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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241206T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241206T120000
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SUMMARY:2024 December Wellness Wandering Hike
DESCRIPTION:Date: Friday\, December 6th\nTime: Starting at 10:00 AM\nWhere: SAHC Community Farm\nDistance: 2 mile\nDifficulty: Moderately strenuous (4/10)\, This level of exertion is fairly easy and should feel manageable.\nCost: Free for Members\, $10 for non-members\nRegistration: Pre-registration is REQUIRED\nWellness Wandering with Susan Ward: Stroll the Discovery Trail at SAHC’s Community Farm \nJoin Susan Ward for a mindful\, wellness-infused stroll through the Discovery Trail at SAHC’s Community Farm. This walk is designed to guide you through the farm’s serene landscapes\, inviting you to slow down\, connect deeply with nature\, and tune into your body and surroundings. Along the way\, you’ll be invited to engage in sensory activities that awaken your sight\, sound\, touch\, and breath—helping you stay present and grounded. \nAs you wander\, you’ll encounter thoughtfully placed signs that share the farm’s stories and insights into local wildlife\, offering opportunities for reflection. The walk is also a chance for meditative journaling\, where you can record your thoughts\, feelings\, or inspiration along the trail. Bring your journal and be ready to pause\, breathe\, and reflect\, either on your own or in conversation with fellow hikers. \nThis experience is more than just a walk; it’s an invitation to harmonize with the natural world\, cultivate mindfulness\, and engage in the calming rhythms of the outdoors. Whether you’re seeking solitude or community\, this group walk offers a perfect opportunity to unwind\, recharge\, and deepen your connection to nature and yourself. \nCome explore\, reflect\, and rejuvenate with us in the peaceful embrace of the farm’s beautiful surroundings. \nEach participant will need to register separately as space is limited. If you have any questions please email Alex Russell at alex@appalachian.org.
URL:https://appalachian.org/event/2024-december-wellness-wandering-hike/
LOCATION:SAHC Community Farm (Event Venue)\, 180 Mag Sluder Road\, Alexander\, NC\, 28701\, United States
CATEGORIES:Hikes and Outings,Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://appalachian.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/CommunityFarm_Stock.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241211T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241211T130000
DTSTAMP:20241202T232338Z
CREATED:20241127T220227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241202T232338Z
UID:26638-1733918400-1733922000@appalachian.org
SUMMARY:2024 Lunch and Learn Approaching Recovery\, Panel Discussion Part I
DESCRIPTION:Virtual Lunch & Learn: Approaching Recovery: Conservation in the Wake of Helene\, Panel Discussion Part I\nWednesday\, December 11 at 12:00 pm EST\nHear from experts in the conservation\, stewardship\, and forestry management fields on how their organizations and agencies are beginning to approach recovery in the wake of Hurricane Helene. There will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end of the panel. Please find more information about our panelists below and please feel free to submit questions in advance through your registration. A recording of this panel will be made available after its conclusion on our YouTube Channel. Part II of this Lunch & Learn will focus on our partners who work with public lands. \n\n  \nPanelists:\n Michael Cheek\nMichael is the Region 3 Forester and Mountain Division Director for the NC Forest Service. The NC Forest Service’s primary purpose is to ensure adequate and quality forest resources for the state to meet its present and future needs. NC Forest Service is a government agency responsible for providing land management assistance to private landowners. \n  \nLiz Hillard\nLiz is the Senior Wildlife Biologist for the Appalachian Region at Wildlands Network. Wildlands Network uses science-based research and innovative policy to reconnect and restore Wildways\, helping prevent biodiversity loss and promoting climate resilient landscapes. By collaborating with local partners and people like you\, we empower communities across North America to safeguard and connect their wild spaces. \nDr. Liz Hillard helps direct and manage the study design\, implementation\, and analysis of Wildlands Network’s road ecology research focused on the important Pigeon River Gorge/Interstate 40 corridor within the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. In addition\, she works to build partnerships and engage the public in wildlife habitat connectivity and conservation efforts throughout the Southern Appalachian region. Liz currently serves on the Board and as the Secretary for the North Carolina Chapter of The Wildlife Society. \n  \nLang Hornthal\nLang is the Co-Director of EcoForesters\, a non-profit professional forestry organization dedicated to conserving and restoring our Appalachian forests through education and stewardship. Lang’s business background and sustainability mindset bring a different lens to EcoForesters mission of helping private landowners keep their forests healthy. A passionate advocate for forest stewardship\, Lang can be found collaborating with partners and seeking opportunities that will help forests be more resilient in the future. He likes to spend his free time with family and friends outside and can usually be found listening to music or watching the Red Sox. \n  \nSarah Sheeran\nSarah is the Stewardship Director at Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. Sarah joined SAHC’s Stewardship staff in 2014\, but has served on the Land Management Committee since 2010 and has been a long-time volunteer. As Stewardship Director\, she oversees the organization’s program of monitoring and managing our conservation easements and properties we own\, manages SAHC-owned land outside of the Roan Highlands and assists landowners with caring for their property’s natural resources. \nSarah previously received her BS in Biology from James Madison University and her MS in Ecology from UNC-Chapel Hill. With a background in plant conservation and horticulture\, she previously worked as a plant ecologist for a local environmental consulting firm and later served as Director of Education and Conservation at an outdoor recreation and adventure company.
