struts. Thinking ahead to proper trail design and planning, GO project crew manager Anthony Ray also began installing water bars in the first section of the trail.

The crew used Pulaski axes to dig deep into the soil to remove roots of grassy undergrowth. Hanni explained that the best way to construct a trail is to dig down to


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SAHC Community Farm, located in Alexander, NC. Panoramic image courtesy of Ken Abbott Photography — www.kenabbottphoto.com.

GO Labor Team commences trail building on the SAHC Community Farm.

GO Project Manager Anthony Ray begins installing a water bar to prevent erosion problems in the new trail.

Meditating on his life in Miami, Jerry Pearcy felt a pull to return home to the mountains of Western North Carolina.

“Something was just telling me that I needed to go home, and that everything would work out if I did,” he said.

A native of Leicester who attended Erwin High School, Jerry was already familiar with Green Opportunities. He followed an uncle’s advice to apply as soon as he returned, and he was accepted into the training program.

The GO Training Team is a paid training and placement “pre-apprenticeship” program designed to prepare low-income, unemployed young adults (ages 18-24) for living wage jobs. They use a hands-on curriculum which combines service projects, life skills training, case management, and on-the-job experience in promising fields like green construction, clean energy, recycling, ecological landscaping and restoration, and sustainable agriculture.

“GO promotes unity,” said Jerry, “It promotes bringing community together and opening up people’s minds to recognize that we all need each other.”

Jerry was on the GO Training Team for four months before he started working on outside projects. He learned skills used on SAHC’s trail building project from his time with the training program.

About the trail building project, Jerry said, “I loved it - loved being outside, putting my hands in the dirt, and being in nature.”

“Being part of something that is bigger than just one person – that’s what drives me,” he continued. “Knowing what the trail would be used for in the future, that I’ll be able to come back here and say ‘I had a hand in creating this.’ It’s good for the soul.”

the mineral layer, removing all the growth and roots in the top layer of soil, using tools called Mcleods to rake away the removed plants and firmly tamp down the disturbed soil.

“If you don’t remove the roots,” cautioned Hanni, “the undergrowth will bounce back just as lush and verdant as before, and we’ll be back out there doing the same work again.”

Other crew members used a weed eater to remove grassy growth along the course of the trail, pruning shears to remove thicker stalks and woody plants, and a tiller to more effectively break up the soil over a long stretch. It was a beautiful, clear day with the sun brightly bearing down as the crew advanced through thorny blackberry thickets and stinging insects, slipping at times on slick red clay still wet from days of rain underneath the underbrush.

Anthony Ray, crew manager from GO, and Allison Kiehl, SAHC Farmland Stewardship and Sustainability Director, are serving as project managers for the trail team. In June the GO crew performed five trail work days, advancing trail construction about a quarter mile, and will return again in the fall.


Over the course of five work days, the GO crew advanced trail building a quarter mile. Images courtesy of Ken Abbott Photography — www.kenabbottphoto.com.

Personal Profile: Living in Transformation

SAHC received a grant from Conservation Trust for North Carolina & Z. Smith Reynolds for the Community Farm and Food project at our farm in Alexander, NC. Funds from that grant are being used to employ local Asheville residents to sculpt the trail from the dense shrubby growth spreading across much of the farm. In an example of partnership for economic development and enhancing healthy communities, SAHC has partnered with Green Opportunities to contract temporary labor for trail construction. To learn more

about GO, visit www.greenopportunities.org. Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) funds were used for the interpretive trail as an educational component of the farm.

Jerry Pearcy, GO crew

Like much of the land protected by SAHC, the Grassy Ridge property is a stabilizing tree — an investment in the landscape, providing shade to cool the creeks and firm roots to hold the soil.

But more than many of our other protected lands, Grassy Ridge also provides a place for birds to sing. Rare birds that are becoming rarer still, like the Golden-winged Warbler, will nest around the hawthorns in tall clumps of grass and forbs. At night, a Northern Saw-whet Owl will call out into the dense northern hardwood forest. Thanks to help from our first Grassy Ridge intern Lee Farese, over 70 species of birds have been documented this May alone.

