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Roan Habitat Volunteer Work Day

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Habitat Management without the Hike In!
SAHC needs a few volunteers to help with habitat management in a few spots on the top and front (parking lot) side of Round Bald. Volunteers will help hand-mow (using weed-whackers) brushy areas to maintain open grassy habitat atop the balds. We are planning two small workdays on August 10th and 12th (13th as a rain date), and this is a good chance to learn about what we do to manage these rare habitats.
We will meet at Carver’s Gap at 9:30 am and finish up around 2 pm. Volunteers should bring water and lunch, leather work gloves and eye protection. SAHC will provide cutting equipment and individually packaged ear protection.

To volunteer, email Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett at marquette@appalachian.org.

Volunteer Workday at the Community Farm

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Date: Thursday, June 20th
Time: 10 – 2 pm
Where:  SAHC Community Farm

Join us this coming Thursday for a volunteer workday at our lovely Community Farm in Alexander, NC. This property provides a joint model of sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship and community education. This property is so lovely that many invasive plants and vines have decided to call our fence line along Mag Sluder Road home. This Thursday we need your help in removing them!

What will we be doing?

Vegetation Management– Removing vines and invasive plants along the fence along Mag Sluder Road.

General clean-up– Collecting debris on the property

Basic Schedule

10:00 to 10:15 – Introduction, safety talk, etc. Volunteers will be briefed, divided into groups, and dispersed across the site

10:15- 12:30– Work in Groups. Volunteers will work with teams on a specific task with a designated leader.

12:30- 1:15– Lunch.  This will be a bring your own lunch situation but snacks will be provided for volunteers.

1:15- 2:00– Work in Groups. Volunteers will continue to work in teams to complete tasks.

2019 Community Farm Volunteer Work Day Sign Up

  • First NameLast NameEmailOver 18 (Y/N) 
  • By providing your phone number, you ensure we have a way to contact you for any last-minute changes to the volunteer work day. In the event of inclement weather, we will use the contact info above to let you know by 3 pm on Friday if the workday is canceled. There is no rain date scheduled.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

Volunteer Work Day: Garlic Mustard Pull in the Roan

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SAHC is partnering with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Roan Mountain State Park, and the Cherokee National Forest to remove invasive garlic mustard from the park and heavily trafficked highways around Carver’s Gap and SAHC conservation properties in the Highlands of Roan. Plucking out the pesky invaders when they’re young and tender isn’t hard work, but it does take a lot of hands!

Location: Meet at the Conference Center Parking Lot – Roan Mountain State Park in Roan Mountain, TN

Date: Friday, April 26th

Start time: 9:30 am

Sign Up to Volunteer

Schedule:

9:30 to 9:45 – Introduction, safety talk, etc. Volunteers will be briefed, divided into groups, and dispersed across the Park and along public roadsides to pull garlic mustard. There will need to be some shuttling and driving of personal vehicles to make this happen.

9:45 am-1:00 pm – Pulling and bagging up garlic mustard!

1:00 – 2:00 – Lunch at the Conference Center and our official “weigh in”

More Info:

Food/Drinks: Please bring your own snacks, lunch and bottled water. Lunch is not provided. Water and light snacks are available from the Conference Center vending machines.

Equipment/Precautions: Work gloves and trash bags will be provided. Feel free to bring personal gloves or a trowel. Pulling garlic mustard is usually easy, but a trowel can be helpful for compacted roadside soil and stubborn roots.

• You will need a hat and/or sunscreen, long pants, sturdy shoes, lunch, water, a warm layer for high elevation hiking, and rain gear. If you are allergic to poison ivy, consider wearing long sleeves and pants as a precaution.

• It may be difficult to return to your car while we are working, so you may want a bag to keep your items with you throughout the day.

• Some work sites are very steep. Please let me know before the workday if you prefer to work on flatter terrain or have medical conditions. First aid kits will be on site.

Contact info: For more info or questions, contact SAHC’s Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett at marquette@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 ext 210.

