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April 6, 2023/by sahcadmin

View of mountains from local sports fields

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https://appalachian.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/LogoUpdate_SingleHiker_bluecreek_RGB-283x300.png 0 0 sahcadmin https://appalachian.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/LogoUpdate_SingleHiker_bluecreek_RGB-283x300.png sahcadmin2023-04-06 15:57:142023-04-06 15:58:36default

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Come #hike with us! @sahccommunityfarm hike on Fri Come #hike with us! @sahccommunityfarm hike on Friday, May 26th. Bring your boots and take a walk around the farm! Register at appalachian.org Date: Friday, May 26th Time: Starting at 2:00pm Where: SAHC Community Farm in Alexander, NC Distance: 2.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate. Several inclines are present on the trail. Cost: Free for Members. $10 for non-members. Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy on our beautiful Community Farm to hike along our Discovery Trail. #farmlife #localfarms #localfood #828isgreat #farmland Our community Farm is a 140-acre educational and working farm just outside of Asheville. The farm is a continually evolving home for conservation projects and agricultural production. Highlighted by our stream restoration project, shortleaf pine reforestation project, farm incubator program, silvopasture project, and education center, there is always something new to see. Participants will hike the Discovery Trail in a 2-mile loop allowing us to view all of the amazing farm projects before returning to our education center. Participants are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy while overlooking the entire farm and surrounding mountains. REGISTER here: https://appalachian.org/event/2023-may-community-farm-tour/ Please note that our Community Farm is an active farm not open to the public unless accompanied by SAHC staff. To ensure safety, staff capacity, and a positive experience for everyone involved it is critical that ALL hike participants pre-register for events before visiting the farm. You will receive an email with specific information about where to meet on the farm and other necessary details. If you do not receive this email, as well as a confirmation email following your registration, we do not have you registered for the hike.
We have a winner! Thank you to everyone who came o We have a winner! Thank you to everyone who came out to the Mosaic Art Walk & Benefit, Hosted by Mosaic Realty last night to celebrate and support local art and nonprofit efforts. Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is particularly grateful to Chris Foley of The Haen Gallery for donating his artwork "Upon Further Reflection", to Matt Christie of Green River Woods, Inc. for donating a stunning wood butcher block, to Chestnut for donating a dining gift certificate, to Wicked Weed Brewing for donating a gift card and merch package, and to Highland Brewing Company for donating a gift card and tour package. We contacted the winner at the event. Thank you for joining us!
Hurray for Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area! Hurray for Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area! Today Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and our partners TN Department of Environment & Conservation – Division of Natural Areas celebrated the completion of new bridges and other updates to improve outdoor recreation in this beautiful, protected cove. At the ribbon cutting ceremony today, we welcomed and thanked guests and the funders, organizations, and volunteers who have worked on these updates for the past several years. Special thanks to to the Recreational Trails Program of Tennessee for providing a generous grant to make this project happen. And to Overmountain Chapter Trout Unlimited, East TN Trails Association, and Eagle Scout Otto Smith and NC Boy Scouts Troop 61. We encourage you to get outdoors and enjoy the trails! Read more at Appalachian.org.
Come #hike with us! @sahccommunityfarm hike on Fri Come #hike with us! @sahccommunityfarm hike on Friday, May 26th. Bring your boots and take a walk around the farm! Register at appalachian.org Date: Friday, May 26th Time: Starting at 2:00pm Where: SAHC Community Farm in Alexander, NC Distance: 2.5 miles Difficulty: Moderate. Several inclines are present on the trail. Cost: Free for Members. $10 for non-members. Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy on our beautiful Community Farm to hike along our Discovery Trail. #farmlife #localfarms #localfood #828isgreat #farmland Our community Farm is a 140-acre educational and working farm just outside of Asheville. The farm is a continually evolving home for conservation projects and agricultural production. Highlighted by our stream restoration project, shortleaf pine reforestation project, farm incubator program, silvopasture project, and education center, there is always something new to see. Participants will hike the Discovery Trail in a 2-mile loop allowing us to view all of the amazing farm projects before returning to our education center. Participants are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy while overlooking the entire farm and surrounding mountains. REGISTER here: https://appalachian.org/event/2023-may-community-farm-tour/ Please note that our Community Farm is an active farm not open to the public unless accompanied by SAHC staff. To ensure safety, staff capacity, and a positive experience for everyone involved it is critical that ALL hike participants pre-register for events before visiting the farm. You will receive an email with specific information about where to meet on the farm and other necessary details. If you do not receive this email, as well as a confirmation email following your registration, we do not have you registered for the hike.