On this unique property we thought we might never be able to protect, it is now

common to see biologists scampering around in the meadows and forests. The Audubon Society is actively searching for Golden-winged Warbler nests and banding birds as part of their regional monitoring effort. Biologists from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission have used the property’s cabin as a launching point for Roan bird surveys. We also expect to get botanists out to catalogue the abundant plant life soon. This is the new beginning of a place that will support ecological research around the Roan for many years to come, all while protecting the very land these plants and creatures call home.

Grassy Ridge: An Investment

For the Future


If you’re out on the Roan this summer, you may notice a young woman logging some serious miles and talking to hikers. This year we welcome Kat Keely as the new Roan Ridgerunner, a position provided by a partnership between SAHC, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Tennessee Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club, and the US Forest Service. Kat will help address concerns about recreational impacts to the grassy balds and sensitive plant and animal species by educating visitors about the unique ecology of the area and encouraging them to tread lightly when hiking the Roan Highlands. Welcome, Kat!

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Roan Ridge Runner

In June, North Carolina Senator Richard Burr received the Great Outdoors Champion Award for working to restore revenue to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is currently being diverted for other purposes.

LWCF is the nation’s premier conservation program, helping protect parks, wildlife refuges, forests, rivers, trails, battlefields, and urban parks for current and future generations.

“Senator Burr has stood up for a simple but powerful idea: that a portion of revenues from offshore oil and gas development – not taxpayer dollars – should go to states like North Carolina to protect our outdoor heritage,” said Jay Leutze, representing SAHC. “Unfortunately, LWCF – and the North Carolina land and heritage it protects – is at risk. If Congress doesn’t act to reauthorize LWCF before 2015, it could completely disappear next year, ending the nation’s most effective program to keep lands open for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation.”

Senator Burr, Senator Max Baucus of Montana, and Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon are the bipartisan sponsors of S.338, a bill that would fully fund LWCF.

For the Future by Wendell BerryPlanting trees early in spring,

we make a place for birds to singin time to come. How do we know?

They are singing here now.There is no other guarantee

that singing will ever be.

Recognition!

Rose-breasted grosbeak, sited at Grassy Ridge

ConservationField Journalwith SAHC Field Ecologist Chris Coxen


This May was an especially memorable one for me, as it offered a unique opportunity to yell out in celebration on Little Hump. To anyone that hasn’t howled on Little Hump — I highly suggest that you make some time to try it. Some folks might do it after reaching the bald itself, soaking in the wonderful views after the steep climb up from Yellow Mountain Gap, projecting the beauty and feeling of victory out through their lungs. Some might feel the urge after admiring the rugged, unmistakable ridgeline on Grandfather Mountain, only to then lower their gaze at the (also unmistakable) Sugar Top hotel. You might have wildly varying reasons to holler atop a mountain on any particular day, but on May 21st, my reason was two years in the making.

I found Golden-winged Warblers in new habitat areas created specifically to attract them in Fall 2011. I was always optimistic, but it was immensely gratifying to find these little gray, black and yellow critters in a place I helped make for them. All I could do was shout out loud in celebration. Shout and celebrate the many volunteers and agency partners who made this happen.

Golden-winged warbler on Little Hump

New golden-winged warbler sighting, thanks to many partner efforts

contributing to habitat restoration on Little Hump Mountain

Most importantly, without initial grant support from the Wildlife Conservation Society,

this project would have never started. Without the help of our amazing volunteers from Warren

Wilson College, Highland Brewing Company, AmeriCorps Project Conserve, and the many

other individuals who offered their time and sweat, this would not have been possible. Other

partners also provided tremendous support: thank you to the US Forest Service, NC Wildlife

Resources Commission, Audubon Society, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Appalachian

Mountains Joint Venture, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and many others.

Coming off of this success, we are tremendously excited about our current habitat

restoration project on Little Hump. Funded by the National Forest Foundation, we will add

even more habitat for the Golden-winged Warbler and many other rare and threatened

associate species in decline.

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Making an Impact Summer InternsThis summer, we have a host of talented summer interns, strengthening our capacity to save the places we love.