What is Garlic Mustard?

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an invasive, non-native plant, which has infested many parts of the Southern Appalachian region. Because it has few natural enemies in North America, it is capable of out-competing native plants by depriving them of sunlight, moisture and space. Garlic mustard is a biennial plant, meaning it has a two year life cycle. In its first year, it develops kidney-shaped leaves that grow close to the ground in what is called a basal rosette; the leaves smell like garlic when crushed. In their second year, the plants rapidly grow upward and develop small white flowers. The flowers are soon replaced by slender seed pods, which are capable of spreading hundreds of seeds once mature. Garlic mustard is a hardy plant. If you pull the plant and leave it on the ground, it may re-root or have enough energy stored in its taproot to produce viable seed after being pulled. Most compost piles aren’t maintained in a way that gets hot enough to kill the seed, which means you could end up spreading garlic mustard with your compost (The Stewardship Network). Removing garlic mustard from thoroughfares such as Roan Mountain State Park and public roadsides is crucial to controlling the establishment and spread of this invasive species in our area.

Brother Wolf Hike at Laurel Ridge 2018

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Date: Friday, Nov 16th
Time: Starting at 10:00 am
Where: Laurel Ridge
Difficulty: Moderate (5)— 4.5-mile hike with some steep terrain
Cost: FREE

Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and Brother Wolf for a chance to walk a shelter dog on our beautiful, conserved property in Laurel Ridge.  Through this collaboration between Brother Wolf’s Outward Hound program and SAHC’s Outings program hikers will be matched up with a canine hiking companion. We will stroll through our serene 87-acre Laurel Ridge expanse in dense forest along old, healed logging roads. Along with experiencing the natural beauty of this conserved land you will be providing these dogs with an opportunity to build their social skills, relax in a calm natural setting, and some partake in some exercise! Join SAHC and Brother Wolf to give these animals a day full of the love and attention they deserve!

Hike difficulty ratings are based on this formula: (0.002 x elevation gain (ft.)) + round trip distance (mi.) = difficulty rating (1 – 10+)

REGISTRATION IS FULL – IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST EMAIL ISRAEL@APPALACHIAN.ORG

Invasive Plant Removal Volunteer Work Day

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Date:  November 20th, 2018

Time: 10:00- 3:00

Where:  Dalton Property, Madison County

Join us to learn about invasive species in Western North Carolina and remove them from one of our conservation easements in Madison County, the Dalton Property. We will include a brief lesson on the most common invasive species and how to identify them. We will be primarily concerned with Oriental Bittersweet, Stilt Grass, Spirea, Japanese Honeysuckle & Multi Flora Rose removal.

The Dalton property is located in Madison County, NC and was protected by SAHC in 2003. This 83-acre property was farmland before becoming the home of the Big Red Tomato Packing Company through 1987. The tract is now owned by the Dalton family and protected through a conservation easement with SAHC. The disturbance of the natural ecosystem on this property has opened it up to invasion from pioneer species. We hope to remove invasive plants in order to preserve natural ecosystem processes and provide a space for native plants to grow.

Volunteer activities will include invasive removal and site beautification. Work gloves, safety eye wear, hand tools, and first aid kits will be available on site.  Feel free to bring personal gloves or tools.  Please dress in layers and bring a rain jacket as we will be working at high elevations and the weather is unpredictable.

What will we be doing?

Invasive species management – we will use loppers and shears to remove invasive plants.

General clean-up– Collecting debris on the property.

More volunteer tasks will be available on the work day.

Basic Schedule

10:00 to 10:15 – Introduction, safety talk, invasive plant lesson. Volunteers will be briefed, divided into groups, and dispersed across the site

10:15- 12:30– Work in Groups. Volunteers will work with teams on a specific task with a designated leader.

12:30- 1:15– Lunch – please bring your own food.

1:15- 3:00– Work in Groups. Volunteers will continue to work in teams to complete tasks.

