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Conservation

A Clean Wilson Creek Fall Fundraiser 2023 Online Auction

October 30, 2023 Boone, NC – A Clean Wilson Creek, a 501C(3) nonprofit, will be holding its Fall Fundraiser, an online auction, from Nov 1 thru Nov 15. Over 112 donations valued at over $18,000 of auction items from Boone, Blowing Rock, Morganton, Asheville, Burnsville, Maggie Valley and other places in Western NC. Dining gift certificates, vacation getaways, brewery and winery items, museums, outdoor adventures, and photography tours are just a few of the many items you can bid on! Proceeds from the online auction will be used to support the mission of A Clean Wilson Creek: protecting this North Carolina National Wild and Scenic River in its natural state for future generations, as well as conducting conservation education opportunities for Wilson Creek visitors and recreational users. New auction items are being added daily throughout October!

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Blue Ridge Conservancy Receives Land Acquisition Grants from the Complete the Trail Fund for the Northern Peaks State Trail

September 5, 2023 Raleigh, NC – The NC Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR) recently awarded $3,025,636 in grants for 13 land acquisition projects through the Complete the Trails Program Fund (CTF). These grants will leverage more than $13 million in matching funds to help local nonprofit partners acquire land for state trails projects in nine North Carolina counties. Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) was awarded two land acquisition grants, for $125,000 and $144,000 respectively, to expand the corridor for the Northern Peaks State Trail (NPST).

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Tickets are on sale for Grandfather Mountain’s Creatures of the Night & Bonfire Delight

August 31, 2023 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will once again host its Creatures of the Night & Bonfire Delight event this fall. The after-hours program allows guests to embrace their nocturnal side and enjoy rare after-dark tours, fireside tales and a chance to meet the park’s nighttime residents.

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Blowing Rock Historical Society: Preserving the Past

May 22, 2023 With its majestic scenery and charming, quaint downtown, the Village of Blowing Rock has a storied history of captivating people from all over. The Blowing Rock Historical Society (BRHS) plays a vital role in protecting and documenting the town’s historic character. Founded in 1985 by local residents, the foundation’s mission is to preserve and protect the historical character and charm of the village. By Kris Testori

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Alair Homes Announces Environmental Stewardship Commitment with Watauga Riverkeeper; Kicks Off with Planting Native Trees in Floodplains

April 25, 2023 Alair Homes announced a five-year environmental stewardship commitment with the Watauga Riverkeeper Thursday. To celebrate the launch, teams from both organizations worked together, planting native trees and live stakes in the wetlands on The Middle Fork Greenway. The Greenway, a multi-use recreational trail, is being developed to connect Blowing Rock to Boone.   “We have a unique opportunity to use our collective voices to influence others to create a cleaner, more sustainable environment,” said Whitney Brown of Alair Homes Carolinas. “This positive environmental impact, while seemingly small in scale, would be the first step to fostering better habits and, in turn, influencing others to live better. Change starts with us, as individuals, working together with local partners like the Watauga Riverkeeper.”

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TONIGHT: Stop by the Avery Museum to Celebrate 40 Years of Preserving Local History

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Oct. 5, 2016. Since 1976, the Avery Museum has been supplying the community with a unique look into the county’s heritage of railroads. Join the museum on Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. for birthday cake, punch, and coffee to celebrate this milestone! The museum’s 40th birthday is a great time to get to know the people behind and the projects they’re working on right now. By Emily Willis.

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Sierra Club Gets Free Admission to Grandfather Mountain Sept. 25 on John Muir Day

Sept. 16, 2016. “John Muir visited Grandfather Mountain in late September of 1898,” said Mickey Shortt, director of education and natural resources for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Linville nature preserve and travel attraction. “While here, he seemed most impressed by the diversity of trees in the deciduous forest around Grandfather and the endless ridges that came into view from the peaks.”

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Guided Walks at Grandfather Mountain Celebrate the Blooming Rhododendron

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May 24, 2016. “This set of shrubs in the heath family are the gems of the mountain,” said Mickey Shortt, Director of Education and Natural Resources for the GM Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Linville attraction. “They are the showiest, the brightest, the ones that we turn our heads to look at.”

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Great Backyard Bird Count Feb. 12-15: Contribute to Research, Have Fun at Home

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Feb. 11, 2016. This interactive citizen science experience will guide you through watching and counting the birds you see in your own backyard. You and other participating birdwatchers will go online to birdcount.org anytime between Friday and Monday, Feb. 12-15, to record the number of birds you see. By Jessica Isaacs. Photos from Audubon.org.

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Coopers Donate 21 Acres of Pristine Valle Crucis Farmland to Blue Ridge Conservancy

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Jan. 7, 2016. Local residents and conservation advocates John and Faye Cooper recently donated to the Blue Ridge Conservancy more than 20 acres of pristine Valle Crucis farmland, ensuring the property’s future as a valuable part of the community and an educational resource. The Coopers, owners of The Mast General Store, purchased the property in two parcels — the first in the early 1990s and the second almost 10 years later — and knew from the beginning that they needed to protect the land. By Jessica Isaacs.

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