Congratulations!

Fred Stanback Honored with National Parks Conservation Association’s First-Ever Sequoia AwardFred Stanback, long-time conservationist and philanthropist, has been awarded the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)’s first-ever Sequoia Award. The new award, presented to Mr. Stanback in May, will honor individuals who have enhanced NPCA’s efforts to protect the National Park System or individual national parks.“Fred Stanback embodies the very definition of the Sequoia Award, and it’s fitting that he is our initial recipient,” said NPCA Senior Southeast Regional Director Don Barger. “For many years, he has provided support to NPCA and helped to foster the next generation of park stewards through the Stanback Internship Program.”In 1995, Stanback and his wife Alice established the Stanback Internship Program within the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. The program enables students to intern at conservation organizations throughout the summer months. Meet SAHC’s two 2013 Stanback interns on this page (left).

Pulin (Spring) Shi is one of our Nicholas School of Environment Stanback Interns, spending 11 weeks with us this summer mapping prime agricultural districts in East Tennessee, including Johnson, Carter, Unicoi, Greene, Cocke, Washington, and Sullivan Counties. Spring is pursuing her Masters of Environmental Management degree at Duke University.


Left to right: Tom Kiernan, NPCA; Fred Stanback; Don Barger, NPCA; and Jay Leutze, SAHC.Mimi Gong is also one of our Nicholas School of Environment Stanback

Interns. Mimi joins us this summer to help more accurately map invasive species on our fee simple properties. She will also help determine a

prioritization plan for management of these invasives. Mimi is pursuing her Masters of Forestry degree at Duke University.

Crystal Johnson is our Max Mukelabai Diversity Intern, through the Conservation Trust for North Carolina. Her 10-week internship will produce interactive online maps to help us better communicate the impact of our work to the public. This fall, she will attend the East Tennessee State University School of Graduate Studies for the Geosciences.

Amber Ellis will be out and about in the Highlands of Roan, conducting a plant inventory to help us plan for management of this imperiled,

fragile ecosystem. Amber has a special interest in lilies and orchids, and has also been conducting tissue culture studies of Gray’s lily.

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People are the hearts and hands of conservation efforts. Through collaboration, partnership,

sacrifice, and listening we can savor the tranquility at the mountain’s edge and enjoy the efforts of many.

Persevering service members of AmeriCorps Project Conserve demonstrate each year that conservation requires more than just dedicated individuals – it builds on the synchronicity of team work. This summer we say farewell to AmeriCorps Stewardship Associates Margot Wallston & Amy Annino, Land Protection Associate Jamie Ervin, and PR & Outreach Associate Rich Preyer. Please join in wishing them the best success for future endeavors!

Farewell, AmeriCorps Associates!

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

Supporting Conservation to Secure the

Our partnerships in the business community strengthen the vitality of our local economy and give us the capacity to protect regional natural treasures which we mutually depend upon. Navitat Canopy Adventures became an SAHC Corporate Partner in 2012, and expanded their support for our programs by joining us this year for Land Trust Day.

Below, Navitat Education & Conservation Director Sarah Sheeran reflects on the philosophic principles that guide Navitat, as well as their partnership with us:

“As stewards of our property, we believe we have a responsibility to maintain and even improve the health of the environment entrusted to us.

While our focus is on trees — we build in trees, play in trees and explore trees in fun and unique ways — we care deeply about conservation and chose this location because of its stunning views, natural beauty and seclusion. Our hope is that if we can foster a sense of place and help our guests forge connections with trees, they will be inspired to spend more time outdoors appreciating beautiful places. We believe recreating in trees can change your perspective on and relationship with the natural world.

Our partnership with SAHC is an intuitive one. Not only does the mission of SAHC dovetail with our environmental commitment, but the

stunning mountain views afforded to us by conservation organizations like SAHC are a highlight of the canopy tour experience. For example, Razor Mountain is protected by a conservation easement in our front yard, and SAHC continues to conserve land in and around our property. I think the canopy tour would be diminished without this viewshed.