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

2018 Dalton Property Volunteer Day

  • First NameLast NameEmail 
  • By providing your phone number, you ensure that we have a way to contact you in the rare event of any last-minute changes to the hike.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Roany Boyz (and Girlz) Volunteer Weekend

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Join the Roany Boyz and Girlz in a weekend of jovial camaraderie while helping manage the grassy balds habitat at Engine Gap in the Highlands of Roan. Come for a day, or set up camp at Round Bald and stay for the weekend! For more info or to volunteer with the Roany crew, contact Carol Coffey at caroltee@aol.com.

2018 Grassy Ridge Mow-Off

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We need YOUR help on the mountain!

Camp out or come for a day. Join other volunteers as we work to maintain the globally rare grassy and shrub balds found on Grassy Ridge, one of the most beautiful and ecologically significant sites in the Roan Highlands. We’ll cut invasive blackberries and other shrubs using weed whackers and brush cutters. Enjoy great company, great food and great job satisfaction! Our annual Grassy Ridge Mow-Off is more than just a work day — it’s an incredible way to experience in the Highlands of Roan and to share cherished moments with friends.

Backpackers and day trippers are both welcome. The hike is about 2.5 miles one way, the camping is gorgeous, and we have a job suited to almost everyone. There are several different ways to help: cutting or raking blackberries, camp organization and cooking, taking photographs, and more.

Grassy Ridge Mow-Off Schedule:

Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Campers arrive, set up your tent and return to the work site.

Saturday, 10:00 a.m. Day hikers arrive. Sign in/Orientation

Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Work time! (lunch break at 1 pm)

Saturday 4:00 p.m. – bedtime. Clean up and store equipment. Fun, Fellowship and Food time for campers!

Sunday 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. A short work day and pack out. *Everyone should be prepared to pack out group trash.

Please contact Marquette Crockett, Roan Stewardship Director at marquette@appalachian.org for more information about the work day or specific volunteer duties.

 

Sign up now to volunteer with us for the Grassy Ridge Mow-Off!

Registration is now closed. 

 

2018 Volunteer Work Day: Invasive Garlic Mustard Pull in the Roan

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This year, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is partnering with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, US Forest Service, and Roan Mountain State Park to remove invasive garlic mustard from the park and heavily trafficked highways around Carver’s Gap and SAHC conservation properties in the Highlands of Roan. Plucking out the pesky invaders when they’re young and tender isn’t hard work, but it does take a lot of hands!
Location: Roan Mountain State Park in Roan Mountain, TN 

Date: Saturday, April 21

Start time: 9:30 am
9:30 to 9:45 – Introduction, safety talk, etc. Volunteers will be briefed, divided into groups, and dispersed across the Park and along public roadsides to pull garlic mustard. There will need to be some shuttling and driving of personal vehicles to make this happen.

Work from 9:45 am-1:00 pm. 

Lunch and “weigh in” from 1:00 to 2:00. 

Food/Drinks: Please bring your own snacks, lunch and bottled water. Lunch is not provided. A cooler of water will be available at lunchtime.

Equipment/Precautions: Work gloves and trash bags will be provided. Feel free to bring personal gloves or a trowel. Pulling garlic mustard is usually easy, but a trowel can be helpful for compacted roadside soil and stubborn roots. You will need a hat and/or sunscreen, long pants, sturdy shoes, lunch, water, a warm layer for high elevation hiking, and rain gear. If you are allergic to poison ivy, consider wearing long sleeves and pants. You may want a bag to keep your items with you throughout the day. It may be difficult to return to your car while we are working. Some work sites are very steep. Please let me know before the workday if you prefer to work on flatter terrain or have medical conditions. First aid kits will be on site.

Contact info: For more info or questions, contact Roan Stewardship Director Marquette Crockett at marquette@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 ext 210.
 
