 From the exec's desk
Seasons Greetings, river lovers!
RiverLink chair Daniel Hitchcock and I attended the Asheville City Council meeting on November 22. We asked the city to donate a parcel of land they own at the Pearson Bridge for the new Outdoor Sports Adventure business we are planning. This past summer we acquired the old tire store on the south side of the Pearson Bridge and the north side of the bridge was donated by Marge and Jake Michel. Click here to see the PowerPoint we showed council and here to see the details of our request. This is a very historic area and we are very excited to be igniting a new "economic brush fire" at the northern end of the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay.
Because it is the end of the year I stared to reflect on what we accomplished and it is really very exciting. Just this one project on Amboy Road where we made the final payment on the old EDACO junkyard, having raised $1.1 million just to buy it, makes me smile. You will see some activity this winter and spring on the site as we remove the last bits of concrete, level out the site a bit and then "rip" up the entire site in preparation for planting all six acres with native grasses infused with bacteria that only lives on the oils, gas and grease that contaminate the soil. This is called phytoremediation. We are hosting some information sessions and open houses about the old EDACO junkyard (now Karen Cragnolin Park and Greenway) project on Amboy Road in January and hope you will come. On January 11 at 11 and at 4 we will be at the site to discuss the project and the process at 190 Amboy Road. On January 18 we will host the meetings in our offices (directions) at the Warehouse Studios, at 12 and at 5:30 so drop by and let us tell you about the project and answer any questions or suggestions you might have.
Again this month our newsletter is filled with information. Nancy Hodges, our watershed resource manager, continues to attract grant funds for our overnight camping project as well offer site assessments at your home through our WaterRICH program for homeowners needing help managing their storm water. We still have some space left in this pilot project so make sure to read the article below about how to become involved.
Also, we are about to kick off the 5th annual Art and Poetry Contest for schoolchildren of all ages in our watershed. This is project allows us to celebrate the creativity and insights of the next generation of river stewards as they describe in words and graphics what they see, what they hear, what they feel and what they think about when they utilize all their senses to enjoy the French Broad River.
This break-dancing Santa video is a harbinger of the season and always makes me smile.
May your holidays and New Year be filled with peace of mind, joy, good friends, good food, laughter, and good health -- and of course the French Broad! Thanks for all you do.
See you on the River,
Karen
P.S. Don't forget a donation of a membership in RiverLink keeps on giving all year long. Or you can buy a foot of the greenway for your loved one. We will send them a personal note telling them about your generous donation in their honor. We will send you a chartable receipt! Just click here to make holiday gifts that will last forever! P.P.S. I am very proud about what the Clean Water Mangement Trust Fund accomplished this past year with limited resources. Click here to read the CWMTF Annual Report. I have served on this board since 1996 and thanks to the generosity and vision of the NC legislature over $72 million in grants for clean water projects have benefited the French Broad River watershed durihg this time. |
Let's party at the Orange Peel, Friday, Dec. 2!
Come out and help celebrate RiverLink being voted "Best Environmental Non-profit" for the 5th year in a row by the readers of  the Mountain Xpress at the 2011 Best of WNC Bash.
The 2011 Best of WNC reader's poll was a carnival of the food, drinks, arts, retail outlets, services and all the other elements that make WNC a great place to live and work. But the best is not truly the best until we celebrate them in full array.
It's Xpress' 4th annual Best of WNC Bash! Friday, Dec. 2, 8 p.m. at The Orange Peel.
The amazing Kipper Schauer (winner of Best DJ and Best Local Trivia Night) will serve as ringleader for the dizzying spectacle of events, which includes:
* The rambunctious and radical Mad Tea Party! (Winners of new category, best fraggle-pop band.)
* The exotic and enchanting Sirius.B! (Winners of next big thing and rock band categories)
* The wild and wooly Runaway Circus!
Kipper himself will send things spinning with a DJ set to close the evening. What's more, we'll have snacks provided by some of WNC's best establishments! It all happens at WNC's Best Place to Hear Live Music - The Orange Peel! This is a benefit for Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, MANNA Foodbank, ASAP, and Riverlink.
Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.
Doors at 7:30 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m.
Please note: This is a later (post-dinner) start time than in past years and will not include the same food offerings. Circus-themed treats like popcorn, pretzels and ice cream will be on hand.
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 Notes from the
Water Quality Corner ...
This past month has been busy, planning for new stream restoration and stormwater BMP projects as grants begin to be written. We continue to build support for the French Broad Paddle Trail with a grant from Chaco and the Mast General Store and a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Pigeon River Fund. We continue to work towards becoming an accredited land trust, accepting conservation easements for riparian and steep slope areas.
On Thursday, Nov. 10, RiverLink staff and volunteers trained Asheville Green Opportunities members (GO), to build a 100 square foot rain garden for a local family registered in RiverLink's Water Reuse Infiltration and Conservation for the Home (WaterRICH) Program and certification. The rain garden captures and cleans approximately 600 gallons runoff from a shared parking area and driveway.