SAHC’s efforts to protect the natural resources that draw outdoor enthusiasts to our region is important to our business. A large part of our success is due to the region’s thriving tourism industry. Navitat, in turn, can elevate the visibility of SAHC among our guests. With over 20,000

people expected to come through our doors this year, I believe we have a real opportunity to further the support of the organization’s conservation work.

As a former consulting ecologist and member

of SAHC’s Land Management Committee, I have been involved with the organization and land trusts in general for years. When Navitat began looking for ways to give back to the community that supports our business, I immediately thought of SAHC. As

one of the country’s oldest and most respected land trusts, the formation of our partnership adds important value to our business. I look forward to working with SAHC in the future to discover fun and novel ways we can strengthen our relationship.”

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“As stewards of our property, we believe we have a responsibility to maintain and even improve the health of the environment entrusted to us.”

Forest for the Trees

In the trees: Sarah Sheeran, Navitat Education & Conservation Director

SAHC works to preserve the viewshed treasured by Navitat’s clients.

Corporate PartnersRoan Mountain: (elevation 6,285 ft.) - $10,000+

Highland Brewing Company Mast General Store New Morning Ltd, including: Bellagio Art to Wear Bellagio Everyday Blue Spiral 1 Gallery Fine Arts Theatre New Morning Gallery Salesforce

Cold Mountain: (elevation 6,030 ft.) - $5,000+

Bank of America Roberts & Stevens, PA

Big Yellow: (elevation 5,480 ft.) - $2,500+

Altamont Environmental, Inc First Citizens Bank Friends at Jubilee!

Max Patch: (elevation 4,629 ft.) - $1,000+

Carolinas Investment Consulting, LLC The Duke Energy Foundation Eastman Credit Union GoAsheville.com Hickory Nut Gap Meats Kee Mapping & Surveying Navitat Canopy Adventures Network Computer Solutions Nona Mia Ritrovo SouthwingsFor more information about our Corporate Partner Program, contact Cheryl Fowler at 828.253.0095 ext. 209 or [email protected].

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

Thank You for Supporting Land Trust Day!Each year, local businesses show their support for land & water conservation by donating a percentage of sales to SAHC on the first Saturday in June - also known as “Land Trust Day.” This year, we raised a record over $16,000!We would like to thank the following businesses for participating this year:

A • S • H • E • V • I • L • L • E∏

∏

WEINHAUS

Welcome, New Business Members:Blue Heron Whitewater, LLCCafé Lola BistroCampbell’s Morrell MusicThe Duke Energy Foundation

Matching Gifts Program

Evergreen Home & Garden Showplace

Giuseppe’s Italian RestaurantJonesborough Farmers MarketNatural Pet Supply

Pisgah Map CompanyRed Chili Korean RestaurantShell Oil Company Foundation

Matching GiftsWislon Worley, Moore,

Gamble & Stout PC | 1 3

This spring, we celebrated Earth Day by cleaning up illegal dump sites and building trails in the beautiful Highlands of Roan alongside friends from our dedicated business partners, Highland Brewing Company and REI Asheville.

Twenty adventurous volunteers (representing SAHC, REI, Highland Brewing Company, and AmeriCorps Project Conserve) trekked to our National Trails Tract to excavate long-abandoned trash troves and build a section of our new 1.5 mile loop trail through a diverse array of habitats and natural communities. Thank you for a fun and successful day of direct action in service to conservation and the environment!

On the National Trails TractPartnerships at Work!

Business partners and AmeriCorps volunteers team with SAHC for trail building on the National Trails tract.

E v e n t s | O U T R E A C H

CalendarRazor Wit Partnership Hike August 9Asheville Big Love Festival September 15Blue Ridge Society Reception September 26Sandy Mush Cycle to Farm September 28Thunderstruck Hike October 5Clawhammer Hike October 12Nature Valley Roan Stewardship October 19Hickory Nut Gap Farm Tour October 19 & 20(See our website at Appalachian.org or monthly e-News for updates on these and other upcoming events.)