What is Garlic Mustard?
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an invasive, non-native plant, which has infested many parts of
the Southern Appalachian region. Because it has few natural enemies in North America, it is capable
of out-competing native plants by depriving them of sunlight, moisture and space. Garlic mustard is
a biennial plant, meaning it has a two year life cycle. In its first year, it develops kidney-shaped
leaves that grow close to the ground in what is called a basal rosette; the leaves smell like garlic
when crushed. In their second year, the plants rapidly grow upward and develop small white
flowers. The flowers are soon replaced by slender seed pods, which are capable of spreading
hundreds of seeds once mature.   Garlic mustard is a hardy plant. If you pull the plant and leave it on the ground, it may re-root or
have enough energy stored in its taproot to produce viable seed after being pulled. Most compost
piles aren’t maintained in a way that gets hot enough to kill the seed, which means you could end up
spreading garlic mustard with your compost (The Stewardship Network).  Removing garlic mustard from thoroughfares such as Roan Mountain State Park and public roadsides is crucial to controlling the establishment and spread of this invasive species in our area. Please RSVP by emailing marquette@appalachian.org if you are interested. Let’s get ’em!

2018 Big Rock Creek Volunteer Work Day

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Date:  April 28, 2018

Time: 10:00- 3:00

Where:  Big Rock Creek property in the Roan Highlands

Join us in partnership with the National Parks Conservation Association and Nature Valley for a volunteer work day in the Highlands of Roan!  This work day will take place on the protected Big Rock Creek property and support an initiative to connect people with land.

The Big Rock Creek property located in Mitchell County, NC was recently protected by SAHC.  Formerly the home of Trailridge summer camp, the property contains 127 acres of unique high elevation habitat and streams. It is surrounded by Pisgah National Forest on three sides and the Appalachian Trail is less than a mile to the North. We hope to improve and maintain the camping and trail facilities on Big Rock Creek to “connect people to nature”!

Volunteer activities will include trail construction, vegetation management, and site beautification. Work gloves, safety eye wear, hand tools, and first aid kits will be available on site.  Feel free to bring personal gloves or tools.  Please dress in layers and bring a rain jacket as we will be working at high elevations and the weather is unpredictable.

What will we be doing?

Trail Construction– Using hand tools to clear a short trail through the property and to build two foot bridges at stream crossings.

Vegetation Management- Planting native shrubs and wildflowers in open areas

General clean-up– Collecting debris on the property

More volunteer tasks will be available on the work day.

Basic Schedule

10:00 to 10:15 – Introduction, safety talk, etc. Volunteers will be briefed, divided into groups, and dispersed across the site

10:15- 12:30– Work in Groups. Volunteers will work with teams on a specific task with a designated leader.

12:30- 1:15– Lunch.  SAHC will provide lunch for volunteers.  Please share dietary restrictions on the registration form below.

1:15- 3:00– Work in Groups. Volunteers will continue to work in teams to complete tasks.

Thank you for your interest! Please contact Michelle Durr, Roan Stewardship and Outreach AmeriCorps service member at michelled@appalachian.org for more information about the work day or specific volunteer duties.

This event is part of WNC for the Planet! Western North Carolina is celebrating Earth Day throughout the entire month of April by coming together to act locally and think globally. This year, local community and environmental groups are teaming up to offer a myriad of service days, workshops and educational events and celebrations.

Please register below

2018 Big Rock Creek Volunteer Work Day

  • By providing your phone number, you ensure that we have a way to contact you in the rare event of any last-minute changes to the hike.
  • First NameLast NameEmail 
  • SAHC will be providing lunch and snacks during the work day. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions.
  • (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Other?)
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This event is part of #WNCforthePlanet —  a collaboration of environmental and conservation groups in Western North Carolina to coordinate and raise awareness about events and volunteer opportunities scheduled throughout the month of April in honor of “Earth Month.” Local nonprofit organizations, universities, and businesses have teamed up to host a myriad of service days, workshops, hikes, educational events and celebrations. Join us in unifying our community to encourage and celebrate environmental stewardship for our planet and the region. More info at WNCforthePlanet.org.

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