JUNE JAMBOREE 2023 is coming to the Roan Highlands JUNE JAMBOREE 2023 is coming to the Roan Highlands on June 10th! Each year we host the June Jamboree in the Roan and offer an array of different hikes throughout our conservation focus area, culminating in a fun drop-in social! The hikes offered this year are: #1. Roll n’ Stroll at the Rhododendron Gardens #2. Challenge hike starting at Carvers Gap and ending at the drop-in social #3. Little Cove Creek Falls with @pathways_to_parks #4. Shell Hollow and Birchfield Creek trail at Hampton Creek Cove SNA #5. Birding at Hampton Creek Cove SNA These hikes range in difficulty to accommodate all ability levels and ages. You do not need attend a hike to join us for the drop-in social but preregistration is required for all hikes and the drop-in social. We really hope you can join us for this grand event as we celebrate our collective conservation success. See you on the mountain! Register here: https://appalachian.org/june-jamboree-2023/ #junejamboree2023 #sahc #optoutside #roanhighlands
Treat yourself or a loved one to a colorful flower Treat yourself or a loved one to a colorful flower display from conserved mountain farmland while supporting a growing local business! @blazingstarflowers , part of the Farm Incubator Program at @sahccommunityfarm is hosting TWO workshops this month - Saturday May 6 and Saturday May 13. Learn to grow your own flower garden and design flower arrangements. Workshops run 11 am to 1 pm and will be followed by afternoon plant sales (1 to 5 pm). Workshops require pre-registration and class fee; afternoon plant sales are free to attend. Registration links and additional details at www.blazingstarflowers.com/workshops They also have one-time seedling CSA share for a pick-up early May: blazingstarflowers.com/product-page/cut-flower-collection-seedling-share And a bi-weekly Flower CSA pick up starts May 17th at Olivette Farm (new in 2023) www.blazingstarflowers.com/product-page/olivette-biweekly-flower-csa-share The rest of their Flower CSAs starts June 8th, with weekly pickups similar to previous seasons. Check out BlazingStarFlowers.com for more info.
Join our team! AmeriCorps Project Conserve is acce Join our team! AmeriCorps Project Conserve is accepting applications for the 2023-24 service year, and Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is excited to host four AmeriCorps positions for the upcoming term. We are currently recruiting for three Stewardship and Volunteer positions and one Community Engagement and Education position. Application deadline is May 31. More info and full position descriptions at: https://appalachian.org/meet-the-team/americorps/
Conservation focus area highlight: Black and Cragg Conservation focus area highlight: Black and Craggy Mountains. Stewardship Director Sarah Sheeran snapped these gorgeous pics last week while monitoring SAHC's conservation easement on the Woodfin Watershed. If you've hiked the Mountains-to-Sea Trail or enjoyed beautiful views off the Blue Ridge Parkway in this area, you've seen our work! The Woodfin Watershed is 1,840 acres and adjoins SAHC's Snowball Mountain and Reems Creek Bowl Preserves, adding to a large, contiguous network of protected land, along with Pisgah National Forest. #conservation #wnc #mountainstoseatrail #watershed #cleanwater #828isgreat
View from the #outdooroffice this week! Our Stewar View from the #outdooroffice this week! Our Stewardship team enjoyed the gorgeous weather and wildflowers while monitoring conservation easements in Sandy Mush. “Trillium and larkspur as far as they could see,” said Stewardship Director Sarah Sheeran. Every day is Earth Day for us; once a property has been conserved, the Stewardship team ensures its protection in perpetuity. #conservation = Protect, Steward, Connect
Come #bird with us! We are offering a leisurely wa Come #bird with us! We are offering a leisurely walk around Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area while learning the basics of birding. Please register at appalachian.org Date: Wednesday, May 10th Time: Starting at 8:30am Where: Hampton Creek Cove Distance: 2-3 miles Difficulty: Easy Cost: FREE *There will be a few pairs of binoculars available on a first come basis. In addition, we are offering a virtual SAHC Lunch and Learn: Birding for Beginners on May 3rd at 12:00 pm. Presentation by Chris Soto, SAHC Trustee and member of the Elizabethton Bird Club and Joe McGuiness, member of the Elizabethton Bird Club. This Virtual Lunch and Learn is part of a 2-part series that SAHC is hosting to encourage folks to get involved in birding! Don’t forget to register separately for the virtual SAHC Lunch and Learn: Birding for Beginners https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4SMir47bQhGl7nqHtwCeRQ#/registration