Blue Ridge Society Reception Date: September 26

Since 2002, the Blue Ridge Society (BRS) has been a leadership giving society that supports land and water conservation in the Blue Ridge Mountains. BRS serves as an innovative fundraising collaboration between SAHC and the Conservation Trust for North Carolina. To become a BRS member, an annual

donation of $1,000 or greater is given and divided equally to support the work of the two organizations. All current Blue Ridge Society members will be honorary hosts at our celebration event on Thursday, September 26 in Asheville and will be recognized on the invitation and at the event.

If you would like to become part of this committed core of leaders, please contact Pauline Heyne, Donor Relations Manager at [email protected] or 828.253.0095 ext. 216.

Nature Valley Roan Stewardship Work DayDate: Saturday, October 19

Join SAHC, Nature Valley, and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) for a field day in the Highlands of Roan. Volunteers will help restore and enhance habitat for migratory songbirds and other wildlife and remove invasive non-native plant species. For more information or to register as a volunteer for this field day, contact Chris Coxen at [email protected] or 828.253.0095. This project is made possible by grant funding from Nature Valley and NPCA.

Hickory Nut Gap Farm TourDate: Saturday, October 19 & Sunday, October 20 Time: 11:00 AM to 4:00

Want to know why land trusts are important to farmland preservation? Visit us at the Hickory Nut Gap Farm Store for the fall harvest and learn about how our Farmland Program helps keep local families working on local farms. We’ll have activities planned for the kids, too. Contact Cheryl Fowler at [email protected] or 828.253.0095 ext. 209 for more info.

Upcoming Events & Outings

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Sandy Mush Cycle to Farm Date: Saturday, September 28 Location: Leicester, NC

The Sandy Mush & Leicester area is rich in tradition, history, and local farmers that provision our restaurants, stores, and families. This innovative supported bike ride combines our love of climbing on these beautiful roads with sampling the fabulous food of these intrepid farmers. Proceeds go to farmland preservation efforts conducted by Buncombe County Soil & Water. SAHC volunteers will be on hand at a farm stop along the route and at the after party. Two options to ride: $65 Half Century $65 Metric CenturyFor more information, visit www.CycleToFarm.org

Blue Ridge Society Reception, Fall 2012

Habitat restoration volunteers from 2012 Nature Valley/NPCA/SAHC volunteer day

O u t r e a c h | E V E N T S

Season to Celebrate the Roan

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, then it just might take days for me to describe all the incredible views and memorable moments experienced during the Triple B Challenge of the June Jamboree — Views that live, breathe and wrap around you like a hug from Mother Nature.This particular hike covered 14.3 miles across the longest continuous stretch of grassy balds in the world, located on the NC/TN border in an area where SAHC has protected almost 20,000 acres of globally significant, rare habitat and incredible views. I was in a group of twelve that began at Carver's Gap around 8:30 am and strolled through blooming Flame azalea and Rhododendron on our way up to Round Bald, Engine Gap, Jane Bald and Yellow Mountain Gap. We rested briefly at the base of Yellow Mountain before heading up to Little Hump. The ascent up to Little Hump was a fairly steep climb that eventually opened up to one of the most beautiful stretch of mountains you can imagine. The boulder-sized rocks on Little Hump provided us with places to sit while grabbing lunch and admiring breathtaking 360 degree views. This was my first time hiking up to Hump Mountain, and I found myself stopping every 8-10 steps in order to turn in all directions; with a steady climb to 5,587 feet, Hump provided some of the most memorable views of the day. At the top of Hump Mountain is Houston Ridge, where a plaque honors Stan Murray, founder of SAHC, and commemorates his legacy to the Highlands of Roan and the Appalachian Trail. I've lived in Western North Carolina my entire life and have hiked and camped throughout the region, thanks to a family that taught me the importance of being a steward of the land. This enabled me to experience and enjoy all the rewards from giving back to it.A hike like this lets you truly experience the people, the purpose and the properties that SAHC represents.”

Triple B Challenge: Bold, Breathtaking, Beautiful

Flame azaleas and brilliant Catawba rhododendron painted the Roan spectacular for the June Jamboree this year. A hundred people joined us on the mountain for five hikes in our annual summer event!

