EcoForesters

Forestry. Conservation. Education.

[Holly Kays @HollyKaysWrites]

The NC Wildlife Federation is honoring two WNC orgs/ppl in its annual #conservation awards. Asheville-based @EcoForesters was named conservation org of the year and Brandon Jones of Fontana Dam public lands conservationist of the year.

[Holly Kays @HollyKaysWrites]

#Conservation conversations often focus on public land, but nonprofit @EcoForesters believes private landowners are an underestimated piece of the puzzle, owning 70% of #forest in WNC. A planned workshop series aims to help them steward it better.
https://t.co/oc8Z00cpzx

[Foothills Conservancy of NC 🌳 @FoothillsOfNC]

Thanks to the 40 volunteers who helped plant 300 American Chestnut trees at #OakHillPark yesterday!

We were joined by Latinos Aventureros, @EcoForesters, along with students from @HCCClyde's Forestry program, to plant these trees provided by our friends at @chestnut1904.

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

Our region’s natural beauty must be maintained by supporting stewardship activities that restore forests and make them stronger! Learn more about this week’s partner at https://t.co/bzbkOhfBnZ.

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

Our featured FOREST fund partner this week is the Milan Hotel Group! People are drawn to visit WNC because of our region’s natural beauty, and hotels are built to accommodate that flow of people.

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

UPM is a leader in sustainable packaging and labeling and has locations in Fletcher and Mills River! Learn more about this week’s partner and their commitment to sustainability at https://t.co/10K9VXSF4Y.

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

This week’s FOREST Fund highlight is @UPMGlobal! Renewable sources of paper and wood are necessary, and local producers of forest products recognize that a sustainable supply begins with keeping current forests resilient.

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

We hope to see you soon! 🙌

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

It’s important for us to protect and strengthen our forests so that we can continue to experience the wonders of our region! Check out Navitat and their commitment to conservation at https://t.co/FZTCyT1q4D. 🌲❤️

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

Our FOREST Fund partner highlight this week is @NavitatZips Canopy Adventures! Their ziplining tours showcase the beauty of WNC’s forests first and foremost. 📷: Explore Asheville

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

This week’s #ViewFromTheCrew! One of our Forest Restoration Techs, Sarah Sussman, captured some beautiful shots of late-season fall colors in Dupont. What’s your favorite fall leaf color? 🍁

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

@ncforestservice states that in 2020, 80% of Madison County’s wildfires occurred where this grass is most prominent! This grass grows along roadsides and is highly flammable. To learn more about our NNIS and our invasive species crew, head to https://t.co/Bc57KFlwlm!

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

Our Invasive Species of the Week is Chinese silver grass, more commonly known as Pampas grass! Those who came to our recent Landowner Workshop might remember us mentioning this species. Regionally, it’s known as Madison County’s “wildfire grass”. 📷: Leslie J. Mehrhoff (cc-by)

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

To learn more about the FOREST Fund, head to https://t.co/yLC32jWmD6. 🌲

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

This week, we’re highlighting one of the projects the FOREST Fund and its partners helped fund—Pleasant Grove! Once destined to become a golf course, it was purchased by @ConsrvgCarolina in 2017. It contains 14 acres of lakes and ponds, and frontage on the French Broad River!

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

Our Restoration Crew worked on invasive species control at this site in 2021. The primary NNIS target was Chinese privet shrubs, which dominate the shrub layer. Privet shades out all herbaceous plants, so by removing them, we restore native plants and habitat for pollinators!

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

We also learned how the @AT_Conservancy is controlling invasive plants and the challenges associated with managing public lands. Thank you to all that attended our field tour! 🌲

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

@ncforestservice county ranger Bo Dossett led an inspiring field trip as a part of our Madison county landowner workshop! The group saw portions of the Appalachian trail near Hot Springs impacted by the 2016 wildfires. It was fascinating to see how different ecosystems responded.

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

And of course, a big thank you to our speakers, Elizabeth Ayers, Jen Haas Gustafson, Andy Tait, Krishun Karau, and Lang Hornthal. We already can’t wait for the next workshop! 🙌

[EcoForesters @EcoForesters]

We’d like to say THANK YOU to those who showed up to our Landowner Workshop last weekend. Over 50 landowners were in attendance! Thanks to our partners for helping this event take shape—Mountain Valleys RC&D, NC Extension, the NC Forest Service, and NCRS.