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We apologize for the delay- thank you
for your patience!
In this
issue...
- RiverLink Purchases Another Missing
Link
- RiverLink
Receives Grants for Stream
Restoration
- Rockin' RiverFest a
success!
- River
Cleanups
- August
highlights
- Cleanup
schedule
- Volunteer
Opportunities
Having trouble reading this newsletter
in your email?
You can access it and other newsletters
from our archive. Go to www.riverlink.org, click on newsletters,
select 'RiverLink Newsletter' and 'archives' then press
'Go.' |
RiverLink Purchases Another Missing Link
The RiverLink board of directors is proud to
announce that RiverLink, Inc. acquired the former
B&H Sheet Metal Buildings at 115 through 119 ½ Riverside
Drive, locally known as the "Blue
Buildings".
Dick Hall,
Chairman of the Board at RiverLink said, "This is what people see
when they cross the Smoky Park Bridge. It is
Asheville's front door with over
100,000 cars a day crossing the bridge and looking down at the river
- the view is about to become much more welcoming. We are
anxious to continue our work with area governments and the community
at large to reclaim this precious piece of the floodway for the
public in perpetuity and continue to implement the Wilma Dykeman
RiverWay."
The former B&H Sheet Metal "Blue Buildings"
property consists of 1.83 acres. The purchase was made
possible through the generous donations of Shelli L. and Brad
Stanback and an anonymous donor. RiverLink paid $575,000
for the property. Buncombe County helped to obtain the
appraisals. All the property is located in the 100-year
floodway. In the 2004 flood, the building flooded to
approximately 5 feet. RiverLink will continue to work
with local, state and federal governments, foundations, donors and
investors to help turn this section of the riverfront into another
wonderful park and greenway along the river.
$50 per
foot "Deeds
of Support" will continue to be sold to help pay for the
cost of demolition and future park development at the site. The
property will be donated by RiverLink to the citizens and visitors
of the region for inclusion in the riverfront greenway system.... click
here to read more
For
more information about RiverLink, how to buy a "Deed of Support" to
help develop the greenway or to review the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay
plans or to become involved visit our website at www.riverlink.org or email us
at information@riverlink.org.
Click here to fill out form
about future park usage.
Click Deed
of Support to Buy a Missing Link and Support Turning the " Blue
Buildings" into another great river park. |
|
RiverLink
Receives Grants for Stream Restoration
Hominy
Creek in West Asheville and Robinson Creek in Arden will soon be
taking on a new and improved look.
RiverLink was recently the recipient
of two grants from the Clean
Water Management Trust Fund to restore and improve the water
quality and habitat in several area streams. The banks along both
streams will stabilized with rocks and logs, strategically placed to
protect the stream, look natural, and improve the habitat in the
stream.
The water quality in Hominy Creek will be improved by
working on two feeder streams in West
Asheville. These include Buttermilk Creek in Malvern Hills Park and Rhododendron Creek in West
Asheville Park. Buttermilk Creek was
recently named as part of RiverLink's name that stream contest, and
is now getting a face lift. Over time the stream banks have become
so eroded a safety fence was installed to prevent anyone from
falling off the tall steep banks. As the banks are restored there
will also be a significant amount of native plants to shade the
stream and guarantee stability over time.
Robinson Creek in Arden will receive a heavy dose of
river trees and shrubs. This creek was the former site of the
Brookwood Golf Course, and is now being developed for residential
housing. With the help of this grant, part of this development will
include a 20 acre conservation easement and improved water quality
and habitat.
RiverLink recently completed the stream restoration
on the Swannanoa
River at Azalea
Park. This
prevented tons of pollution from entering the stream each year and
provided for a much improved recreation and fishing hole. These
projects help RiverLink continue its mission toward the economic and
environmental revitalization of the French Broad
River as a
place to live, work, and play.
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RiverLink
in Schools: Watershed
Education
RiverLink's
Watershed Education program links students to the
rivers
RiverLink seeks to enhance
environmental education in the French
Broad watershed through water-based environmental
education lessons in K-12 grade classrooms adapted from Project WET
and EnviroScapeT that will compliment the NC Standard Course of
Study. Our lesson plans focus mainly on the
relationship between science education and daily life decision
making.
Our lessons will focus
on:
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The
connection of technology to water
quality<!--[endif]-->
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the
direct relationship between science education and daily
life<!--[endif]-->
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student
engagement in scientific
investigation<!--[endif]-->
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science
as a link to personal decision
RiverLink envisions
the program as a way to bring educational and innovative
classroom-ready lessons to students. It is our
goal to provide students with quality lessons that relate to the
North Carolina state curriculum and
the French
Broad River watershed environment in
which they live.
Download
your copy of the lessons we are offering for
2007-2008!
Click here to register online! |
|
Popular Watershed Ed.
lessons:
Rover Outreach Van: This mobile
technology classroom includes high-tech interactive visualizations
such as a fly through of the river or an underwater look at what
lives in the river.
 Kids in the Creek:
provides an outdoor experiential
learning opportunity for students to learn about factors affecting
water quality of our streams and the aquatic organisms that live
there. This is a hands on opportunity for students to learn more
about watersheds and their local
creeks.
 Enviroscape:
a
plastic
model of a watershed that shows students the effects that pollution
can have on water quality.
