August Monthly Newsletter

Dear Friends,

It’s that time of year when we start to say goodbye to summer and welcome in fall. Apples are now for sale at the local farmer’s markets and it won’t be long until the leaves begin to drop, and cooler temperatures will be here to stay.

This has been a busy couple of months for RiverLink, albeit with a somewhat different focus, given the ongoing pandemic.

We have big news to share from our Watershed Resources Program! After a year studying and mapping water quality issues in three urban streams flowing through central Asheville, we are excited to announce that the Central Asheville Watershed Restoration Plan is now complete. Please join us on August 27 for a virtual presentation that will share results of the study, as well as highlight solutions that can be implemented to reduce pollution and improve water quality within the watershed. More details and a link to register for this free event can be found below.

We are also in the process of renewing our Land Trust Accreditation with the Land Trust Alliance. This important designation is an example of our commitment to follow the best practices of conservation organizations in the United States and Canada. There are only three local organizations within Buncombe and Henderson County who hold this designation, and we are happy to be one of them.

Also, a shout-out to our river community who showed up to help us celebrate the river with our Anything that Floats event! It was so much fun to see your creativity out on the water.

Every day you are making a positive impact within the watershed. Thanks for all you do to support the health of the River!

Garrett Artz, RiverLink Executive Director


Anything that floats 2020 a big success

Thanks to all who participated to help make Anything that Floats 2020 such a huge success! Due to the pandemic we were unable to hold RiverFest this year, but we were excited to adapt the Anything that Floats event to allow for a social distanced celebration of our amazing river community!

Special thanks also goes out to this year’s sponsors, Prestige Subaru, Anchor QEA, Ecosystem Services and 98.1 The River. We truly could not offer these events without the support of our local businesses, organizations, and community members.

We’re also excited to announce the winners of this year’s costume contest! With so many amazing entries it was hard to choose, but we think you will be pleased with the results.

Most-Creative-Float-Winner
Most Creative Float Winner
This prize goes to Andre & Kent for their totally awesome jabberwocky and caterpillar float! We were so impressed with the level of detail and overall creativity of this float.
Best Costume Winner
This goes out to the Queen of Hearts’ card soldiers. It was great to see youth participating in the event, and we loved the creativity they showed out on the river!
Most Environmentally Friendly Float Winner
The winner for this category is Patricia Malone and her clean water crew. We loved their message about the importance of clean water for all creatures in our community!


Program Updates

Water Quality

In August 2019 RiverLink, in conjunction with the City of Asheville, embarked on a year-long study of water quality issues in the Central Asheville area.

Working closely with a group of consultants led by Blue Earth Planning, Engineering & Design (with staff from Wildlands Engineering, Penrose Environmental, Ecosystem Services, Headwater Environmental, Sitework Studios, and FrontWater geo Planning + Design) the team worked to investigate and find solutions to water quality issues in three streams that flow through Asheville.

Now that the Central Asheville Watershed Restoration Plan is complete, RiverLink is ready to present the findings with a free webinar that will explore the issues facing the Central Asheville Watershed community and present measures that can ensure cleaner water in all three streams.

Click the button below to sign up now!


Land Conservation

It’s time to renew our accreditation as a Land Trust, and we need your input!

The accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, conducts an extensive review of each applicant’s policies and programs. Our organization became accredited in 2015 and we have worked hard to uphold the standards of the nationally accredited land trust community.

The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications. Comments must relate to how RiverLink, Inc. complies with national quality standards that address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. For the full list of standards click here. To learn more about the accreditation program and to submit a comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org.


riverlink in the News

Kids can't wait for KC Park

Thanks to Capital at Play for their great coverage of our Karen Cragnolin Park project in their July issue. You can read the article by clicking here.

Also thanks to WLOS for their coverage of the Anything that Floats Parade 2020 event. Check out that story here.