Ready to get your hands dirty for a volunteer work Ready to get your hands dirty for a volunteer work day? Our partners at Appalachian Trail Conservancy are hosting a garlic mustard pull in the Highlands of Roan on Friday, April 28 from 9:30 am to 2 pm. This invasive plant spreads readily along roadways and heavily trafficked trails, squeezing out native species and disrupting ecosystems. Garlic mustard is prolific but easy to pull, so the ATC has issued a Garlic Mustard Challenge along the Appalachian Trail, in which volunteer groups from Maine to Georgia compete to see who can pull the most garlic mustard. More info and sign up to volunteer at https://volunteer.appalachiantrail.org/s/atc-project-details?c__recId=a0q8Z00000DOXA0
Persistence and patience reside at the core of con Persistence and patience reside at the core of conservation. Sometimes Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, our partners, and/or landowners may not be in a position for permanent protection of a high priority parcel to move forward for years – perhaps even decades. Such was the case with the 52-acre parcel on Toms Branch that SAHC purchased in the Highlands of Roan. Located off TN Hwy 143 and adjoining Cherokee National Forest just north of Carvers Gap, the property is highly visible to hikers on the Appalachian Trail at Round Bald and Jane Bald. Its location, and the protection of water quality in Toms Branch, meant that it had been a conservation priority for SAHC, the U.S. Forest Service and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy for forty years. The Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited contributed a $6,000 donation towards the protection and stewardship of the tract. Fortunately, we were able to purchase the property, which came up for sale last year, and plan to hold it until it can be transferred to become public lands. Read more - including historic tidbits and memories shared by the former landowners - at our Appalachian.org website - link in bio. #nationalforests #conservation #roanhighlands #waterquality #cleanwater #easttn https://appalachian.org/toms-branch/
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is grat Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is grateful to the @nationalforests for supporting grassy balds management in the Highlands of Roan, where Cherokee and Pisgah National Forests meet. These open mountaintop Appalachian balds on the border of NC and TN provide habitat for rare plants and animals, as well as stunning 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape from the Appalachian Trail. We appreciate all the volunteers and partners who engage with SAHC in long-term stewardship and protection of the globally significant ecosystems in the Highlands of Roan! #NFFGranteesAreGreat #nffhealthyforests
Come #hike with us! @sahccommunityfarm hike on Sat Come #hike with us! @sahccommunityfarm hike on Saturday, April 22nd. Bring your boots and take a walk around the farm! Register at appalachian.org Date: Saturday, April 22nd Time: Starting at 2:00pm Where: SAHC Community Farm in Alexander, NC Distance: 2 miles Difficulty: Moderate. Several inclines are present on the trail. Cost: Free for Members. $10 for non-members. Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy on our beautiful Community Farm to hike along our Discovery Trail. #farmlife #localfarms #localfood #828isgreat #farmland Our community Farm is a 140-acre educational and working farm just outside of Asheville. The farm is a continually evolving home for conservation projects and agricultural production. Highlighted by our stream restoration project, shortleaf pine reforestation project, farm incubator program, silvopasture project, and education center, there is always something new to see. Participants will hike the Discovery Trail in a 2-mile loop allowing us to view all of the amazing farm projects before returning to our education center. Participants are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy while overlooking the entire farm and surrounding mountains. Please PRE_REGISTER for this hike at https://appalachian.org/event/2023-community-farm-tour-april/ Please note that our Community Farm is an active farm not open to the public unless accompanied by SAHC staff. To ensure safety, staff capacity, and a positive experience for everyone involved it is critical that ALL hike participants pre-register for events before visiting the farm. You will receive an email with specific information about where to meet on the farm and other necessary details. If you do not receive this email, as well as a confirmation email following your registration, we do not have you registered for the hike. If you have any questions, please reach out to katie@appalachian.org.
Come join us for a hike! Our next guided hike is o Come join us for a hike! Our next guided hike is on Friday, April 14th at Price’s Creek Preserve in Yancey County. Our annual Bill Popper memorial hike honors and remembers our friend Bill Popper and his dedication to preserving the 573-acre property that he loved so much. This hike is a perennial favorite, taking participants out to enjoy ephemeral wildflowers blooming this time of year. We will hike through mature northern hardwood forest and make our way to a lovely spot on Price’s Creek for lunch, then loop back to the beginning, all the while enjoying the flowery splendor of Mother Nature! If you would like to learn more about Bill Popper and his passion for this land that he loved, then this hike is for you! To register to participate, visit https://appalachian.org/event/2023-bill-popper-memorial-hike/ #landconservation #ephemeralwildflowers #outdoors #wildflowerhike
