On the Blue Ridge

Brent Martin on William Bartram and the Nature that Could Have Been

Brent Martin is a conservationist and writer whose work has been deeply influenced by the 18th-century naturalist William Bartram. Brent lives in Macon County, where his

Josh Kelly of MountainTrue on Defending the Roadless Rule

Josh Kelly is the Resilient Forests Program Director for MountainTrue, an Asheville-based nonprofit that champions resilient forests, clean waters, and healthy communitie

Jeffrey Kaplan on Rethinking How Western North Carolina Grows Businesses

Jeffrey Kaplan is the Director of Venture Asheville and CEO of Optimist Ventures, where he works to help businesses grow here in Western North Carolina. Focused on growi

Steve Shand and Jeff Tyrrell on Preparing The Cliffs at Walnut Cove for the PGA Tour

Steve Shand is the Golf Course Superintendent at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, where he’s spent more than a decade caring for its Jack Nicklaus Signature course. Jeff Tyrrel

Anna Rawlins of ENO on the Power of a Hammock

Anna Rawlins is the Chief Marketing Officer for Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO), an Asheville-based maker of hammocks and outdoor gear that inspires people to adventure anyw

Marielle DeJong of The Pisgah Conservancy on the Future of Pisgah National Forest

Marielle DeJong is the Donor Engagement Officer for The Pisgah Conservancy, the only nonprofit organization that is solely dedicated to supporting the Pisgah Ranger Distr

Ty Gilpin of Unspoken Tradition on 'Heartwood,' Home, and Working-class Bluegrass

Ty Gilpin is a mandolinist, songwriter and singer for the band Unspoken Tradition, whose sixth studio album, “Heartwood,” is available now. For more than a decade, Unspo

Loretta Ball of The Never Ending Flower Farm on the Joy of Cutting Your Own Flowers

Loretta Ball is the owner and operator of The Never Ending Flower Farm in Barnardsville, North Carolina, where visitors can wander through rows of flowers to create their

Chris and Jessica Whaley on Building Back Whaley Farm Brewery

Chris and Jessica Whaley are the owners of Old Fort, North Carolina-based Whaley Farm Brewery, where Appalachian-inspired beers, local ingredients, and a resilient commun

Andrew Kota of Foothills Conservancy on Protecting Land for Future Generations

Andrew Kota is the executive director of Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, a land trust that permanently protects land and water in Western North Carolina for the

Taylor and Fran Montgomery on Life, Land, and Food at Montgomery Sky Farm

Taylor and Fran Montgomery are the owners and driving force behind Leicester, North Carolina-based Montgomery Sky Farm, where regenerative agriculture, intimate dining, a

Aaron Burdett of Steep Canyon Rangers on Crafting Songs in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Aaron Burdett is a Western North Carolina-based singer-songwriter, guitar player, and one of the lead vocalists for Steep Canyon Rangers. A highly acclaimed musician wit

Mike McKearin on Fishing, Family, and Designing the GoReel

Mike McKearin is the co-owner of Crystal Creek Gear, a Pisgah Forest, North Carolina-based company creating minimalist fishing gear designed to fit in your pocket. Mike

Marc Hunt on Taylor’s Wave and the Future of the French Broad River

Marc Hunt is a passionate river steward helping shape the next chapter of the French Broad River, from efforts to remove the Craggy Dam to the creation of Taylor’s Wave,

Filmmaker Paul Bonesteel on the Life and Legacy of George Masa

Paul Bonesteel is a documentary filmmaker and writer whose latest film explores the life and legacy of George Masa, a Japanese immigrant photographer whose work was instr

Joseph Sabbag and Andrea DuVall of Terramonga Farm & Hub on Building a Local Food System

Joseph Sabbag runs Terramonga Farm in Fairview, and Andrea DuVall stewards Terramonga Hub—a service that delivers food from Terramonga and a network of local farms—straig

Lisa Bottomley on the Past, Present, and Future of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Lisa Bottomley is the executive director of the Blue Ridge Parkway Association, a nonprofit made up of local businesses, communities, and individuals that has been promot

Laura Rice on the Ecusta Trail: Community, Connection, and the Road Ahead

Laura Rice is the executive director of Friends of the Ecusta Trail, a nonprofit organization supporting the transformation of a former rail line into a multi-use greenwa

Lang Hornthal of EcoForesters on the Future of Our Forests

Lang Hornthal is the Executive Director of EcoForesters, an Asheville-based nonprofit professional forestry organization dedicated to conserving and restoring Appalachian

Kevin Westmoreland and Joe Scully on Rebuilding Corner Kitchen

Kevin Westmoreland and Joe Scully are the co-owners of Corner Kitchen, a venerable restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina’s Biltmore Village that reopened this August, n