RiverLink has partnered with GO, a training program that pays young people often from public housing to learn new job skills, to help residents across the region implement stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens and rain barrels at the residential scale. This links directly to RiverLink's ongoing LinkingWaters Project focusing of water quantity and quality, food and jobs in the Town (Nasty) Branch watershed, within the southside neighborhood.
RiverLink's WaterRICH provides resources for homeowners to learn how to manage the water on their property in a sustainable manner, through hands-on workshops, site consultation, and online planning and construction manual. The WaterRICH Program is designed specifically to help residents understand how they can be good stewards of our natural
 | | A rain garden installed by RiverLink volunteers at a home in Kenilworth |
resources and save money. The goal of WaterRICH is to increase infiltration of stormwater into the ground and recharge the water table, reduce the use of potable water, improve water quality in the French Broad River Watershed and reduce pressure on the existing stormwater system. RiverLink is currently seeking additional program participants from homeowners in Buncombe, Madison or Haywood Counties, to become part of the WaterRICH program pilot project funded through a grant with the Pigeon River Fund. WaterRICH can lower your summer water and sewer bill, increase property values and assist in preventing water issues in the home, and incrementally improve water quality of the French Broad River Watershed.
As the Holiday season and chilly weather settles, it is time to winterize your rain barrels. There are three simple steps to winterizing your rain barrel:
1. Disconnect the down spout and re-connect it to the rain barrel overflow drainage, making sure water runs away from the structure foundations.
2. Empty the rain barrel of water
3. Flip rain barrel upside down or cap if stored outside.
Other tips: If you continue to use your rain barrel during the winter (as I do with one set of barrels), it helps if the barrels are positioned along a south facing masonry wall, detach hoses, and when possible leave spigot open. It is important to remember that water expands as it freezes therefore, if you have a full rain barrel you will need to remember to drain the barrel some prior to a night when it freezes. |
Art and poetry contest is open for entries
RiverLink is now accepting submissions for the 5th annual Voices of the River: Art and Poetry Contest -- a celebration of WNC's natural resources through the art and writing of area youth.
Categories include 2D art, 3D art, and poetry. All entries must be original work. Entries will be judged by local artists, RiverLink staff, and volunteers. This contest is open for all students Pre-K through 12th grade in the French Broad Watershed in NC (Transylvania, Henderson, Buncombe, Madison, Haywood, Mitchell, Yancey and Avery counties.)
To submit work: Mail to RiverLink PO Box 15488 Asheville, NC 28813. Or drop off between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the RiverLink office, located at 170 Lyman Street. Submission form must be fully completed and attached.
The deadline for entries is March 9.
Art and poetry will be displayed in March at AB Tech's Holly Library, with an awards ceremony and reception honoring the participants.
For more information, please visit http://www.riverlink.org/earthdaycontest.asp or contact Nikki Bauman at 828-252-8474 x18 or nikki@riverlink.org.
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The American Chestnut might return to the French Broad River Valley someday
The American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) is a large, deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America.
 | | The male flowers of a chestnut, known as catkins. |
Before the species was devastated by the chestnut blight, a fungal disease accidentally introduced into North America on imported Asiatic chestnut trees, it was one of the most important forest trees throughout its range. The airborne bark fungus spread 50 miles (80 km) a year and in a few decades girdled and killed up to three billion American Chestnut trees. It is estimated that the total number of chestnut trees in eastern North America was over three billion, and that 25 percent of the trees in the Appalachian Mountains were American Chestnut.
 | | The American Chestnut grows straight and tall, making them perfect for lumber. |
The American Chestnut Foundation and other groups are working to restore the American Chestnut by crossbreeding them with blight-resistant Asian Chestnuts, and through an inoculation program that weeds out the trees unable to withstand the blight.
RiverLink requested some Chestnut seedlings from the local chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, thinking we would plant some on one or more RiverLink properties. In spite of strides made to crossbreed the species, even the most advanced new generation chestnuts will not survive in the French Broad River Valley, according to Brad Stanback of the Foundation. The reason, he says, is a root rot known as Phytophthora cinnamomi which kills American chestnut. It was introduced about 50 years before chestnut blight, and eliminated American chestnut from the piedmont and pretty much anywhere there are heavy clay soils in the south. The Chinese chestnut is resistant to it. The forester W. W. Ashe (a protege of Gifford Pinchot) did extensive studies of Southern Appalachian forests 100 years ago and reported that the upper slopes of Buncombe County had some of the highest percentages of American chestnut of any area he studied (40%), but the French Broad River valley had virtually NO chestnut because Phytophthora cinnamomi had already wiped it out by 1910
The good news is that TACF is working on this and a solution is on the way. It will take a few more years of screening and selecting before we have trees that are resistant to blight and root rot.