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Hikers from Carver’s Gap to Grassy Ridge enjoyed spectacular scenery, Catawba rhododendron (left), & Flame azalea (right).

Families on our Kids in the Creek hike found a host of thriving salamanders and crawfish in Roaring Creek.

Reflections by SAHC member & volunteer Drew Stevenson

Triple B hikers stop for lunch, with stunning views.

June Jamboree

This year, we also offered a “Roll & Stroll” in the Rhododendron Gardens.

Bringing it Home to Kingsport

Appalachian Spring Member Event

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M e m b e r s ’ | C O R N E R

Kristy Urquhart, SAHC Associate Director & Kingsport native, and Jeanette Blazier, President SAHC Board of Trustees & former mayor of Kingsport.

We were overjoyed to see so many friends and family – some new to our organization as well as long-time supporters and founding members. The assembled company came out to enjoy delicious food, fellowship, and music provided by local musicians Trae McMaken & Will MacMorran.

While the crowd enjoyed dinner at picnic tables outside the barn, SAHC Executive Director Carl Silverstein highlighted some of our recent conservation successes and spoke of our ongoing commitment to excellence.

We thanked and recognized retiring trustees for their dedicated services: Richard Coker, Lindsay Hearn, Bill Maxwell, and David Ramsey. The assembled membership body also elected new and returning trustees to the board, and honored our Stan Murray Volunteers of the Year.

Our volunteers and planning committee for this event went above and beyond to land a solid success. Thank you all for your sincere and dedicated efforts. We raised $1,000 and gained new friends and members!

The leaders and longest serving members of the Roany Boyz (Carol Coffey, David Goforth, Mike Fisher, Jamie Burnham, Bill Ryan and Bruce Byers) were recognized as our 2013 Volunteers of the Year. The Boyz are a dedicated group of on-the-ground stewardship volunteers whose tireless efforts have dramatically advanced the restoration of the open grassy habitat at Engine Gap in the Highlands of Roan.

This will be the 12th year that the Roany Boyz have worked at Engine Gap. They take great pride in what they have accomplished in restoring the area between Round and Jane Balds, and get pleasure from doing it.

We also want to give a shout of thanks to all the others who have worked alongside Carol, David, Mike, Jamie, Bill, and Bruce over the years. A huge THANK YOU to all the Roany Boyz!

2013 Stan Murray Award for Volunteer Services The weather was beautiful for an outdoor dinner & event.

L to R: David Goforth, Carol Coffey, and Jamie Burnham were on hand to accept the award. (with Jeanette Blazier & Carl Silverstein)

Local musicians Trae McMaken & Will McMorran entertained.

Thanks to everyone who made our event a success! Around a hundred guests, volunteers, and staff enjoyed beautiful weather for the afternoon at the Barn at Allandale Mansion.

Members who purchased raffle tickets helped us raise money from the event.

Congratulations Trustees:

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We welcomed many friends, old and new.


We congratulate and welcome the following trustees who were elected to a new 3-year term:

Jim Houser, Charlotte, NCJim is a commercial real estate developer who has been a member of SAHC since 2007. Jim is enthusiastic about helping SAHC manage our real estate assets such as cabins we own, explore options for the organization’s office space, and continue ramping up our land protection and farm sustainability programs.

Anne Kilgore, Kingsport, TNAnne is Director of Global Sustainability for Eastman Chemical Company. She is a 2002 graduate of Leadership Kingsport, a former chapter president of APICS -The Association for Operations Management, and a Woman of Excellence honoree from Altrusa, the international volunteer service organization.

Jay Leutze, Minneapolis, NCJay serves on SAHC’s Land Protection Committee and previously served as an SAHC Trustee and Secretary of the Board. Avid conservationist, trout fisherman and author of the bestselling book Stand Up that Mountain, Jay is a nationally recognized advocate on behalf of public funding to help conserve special places in the Southern Appalachians. He also serves on the NC Mountain Resources Commission.

