|  |  |  | 🎉 Please join us for the Karen Cragnolin Park Greenway Dedication! 🎉 Join RiverLink and partners Friday, August 25 as we dedicate the final segment of the greenway in the ribbon of parks along the French Broad River, at 190 Amboy Rd. Enjoy free sno-cones, music and family-friendly activities beginning at 4:00, and spoken word at 5:15 as we celebrate the remediation of this once contaminated property, and honor the life of RiverLink founder and community visionary, Karen Cragnolin. Then beginning at 6:00, we’ll migrate to HiWire Brewing for a refreshing beverage with Connect Buncombe’s “Brewing for Greenways." VOLUNTEERS are needed to help the day of this event! Please email Linda for details and sign up. 😍 |
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|  |  | No Rash Decision: Identifying Poison Ivy You’re probably familiar with the saying “leaves of three, let it be” in reference to poison ivy, the native vine that produces the oily resin called urushiol. For the roughly 85% who are allergic to it, contact with the skin causes a persistent, itchy reaction, and it’s extremely hazardous if inhaled—hence the warning, never burn poison ivy! While poison ivy does have three leaflets that make up each leaf, the same is true of many plants including kudzu, box elder seedlings, and young Virginia creeper, among others. So what are some other characteristics to help identify poison ivy? - Each leaflet has a pointed tip and the middle leaflet is the longest.
- The leaves are alternate, meaning they do not grow directly across from each other, but rather alternate sides along the vine.
- Poison ivy is typically reddish and glossy in the spring when first sprouting, red in the fall when beginning to die back, and green the remainder of the year.
- The stem of the mature vine is very hairy. These are rootlets that help the plant cling to trees and other structures. English ivy also has a hairy vine, but these vines are evergreen while poison ivy loses its leaves in the winter.
If you have come into contact with poison ivy, there are a number of commercial soaps or wipes specifically designed to remove urushiol, such as Technu or IvyX. But we’ve found that Dawn dish soap does a good job of removing the oils if you do not have specialty soaps on hand. Whatever you do, act fast! The sooner you remove every last molecule of the resin from your skin, the less likely you are to have a reaction. |
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|  |  | Gathering Streams to Sustain Our Work Water sustains and links us to one another more steadily and profoundly than any other natural resource. As the driving force for all of nature, it gathers one drop at a time, finding its way through tiny channels in rock and soil to emerge as springs that join into creeks that join into streams which join to form the ancient French Broad River. That essential reality calls us to celebrate a special group of supporters: our Monthly donors. Their loyalty provides a reliable revenue stream that goes beyond, enabling RiverLink to seize new opportunities to restore and revitalize the French Broad as a community asset. If you’re inspired by this movement to conserve land, restore water quality, and educate the next generation of river advocates, please consider signing up for a monthly contribution—energizing everything we do through gifts that steadily gather momentum, joining others to advance watershed health in the French Broad drainage. And just for fun: The first 20 new monthly donors will get a RiverLink ball cap! Click button below... |
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|  |  | Wrapping Up New Adventures This Summer! Back in April, RiverLink launched an expansion of our educational programming into summer and after-school spaces that connect with low-income and BIPOC students and support their teachers with curriculum activities, materials, and more. It's a key part of our strategic plan to build more equity and inclusion into outdoor education and stewardship for local waterways--for ALL to enjoy for ALL TIME. Meanwhile, it's bittersweet to bid farewell to another unforgettable season of RiverCamp as we celebrate the conclusion of an enriching journey through the wondrous French Broad River watershed with our delightful campers. Over these past weeks, we've witnessed boundless curiosity and youthful wonder as our young adventurers explored the natural treasures native to this beautiful region. From captivating wildlife encounters to hands-on ecological lessons, our campers have developed a new appreciation for their environment. As we close this chapter, we extend heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff and partners, enthusiastic participants, and supportive families for making this summer a resounding success. Together, we're nurturing a generation of environmental stewards, young people ready to safeguard the beauty of our planet for years to come. We wish you the best in the upcoming school year! |
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|  | A Warm Welcome to Martha Goss RiverLink is thrilled to welcome our new Finance and Operations Manager, Martha Goss. A native North Carolinian, Martha completed an undergraduate degree at UNC-Chapel Hill with a double major in chemistry and Spanish before earning her law degree at Wake Forest University. During her time at WFU, she worked in the Community Law & Business Clinic, which sparked her interest in addressing legal questions for small business start-ups and nonprofits. During 6+ years at Carolina Malt House, she dove into the world of finance and operations for a growing start-up. She brings this knowledge along with her enthusiasm for conserving and improving our community’s waterways to her work at RiverLink, and we’re super pleased to have her. Outside of the office, you can find Martha enjoying the natural beauty of Asheville and surrounding areas by kayaking, hiking, and learning to fly fish. |
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| A Warm Welcome to Martha Goss RiverLink is thrilled to welcome our new Finance and Operations Manager, Martha Goss. A native North Carolinian, Martha completed an undergraduate degree at UNC-Chapel Hill with a double major in chemistry and Spanish before earning her law degree at Wake Forest University. During her time at WFU, she worked in the Community Law & Business Clinic, which sparked her interest in addressing legal questions for small business start-ups and nonprofits. During 6+ years at Carolina Malt House, she dove into the world of finance and operations for a growing start-up. She brings this knowledge along with her enthusiasm for conserving and improving our community’s waterways to her work at RiverLink, and we’re super pleased to have her. Outside of the office, you can find Martha enjoying the natural beauty of Asheville and surrounds through kayaking, hiking, and learning to fly fish. |
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| | Other News -
Your Voice Matters! Does your street flood after a heavy rain? Are you concerned about water quality in the French Broad River? If you live in the City of Asheville, you pay a stormwater utility fee that funds projects to address erosion, pollution, and a variety of issues facing area waterways. Please fill out this survey to let the City know you value healthy streams, and how their Stormwater Services Program can be improved. -
Bottle Riot Art Show Opening August 12, 2 to 10PM. Come see the stunning portraits created by artist Harvest Ganong from non-recyclable plastics while enjoying a bite and a refreshing adult beverage. Attendees are invited to bring colorful plastic items you'd otherwise throw away -- nothing bigger than your hand -- so they stay out of area waterways and become art instead. Dogs are welcome at this full-service bar located in the lower level of Wedge Studios in the River Arts District. RiverLink will receive 10% of proceeds from this event! -
Save the Date: No Water, No Beer is an event to highlight the importance of clean water for—well, absolutely everything! Mark your calendar for September 14, 5:30-8PM, at Burial Beer. Tickets ($33) will be available soon; ticket holders will enjoy two drink tokens, a fresh sandwich, inspirational remarks, and a chance to take home some exciting items in a silent auction. Join us and bid on paddle trips, a standup paddle board, a fly fishing excursion, East Fork pottery, and more. See you at Burial! -
ARC READY for Out-of-School Enrichment: RiverLink is proud to be receiving $25,000 in funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission's READY Nonprofits initiative! The funds will help us expand our educational programming into summer and after school spaces that connect with low-income and BIPOC students and support their teachers with curriculum activities, materials, and more. |
| | Thanks for being part of our French Broad River community! |
| RiverLink promotes the environmental and economic vitality
of the French Broad River and its watershed. Please join us with a gift today! |
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| | Contact Us information@riverlink.org | 828-252-8474 |
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