URL:https://appalachian.org/event/lunch-and-learn-approaching-recovery-part-one/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming,Virtual Conservation Experience
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://appalachian.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Blow-Downs.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241214T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241214T130000
DTSTAMP:20241121T221024Z
CREATED:20241119T212343Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241121T221024Z
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SUMMARY:2024 December Rocky Fork State Park Hike
DESCRIPTION:Date: Saturday\, December 14th\nTime: Starting at 10:00 am\nWhere: Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park\nDistance:  4 miles\nDifficulty: Difficult (6/10)\, several steep inclines are present on the trail\nCost: Free but registration is required\nJoin Us for a Guided Hike to the Summit of Whitehouse Knob at Rocky Fork State Park! \nJoin the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) for a hike on the stunning Whitehouse Cliffs Trail to the summit of Whitehouse Knob at Rocky Fork State Park! This challenging trail takes you up steep mountain slopes\, offering breathtaking views and an up-close experience of the Appalachian landscape. On this hike\, we’ll be joined by a member of the Friends of Rocky Fork\, who will share their deep knowledge and passion for the park’s history and natural beauty. \nRocky Fork State Park\, located along the Tennessee-North Carolina border\, is nestled within over 22\,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service wilderness. SAHC played a pivotal role in preserving this land\, securing funding between 2006 and 2012 to protect 10\,000 acres of the Rocky Fork watershed from development. Thanks to partnerships with key supporters\, including Senator Lamar Alexander\, this area is now a permanent part of our public lands. \nJoin us for this exciting hike as we celebrate the success of this conservation effort while taking in the incredible views from the summit. Don’t miss the chance to experience one of the region’s most scenic trails! \nWhile Rocky Fork State Park is open to the public\, pre-registration is required for this guided hike. You’ll receive a confirmation email upon registration\, along with detailed information about the meeting location and event specifics 24-48 hours prior to the hike. Please note\, this hike is not wheelchair accessible. \nIf you have any questions\, please reach out to justin@appalachian.org.
URL:https://appalachian.org/event/2024-december-rocky-fork-state-park-hike/
LOCATION:Rocky Fork State Park
CATEGORIES:Hikes and Outings,Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://appalachian.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/PXL_20241115_161720852-1.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241217T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241217T160000
DTSTAMP:20241206T000617Z
CREATED:20241203T222026Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241206T000617Z
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SUMMARY:2024 Farm Planning & Design Workshop: Climate Resilience
DESCRIPTION:When: Tuesday\, December 17 from 1 pm – 4 pm\nWhere: SAHC Community Farm (180 Mag Sluder Road Alexander\, NC 28701)\n\nAre you looking for the perfect farm property but not sure how to create the best plan for your land? Join us for an introduction to planning and layout of land for small-scale farming with a focus on climate-resilient design. \nOur case study for this process will be a property just around the corner from the SAHC Community Farm in Alexander. We will have a virtual “walk through” site analysis of the property’s conditions using a number of land planning tools\, with a Permaculture approach. We will inventory conditions such as soils\, water\, wind\, aspect and more to create a multi-layered map of the site as a base for decision making. Using this information\, we will actively draw up together a concept for the site\, which addresses some of the needs and challenges identified in the analysis phase.  Through this design process we will cover how to avoid making a $10\,000 “bad decision” when beginning with infrastructure improvements. \nThis workshop will be particularly appropriate for participants who already own or lease land\, as well as those who plan to do so in the future. Our focus will be on growers and how best to make design decisions for resiliency. \nPre-registration is required. Farm workshop fee is $20; no one turned away for inability to pay. \nFill out registration form below to sign up for this workshop.\n\n\n  \n\n   \nSAHC Community Farm work is funded in part by grants from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina\, a grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (under grant award number 2021-70033-35717)\, and a cost-share grant from USDA Natural Resources Conservati
URL:https://appalachian.org/event/2024-farm-planning-design-workshop-climate-resilience/
LOCATION:SAHC Community Farm (Event Venue)\, 180 Mag Sluder Road\, Alexander\, NC\, 28701\, United States
CATEGORIES:Farm Workshop Series,Upcoming
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241218T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241218T130000