Mary Bruce Woody, Asheville, NCMary Bruce is a committed long-term supporter of SAHC and conservation in the region. Mary Bruce has served as a leader of the NC Arboretum, the French Broad River Garden Club, Trinity Episcopal Church, Lake Logan Center and Friends of the Smokies. Mary Bruce is an avid hiker who has explored every corner of SAHC’s service area.

We also congratulate and thank Milton “Buddy” Tignor and Nancy Edgerton, who were elected to serve a second 3-year term.

Giuseppe’s Italian RestaurantMahoney’s OutfittersShoji Spa & LodgeHighland Brewing CompanyOne Stop Wine & LiquorsBlue Heron WhitewaterMauk’s of JonesboroughEvergreen Home & Garden

ShowplaceDavid A. Ramsey

PhotographyCarolyn NovakCorridor Properties, LLCWilson Worley Moore

Gamble and Stout, PC, of Kingsport

Bear N Friends Toy ShoppeNatural Pet SupplySensibilities Day SpaScreen DoorAlpine Ski CenterJulie Calhoun-Roepnack,

PotterETSU Center for Appalachian

& Community ServiceBiltmore EstateRoy AndradeCampbell’s Morrell MusicCarolina Native NurseryTen Thousand VillagesJonesborough Farmers’

MarketCafé Lola BistroRed Chili Korean RestaurantPisgah Map CompanyFlour Fancies BakeryAlley Kat Sandwich Shop

Thank You to the Sponsors & Raffle Item Donors for this event:

Dinner provided by Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant.

Former trustee Joe Deloach, newly elected trustee Anne Kilgore, and Ellen Turner.

Retiring trustee David Ramsey, recognized for his service.

Executive Director Carl Silverstein highlights recent conservation successes. Member Witt Langstaff, Sr. and former trustee Witt Langstaff, Jr.

New Members Welcome to SAHC! We couldn’t do it without you!Matt AmickDaryel AndersonKathy AndrewsElaine ApplegateGary & Betty BaileyMichele BallantynePaige BoydDr. Jane BramhamJay BretzHank CarrTheresa CarterDavid & Linda CopleyKathryn DaughtonTeresa DealLeigh DeForthRion & Susan DeMarsBrian DidierLynn DiFioreCorinne DuncanEd GillPeter GirardiKitty HardtMichael & Leslie

HarveyWalter & Katrina

HeebDale & Linda HeyneDorothy HoulditchAnn & Sam Hubbard

LuAnne JohnsonBob McDonaldRobbie & Jen McLucasNeal MenkesAllison & Kincaid MillsJennifer & Jay MillsJohn OscarsonRebecca PaluzziIsak PerteeDeborah PopeRich & Marilyn PreyerPatrick RaftDavid RollinsJohn SchwartzKarl SmithNancy StewartAlfred StrayhornShannon SzwarcCharles & Brenda TateCarolyn & Remo

TerminiOliver ThamesMary TriceAmy TurnerDavid E. Wetmore,

Ph.D.Jackie WilliamsPam WilsonMary Hamlin Womble


Founding Member Powell Foster Recalls SAHC’s Early Days

“Because I Loved Mountains”The Appalachian Spring membership event in Kingsport, TN this year was a homecoming for many who were involved at the beginning of SAHC in the 1960s, when it originated as the Roan Mountain Preservation Committee (RMPC). Powell Foster was one of those founding members.

Powell grew up hiking the Shenandoah Mountains and moved to Kingsport directly after graduating college. The job offer he recieved here may not have been the most lucrative, but the location was key. “Because I loved the mountains,” Powell explains. “That’s why I’m here.”

“When I first came to the area, I decided to hike on Roan,” he recalls. He became familiar with the Roan landscape on a hiking and camping trip, and learned that it was a truly remarkable place.

Powell became involved with both the TN Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club and RMPC. He was given the job of coordinating property procurements on the TN side, and worked in that capacity for a decade or more. One of his favorite tasks was

outlining the project area - hiking the periphery of the mountain and getting elevation sightings to outline on a map what places needed to be procured in order to secure the scenic views. “We were deciding ‘What do we want to protect, to see in the future,’ and what we needed to do to bring it to fruition.”

