Dear Friends,
Happy Earth Month and Day (April 22)! As we prepare to join the City of Asheville and other partners in celebrating the completion of the RADTIP, we reflect on the many accomplishments your passion and efforts have brought to life throughout the French Broad River watershed.
From park creation to water quality improvement projects to environmental education initiatives, your dedication to improving the Asheville Riverfront continues to be an inspiration.
In celebration of Earth Month we are partnering with WNC for the Planet on a number of exciting environmentally themed activities. We also hope you will join us this Thursday at 7 PM for a free virtual meeting to learn more about the Riverside Park expansion, as well as get updates on the Woodfin Greenway & Blueway project.
Thank you for all you do in support of clean water!
Respectfully,
Garrett Artz, Executive Director
Program Updates
Water Quality
We are partnering with the City of Asheville and local volunteers to protect water quality through an Adopt-A-Storm Drain Program. Pollution from stormwater runoff is the biggest threat to clean water in our urban streams, and we’re excited to implement this new strategy to help protect our waterways! With funding from the Pigeon River Fund, this pilot program will pair volunteers with a storm drain in the Central Asheville Watershed. Help us reach our goal of 100 storm drains adopted in 2021! Click here to learn more and adopt your storm drain today!
Environmental Education
We have extended the submission deadline for this year’s Voices of the River Art & Poetry Contest! PreK-12 students in the French Broad River Watershed now have until April 29th to enter artwork, poetry, or a video for the chance at winning great prizes from local businesses and organizations. Visit our website to learn more, or email our Education Coordinator at anna@riverlink.org for more information. Don’t forget to also check out WNC for the Planet’s Earth Month Bingo Card for more great Earth Month activities to take part in and chances to win some awesome prizes!
Land Conservation
We had such a wonderful native plant walk earlier in the month! Thanks to all who came out and braved the rainy weather, and special thanks to Vincent, the landowner who shared his little native plant oasis with us. A true labor of love, this wooded cove (nestled within the urban environment of West Asheville) that he has tended for over 30 years is a testament to the incredible value of land conservation that supports species habitat, improves water quality and reduces the effects of climate change.
Other News
Park Project Updates
We’re thrilled to share that the Town of Woodfin has entered into a contract with Equinox Environmental to create design documents for the Woodfin Whitewater Wave and the Riverside Park expansion. According to Eric Hardy, Woodfin Town Administrator, “Equinox’s submittal demonstrated a thorough understanding of the project’s purpose, local conditions, and stakeholders’ expectations.” Public input on the project will continue to be a priority for the Town, and a recently formed Parks & Greenways Advisory Committee will provide project oversight and help support outreach efforts.
We Need Your Input!
The Town of Woodfin is seeking public comment on the newly adopted Riverside Improvements and Expansion Master Plan to be included as an appendix in the Master Plan. The comments received will be carried forward along with the Master Plan which was created as a joint effort between the Town, stakeholders, a steering committee and previous public input, toward the next level of design. Click here to access the public comment survey, and please consider attending the Riverside Park Public Forum (details below) to learn more about the project.