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"Love the French Broad" raffle tickets are still on sale for the last two drawings -- including the grand prize drawing in April, 2012
The "Love the French Broad River Raffle" is an opportunity to win outdoor gear and prizes while helping the local non-profit achieve its mission to revitalize the French Broad River and watershed as a place to live, work and play.
Sponsored by Asheville Adventure Guide, the raffle offers two more chances to win -- March, 2012, and the grand prize drawing on April 1, 2012. Tickets remain in the pot until the grand prize drawing.
Buy three tickets for $10 or one ticket for $5. To purchase tickets, stop by the RiverLink offices at 170 Lyman Street or visit online at https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=35190.
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Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the RiverLink offices -- Volunteer orientation sessions. Contact Dave Russell at 252-8474, ext. 11 and become involved in the evolution of the river and learn more about RiverLink.
Thursday, Dec. 15,
RiverLink bus tour meet at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce at 11:45 a.m.-- RiverLink Bus Tour. Come experience the Riverfront magic firsthand! Contact Dave at 252-8474, ext. 11 for more information.
Ongoing -- Phone recycling. Drop off old and unwanted cell phones to the RiverLink office for fundraising and recycling. The office is open 8am- 5pm Monday through Friday. This is an on-going program, donations are welcome all year round.
Ongoing -- tree giveaway. We still have some young trees to give away. Contact Dave Russell (252-8474, ext. 11 or dave@riverlink.org) for more information and to arrange pickup.
Winter Warmer 2012 -- The 5th Annual Asheville Winter Warmer Beer Festival takes place on Saturday, January 21, 2012, from 3:00 - 7:00pm - at the Asheville Civic Center (or whatever its name is at that time).
Monday, January 16, time TBD -- MLK Day of Service workday on a French Broad River Paddle Trail campsite. Details to follow.
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Help RiverLink,
get a tax break
Did you know that sharing part of your IRA with the RiverLink can help with your taxes? But you must act before the end of this year!
 If you're 70 1/2 or older, you may roll over a portion of your IRA directly to RiverLink. The amount of your gift is excluded from your gross income, which will help if you're dealing with the taxable Required Minimum Distribution from your IRA. The deadline to make this gift is Dec. 31, 2011.
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Ongoing Volunteer Opportunity
We need some help with the French Broad River Paddle Trail.
We need assistance in assessing the existing or lack of signage for river access points in Transylvania, Henderson, Buncombe and Madison Counties from now until the end of January 2012. This will help us improve the signage and educational kiosks at river access points. If you are a detail oriented person who enjoys scavenger hunts and data collection who doesn't mind to travel a bit please let us know. We have divided the access points up by county, so if you'd like to help with a particular county or have an access site in mind let me know. For more information contact Nancy at Nancy@riverlink.org.
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There's always something new and interesting on the RiverLink blog
features a new post every day. You'll find entries about RiverLink events and programs, upcoming community events and meetings, and much more. Every Sunday there is what we call "The Grab-bag," a collection of stories and links we think RiverLink supporters will find interesting. Click on the link above to visit and put it in your bookmarks and come back often. It's different every day.
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Macro-invertebrates
on the move
Most of us know how mammals, birds, and fish, eat and move. But do you know how freshwater macroinvertebrates do these things? These creatures have fascinating and diverse ways of movement and feeding.
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Stonefly
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Clingers- maintain relatively fixed position on firm substrates in current through flat body shape, suckers, or producing sticky silk. (ex. flatheaded mayflies, water pennies, black flies, common netspinner caddisflies)
Climbers- live on live aquatic plants or plant debris, have long bodies and thin spindly legs, and do not swim often. (ex. narrowwinged damselflies)
Crawlers- move slowly using legs and claws on stream bottom and like small hiding spots among firm substrates and debris. (ex. common stoneflies, hellgrammites, giant stoneflies, spiny crawler mayflies, scuds)
Sprawlers- live on fine sediment such as sand and silt. They lie very still on top with flat bodies and sprawling legs. (ex. skimmer dragonflies)
Burrowers- live inside of fine sediment such as sand and silt. Some use special arms to dig, some have pointed heads, some make tunnels, and some just wiggle to navigate under the substrate. (ex. common burrower mayflies, aquatic earthworms, non-biting midges, clubtail dragonflies)
Swimmers- actively swim through water in short bursts from place to place, either by kicking their legs or flexing their bodies and tails. Fish swim by moving side to side, invertebrates move up and down. (ex. ameletid minnow mayflies, predaceous diving beetle adults, water boatmen, backswimmers)
Skaters- use surface tension to perch on top of the water, and have small bodies with very long, thin legs. (ex. water striders)
Planktonic organisms- regulate buoyancy to rise and fall in water but lack the ability for sustained or directed locomotion. This is rare among macroinvertebrates. (ex. phantom midges, microinvertebrates)
These facts and more are available in "A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America," by Voshell Jr, J. Reese. Blacksburg, VA: McDonald & Woodward, 2002.
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