“Working with SAHC gave me the opportunity to be on the mountain a great deal, and be involved in a project that I really believed in.”

His favorite part of the Roan is Grassy Ridge, where he would lead sunset /moonrise hikes at one time for the Eastman Chemical Company and others. Powell retired from a career as a chemist with Eastman in 1986. He continues to hike, going out every week for approximately 4 - 5miles.

“SAHC has been a very effective organization, and an asset to the preservation of the mountains,” he remarked. “I never dreamed we would reach all the way to the edge of Smoky Mountains.”

We are thankful for all the founding members of SAHC, and their remarkable insight in early on land preservation efforts.

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Inspired by views on the Roan, Terry Alexander renewed his SAHC membership at 5,000 ft. during the Grassy Ridge June Jamboree hike. Pictured with new SAHC Donor Relations Manager, Pauline Heyne.

MemorialsWe share in honoring the memory of those friends who have passed. Memorial gifts are gifts of flowers in perpetuity.In memory of Charles Gulden & Adeline Brown LyleEstate of Charlotte UmholtzIn memory of Dan Schifeling Helen GiftIn memory of David A. Tate Amy Turner Peter Girardi Ed Gill Charles & Brenda Tate John SchwartzIn memory of Dr. Bernard Kaiman Judy Murray and Tom Gatti East Tennessee State UniversityIn memory of Dr. Burgin Dossett Mountain View Garden ClubIn memory of Frank J. Guest Lee Galloway and Nancy ThompsonIn memory of Gayle Childress Michele BallantyneIn memory of Jim Crews Don & Priscilla BynumIn memory of Georgia Nickels Darrol Nickels Judy Murray & Tom GattiIn memory of Ollie (dog) Judy Murray & Tom Gatti

TributesTributes are gifts in honor of someone or a special occasion.In honor of Hannah Dunnuck Paige BoydIn honor of Michael Andry Happy Birthday from Bill & Jill JonesIn honor of Michael Harvey Happy Birthday from Leslie, Cullen, Vassar and Roan Harvey

In Memoriam: Georgia Ruth Osborne Nickels

Love and devotion are like the mountain. They last through the ages and weather storms that make them soft and beautiful. How fitting that Darroll Nickels this year honored the passing of his late wife Georgia Nickels with a major gift to SAHC.

Georgia was born in Dungannon, VA in 1920 and graduated from Dungannon High School in 1937. She

received her teacher’s certificate from Radford State Teachers College, VA in 1940 and taught at several one and two

room schools in Scott County, VA to earn money to further her education. She attended summer school at East Tennessee State

College and in 1947 graduated with a BS degree in Business Administration. Georgia was hired by Bennet & Edwards Insurance Agency in Kingsport, who sent her to the Insurance Company of North America School for insurance agents. She was the first woman to attend the school and graduated with honors. In June 1948, Georgia married Darrol Nickels, and they spent the next 64 years living in Kingsport, TN. Georgia passed away on November 17, 2012 from complications of a broken hip. She was extremely proud of her children and grandchildren.

Founding member Darrol Nickels was active in the TN Eastman Hiking & Canoeing Club when he heard about SAHC. He became involved because he wanted to see it get off the ground.

“It was easy for me to appreciate SAHC, because it involved one of the things I loved deeply,” recalls Darrol. “There’s just something about being on top of the mountain, and seeing all around, as far as you can see.”

Darrol particularly treasures the Highlands of Roan. He section hiked the Appalachian Trail between 1969 and 1985, taking long vacation weekends to complete sections with fellow hikers. Georgia accompanied him on some stretches, including Walnut Mountain over Hump, and to the top of Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains. The couple also loved to travel together and spend time with family. After completing the AT, Darrol frequently returned to do trail work, until July 2007.

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Membership Benefits: As a member of SAHC 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! Apply at Appalachian.org or fill out & mail this form.

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Founding member Darrol Nickels at the Appalachian Spring event in Kingsport, TN in May.

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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Legacy?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.

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Upcoming!Razor Wit Partner Hike August 9, 2013Blue Ridge Society September 26, 2013

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Documents

View From the Highlands - Summer 2013