 River of Words and Art: students produce art
and poetry inspired by the French Broad River.
|
Rockin'
RiverFest a
success!
Thanks to
everyone who participated!!!
The annual Rockin' RiverFest that
took place this Saturday at French Broad River Park drew a
wide variety of river lovers- kids, dogs, musicians, belly
dancers, politicians, and of course, rafters. The Raft Race
that started at Hominy Creek Park and floated down the French
Broad River to the festival
had over 50 boats. Raft materials included everything from
bamboo to oil drums, as well as the more traditional canoes
and kayaks. There were several pirate-themed boats as well as
many local non-profits and businesses advertising their causes
on the river. Rafts competed in categories such as Fastest
Raft, Green Machine, Most Creative, and That
Floats?.
Rafts were welcomed by music provided by
Musician's Workshop Battle of the Bands, local food vendors,
face painting, a dog parade, a raffle wheel, fishing and
boating demos, and much more. Over 40 volunteers pitched in to
help pull rafts off the river, serve drinks, and leave the
park clean when the festivities were over.
The
festival was sponsored by RiverLink, WOXL 96.5, and Buncombe CountyParks and Recreation , and
proceeds benefited RiverLink's efforts to revitalize the
French
Broad River
watershed.
| |
|
River
Cleanups
 August
river cleanup stats:
~
3 river cleanups ~
~
? volunteers
~
~
? hours ~
~
? bags of trash
~
|
|
Great
job, cleanup teams! THANK YOU!!!
Biltmore Lake
Association
Altamont Environmental Hominy Creek in
Candler
Reed Creek in Asheville
Buncombe County Early
College French Broad River
in Asheville |
We
are always adding dates, so check www.riverlink.org for the most
current schedule!
|
| Volunteer
Opportunities
Monthly
volunteer
orientation First Wednesday of each month at
4:00pm 2007 dates: September 12, October 3, November
7, December 5 RiverLink offices, 170 Lyman
St. Open to the public-
please RSVP to
volunteer@riverlink.org
Come to RiverLink to find out all about how
YOU can get involved in our efforts to revitalize the French Broad watershed! A 30 minute
presentation will give an overview of ongoing and special events
volunteer opportunities. You will have a chance to ask questions,
fill out a volunteer application, and speak with the Volunteer
Coordinator about your interests and
availability.
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Fall Internships
We are currently seeking interns
for Fall 2007 for the following positions (click for full
description):
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RiverLink,
Inc. www.riverlink.org P.O.
Box
15488 Asheville, NC
28813-0488 Office: (828) 252-8474 x118 Fax:
(828)
253-6848 info@riverlink.org
Get
RiverLinked- read the blog! www.getriverlinked.blogspot.com
Check
us out on MySpace! www.myspace.com/riverlink |
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|
RiverLink aquires more land Citizen Times,
September 8
Fixin' up the French Broad Mountain Xpress,
September 4
Streams form Battle Lines Article on
buffer rules in Citizen Times, August 20
This is
abosuletely about protecting property Riverkeeper
Editorial on the proposed buffer rules in the Citizen Times, August
19
Hot day, cool
river, having a blast Citizen Times, August 12
Educator tries
to inspire love for French Broad Citizen Times, August
11
Water becoming
our most valuable natural asset Karen Cragnolin
editorial in Citizen Times, August 5
Local business raises funds for
RiverLink
Many thanks to Chef's Cargo, an
environmentally friendly kitchen store featuring bamboo items in
Biltmore village for making RiverLink their charity of choice
!
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| Events |
River cleanups: see schedule
below
RiverSculpture
Festival September 1- October 31 French Broad
River Park Special events on weekends
Volunteer
Orientation September 12, October 10
4pm RiverLink, 170 Lyman
Street RSVP to volunteer@riverlink.org
National Public Lands
Day September 29 Invasive exotic plant ID and
removal on the French Broad in Hot Springs To volunteer
contact Lindsay Majer, lindsay@equinoxenvironmental,
545-1880
First Friday
Paddles October 5, 5pm meet at Jean Webb
Park float to Woodfin Park picnic post-paddle Contact: firstfridays@braveulysses.com
Sunset
Cruises June-October First and Third
Wednesdays October 3 & 17, 5pm $40, $5 goes to RiverLink Meet
at Southern
Waterways
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| GET RIVERLINKED! |
| The newest feature of our
newsletter that aims to educate you about the French Broad
River watershed and get you RIVERLINKED! |
|
River Fact
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Q: How will global
warming affect rivers?
A: Global warming is
projected to have far-ranging effects on rivers across the
United States and worldwide. Although these changes will vary
from region to region, scientists expect higher average global
temperatures over the next century to cause higher river
temperatures, resulting in harm to freshwater fish like salmon
and bass and significant changes in aquatic plant and animal
habitat. In addition, rainfall patterns will shift some areas
will get more precipitation, some less. Higher temperatures
will cause mountain snowpack to melt earlier in the year,
causing significant changes to river flow patterns - with less
water available during the warmer and drier summer months.
Changing water levels in our rivers poses greater challenges
for farming, manufacturing, drinking water supplies and
wildlife habitat.
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River Photo
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River Quote
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The
French Broad by
Wilma Dykeman
(1955)
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Readers are welcome
to submit river facts, photos, quotes, and anything else
related to the rivers! Email volunteer@riverlink.org | | |