Come join us for a hike! Our next guided hike is o Come join us for a hike! Our next guided hike is on March 24th at Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park in Tennessee! We will traverse this beautiful wilderness with some of our partners from the Friends of Rocky Fork. This 8-mile hike will feature historic battlegrounds, rocky outcrops, gorgeous rivers, and highlight the local ecology of the area. If you’re looking for an introduction to Rocky Fork, look no further. Follow the link in our bio for registration! Did you know that from 2006-2012 SAHC lobbied congress to secure the funding to protect the 10,000 acre Rocky Fork Wilderness? This effort, along with lots of work from our partners and local community, helped create the Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park. #publicland #conservation #outdoor #appalachiantrail
Register NOW for our March 11 Farm Workshop: Plann Register NOW for our March 11 Farm Workshop: Planning and Planting Agroforestry Systems on Contour! Facilitated by partners at ContourLinesCorp and supported by a Catalyzing Agroforestry Grant, this farm workshop is Part 1 of 2-part, hands-on workshop series launching a NEW demonstration and education project at the SAHC Community Farm. Join us for all or part of the day! The morning session will take place in the Education Center, to learn about agroforestry and silvopasture. We will provide lunch, and then the afternoon portion of the workshop will take place in a pasture area adjoining the education center, planting trees on contour. This is a great opportunity to learn about the numerous benefits and beauty of a perennial agroforestry and silvopasture system on conservation land. Please note - if you would like to have a lunch provided, please be sure to register by March 8, as we will be placing the lunch order that day. To register to participate, visit https://appalachian.org/event/farm-workshop-planning-and-planting-agroforestry-systems-on-contour/ Photo courtesy wiki commons - photo of trees and shrubs planted on contour over rolling topography.
It is the LAST DAY of the #sahc60in60 Winter Hikin It is the LAST DAY of the #sahc60in60 Winter Hiking Challenge! I hope everyone has used this challenge as some type of motivation to get outside during these colder months, regardless of your mileage total. We hope everyone who participated enjoyed moving their body, breathing the fresh air, and taking in the landscape that makes living in the Southern Appalachians so special. If you walked 60 miles over the last two months and you logged all your miles on runsignup.com, you can expect for receive our new winter hiking challenge patch in the mail! In total this challenge raised over $1,700 that will all go towards local conservation efforts, thank you! A special thanks to these folks who joined us on an SAHC guided hike to Bailey Mountain Preserve where we were joined by the Friends Of Bailey Mountain and professors from Mars Hill University. If you’d like join us on a hike in the future, please visit our website to signup, Appalachian.org.
Don’t let this warm weather fool you, there is s Don’t let this warm weather fool you, there is still one week left in the SAHC Winter Hiking Challenge! This challenge has already been a huge success with over 200 people registered and 87 people having met their goal of hiking 60 miles in 60 days. I know I still need a few more days to get my numbers up and luckily this warm weather beckons us outside! #sahc60in60 If you want to hike with SAHC keep an eye on our website or sign up for our newsletter. We still have openings on our Bailey Mountain Preserve Hike and SAHC Community Farm Tour!
ATTENTION there are still a few days left to apply ATTENTION there are still a few days left to apply for the Roan Naturalist position for summer 2023! This is a seasonal position with SAHC and the @appalachiantrail working in the Roan Highlands, one of the most beautiful sections of the Appalachian Trail! This position will work on educating visitors of the sensitive ecology in the Roan Highlands, LNT, and perform basic stewardship functions to support grassy bald management. Housing, with utilities and WiFi included with this position. Join the team as the Roan Naturalists for a summer you will never forget! https://appalachian.org/roan-naturalist/ #nowhiring #ecologyjobs #roanhighlands #outdooroffice
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Our Mission

The mission of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for all people to enjoy outdoor recreation in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, enduring for future generations. We achieve this through long-term conservation relationships with private landowners and public agencies and owning and managing land. We are committed to creating and supporting equitable, healthy and thriving communities for everyone in our region.

Get in Touch

Email: sahc@appalachian.org

Phone: 828-253-0095
372 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801

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