Posts Tagged ‘Watauga’
A Sustainable Habitat
By Sarah Kellogg Nestled in a mountain forest of oaks, poplars and rhododendron, a neighborhood of charming houses sits lightly on the land. These are the energy efficient homes of the GreenWood Community, a project of the Watauga County Habitat for Humanity. The neighborhood is the result of hard-working families and dedicated volunteers who share…
Read MoreFox Squirrels Making a Comeback in N.C.
If you’ve ever seen what you thought was a gray squirrel on steroids, what you actually saw was most likely a fox squirrel. This bushy-tailed, colossal squirrel is common throughout most of Appalachia, but was not seen in the North Carolina mountains in several decades — until relatively recently.
Read MoreConnecting Kids to Their Watersheds
Here in Watauga County we are lucky to have relatively clean rivers and a public that is well connected with the health of the local environment. In order to support continued generations of residents who act as good stewards for the High Country and beyond, we must educate students about threats to our local environment…
Read MoreAnother Successful Operation Medicine Cabinet in Watauga County
The fall Operation Medicine Cabinet held last Saturday was a big success, as we expected from previous OMC events. Volunteers around the county collected unused and unwanted drugs from community members so the drugs could be properly destroyed. This programs helps to keep drugs out of our rivers and away from kids. This fall, we…
Read MoreBring Us Your Drugs: Operation Medicine Cabinet This Saturday, October 8th
This Saturday, October 8th, we will hold our 5th Operation Medicine Cabinet (OMC), a prescription and over-the-counter drug take-back program aimed at keeping drugs off the streets and out of our rivers. The first OMC was held in October of 2009, as a result of collaboration between the MountainKeepers organization, the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper, Watauga…
Read MoreCleaning Up The Watauga!
A big thanks goes out to all those who helped make the Watauga River a cleaner, more beautiful place to swim, fish, and boat. On Saturday, September 10th, the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper helped to complete a cleanup of the Watauga River, as part of the nationwide river cleanup day. Wendy Patoprsty and staff from the…
Read MoreThe Brook Trout: highlighting local, regional & global environmental issues
By Adam Reaves Riverfest/Development intern, 2011 This latest Creature Feature highlighting NC’s native trout species is the Brook trout. To learn more about native aquatic critters in the area, don’t miss RiverFest on June 4th. Throughout the Southern expanse of the Appalachian Mountains, the Brook trout spends its seven-year lifespan hunting for mollusks, insects, and…
Read MoreVulcan’s Boone Quarry Pollution Problem
Last night I was driving home, and noticed that Laurel Fork (along Hwy 105, just outside of Boone) was running a grayish color. I tracked down the source of the gray water, and it turned out to be the discharge from the Vulcan Boone Quarry (Just south of Boone on 105). Here is a video…
Read MoreGreat New Post about our Fight against Big Coal in Kentucky
We would like to thank Daily Kos and DWG for writing an awesome article about our ongoing legal battle with 3 coal companies and the state regulatory agency in Kentucky. Check out the article here.
Read MoreBoone Limits Coal Tar Sealants- Fish and River Lovers Celebrate
Last night (February 15) the Boone Town Council passed strict new regulations aimed to limit the impacts of coal tar based asphalt sealants. Coal tar based asphalt sealants are terrible for the environment and have serious human health effects because they are a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). If you have ever stood…
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