DTSTAMP:20241202T235939Z
CREATED:20241202T232603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241202T235939Z
UID:26665-1734523200-1734526800@appalachian.org
SUMMARY:2024 Lunch and Learn Approaching Recovery\, Panel Discussion Part II
DESCRIPTION:Virtual Lunch & Learn: Approaching Recovery: Conservation in the Wake of Helene\, Panel Discussion Part II\nWednesday\, December 18 at 12:00 pm EST\nHear from experts in the conservation\, public lands\, and wildlife biology fields on how their organizations and agencies are beginning to approach recovery in the wake of Hurricane Helene. There will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end of the panel. Please find more information about our panelists below and please feel free to submit questions in advance through your registration. A recording of this panel will be made available after its conclusion on our YouTube Channel. Part I of this Lunch & Learn will focus on our partners who work with private lands – link here. \n\n  \nPanelists:\nJennifer Barnhart\nJennifer is the District Ranger of the Appalachian Ranger District for the US Forest Service. Barnhart has been in the role since 2020 and was previously a District Ranger on the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire and Maine. \nBarnhart has a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Recreation with a minor in Forestry from Virginia Tech University and a master’s degree in Natural Resources and Science Management from the University of Minnesota. She has a diverse background of over twenty years of experience in integrated natural resources\, public service\, and land management. Her positions have varied beyond working for the Forest Service with non-profit conservation organizations\, universities\, and land management state agencies. Barnhart has also worked as an Acting District Ranger and a District Recreation Program Manager on the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests in South Carolina and as a District Recreation Program Manager on the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana. \n  \nMarquette Crockett\nMarquette is the Roan Stewardship Director at Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. Marquette joined SAHC in 2014. She grew up on a family farm near Cumberland Gap\, TN\, where she learned to love nature by following her grandmother through the fields and forests. Marquette earned her BS in Biology from Lincoln Memorial University and her MS in Biological Science from East Tennessee State University. Before joining SAHC\, she worked for more than 10 years as a Wildlife Biologist\, including managing high elevation spruce-fir\, open areas\, and wetlands in Canaan Valley NWR in West Virginia. Marquette facilitates SAHC’s Roan Stewardship Program and serves as the primary land steward on SAHC-owned preserves in the Roan. \n  \nFranklin Tate\n  \nFranklin is the Associate Regional Director – South for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Franklin has worked extensively in the non-profit conservation and education field in both the Eastern and Western US\, overseeing all aspects of program development including fundraising\, marketing\, project management\, and strategic planning. Prior to his role with ATC\, he directed Trout Unlimited’s Headwaters Youth Program and was a Dean of Service-Learning at Warren Wilson College. \n  \nKendrick Weeks \nKendrick is the Western Wildlife Diversity Program Supervisor in the Wildlife Management Division of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. \nKendrick has broad and extensive experience in conservation that includes ecological and wildlife research\, regulation and policy\, restoration\, management\, and education. He has worked with all wildlife taxa and is skilled in most survey and handling techniques. He served as President of the North Carolina Chapter of the Wildlife Society in 2013 and advocates that the profession continue to promote science based management. Now in a supervisory role\, he currently supervises a team of six full-time wildlife biologists for the western half of North Carolina who are responsible for surveying\, monitoring\, researching\, and managing species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) as guided by the North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan. He is passionate about conservation in North Carolina and beyond. He works with colleagues and partners to make sure that biodiversity and resilient ecosystems persist and are available for current and future generations to use and enjoy. \n  \nJeff Wright\nJeff is the Southern Appalachians Program Manager at Trout Unlimited. Jeff’s passion for conservation and the outdoors stems from a childhood hunting\, fishing\, and generally running around exploring wild places. This upbringing led him to pursue a masters degree in biology\, after which he spent the a decade working and volunteering in education\, leadership development\, and nonprofit management.
URL:https://appalachian.org/event/lunch-and-learn-approaching-recovery-part-two/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming,Virtual Conservation Experience
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://appalachian.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_0606.jpeg
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