With a Little Help from Our Friends
By Michelle Price, Executive Director J-MCA

The Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance (J-MCA) is very pleased to announce a $6,500 award from the Wade Hampton Golf Club’s Donor Advised Fund in support of the Friends of Whiteside Mountain.

With public funding becoming increasingly difficult, Wade Hampton Golf Club has recently established a Donor Advised Fund to thank local non-profit organizations for everything they do for the community. For the first season, according to Fund Chairman Fred Tattersall, the Club's Donor Advised Fund will award $112,000 to 19 charitable causes that will benefit Cashiers and Highlands residents. According to Jeff Heilbrun, GM of Wade Hampton, the J-MCA Whiteside trail improvement project was awarded funding due to its broad reach for citizens of both counties who use the trails themselves and with visitors.

The Friends of Whiteside Mountain’s mission is to work in partnership with the USDA Forest Service to conserve this outstanding natural resource while improving the quality and experience of recreational opportunities on Whiteside Mountain. Whiteside Mountain is the centerpiece of the plateau, in the middle of Cashiers and Highlands. With easy access and amazing views, it is the signature hike for residents and visitors. The trail is not well maintained; in fact it is neglected due to the Forest Service budget cuts. With volunteer labor and financial support we can improve the trail and make it safer for all to enjoy while protecting the valuable natural resources that make this a community treasure. This generous gift will allow J-MCA to purchase tools and materials for volunteers to use as they donate their time to improve the official 2-mile loop trail on Whiteside Mountain.

J-MCA has a dozen volunteers that have signed up to help; and we are still looking for several more to assist with this important work. We hope to get a pool of volunteers that would be available at different times so on each work day we would have about 5-10 volunteers working. If you are interested in becoming a Friend of Whiteside Mountain with a donation of time or money please contact Michelle Price, 828-526-0890x320 or mprice@j-mca.org

J-MCA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, donations are fully tax deductible. Our continued success is dependent on the generous gifts of our donors, volunteers, and the community at large.

A special thank you to the Highlands Community Foundation
The Highlands Community Foundation serves donors and nonprofits. This endowment fund was established in 1996 by caring individuals who recognized the importance of a permanent charitable capital resource to support the ever-changing needs and opportunities in the Highlands region.
Contributions made to the Highlands Community Foundation are pooled and invested by The Community Foundation. Proceeds from the investments are used to make grants while the original gifts remain intact, continuing to grow for the benefit of future generations.
Nonprofit organizations and public institutions may apply to Highlands Community Foundation for support. Review the guidelines and application information for the Strategy and Opportunity programs for more details.
You can make a difference in Highlands by making a tax-deductible gift of cash, securities, life insurance or real estate. By pooling your gift with those of your neighbors, you can provide significant support for local needs.
To learn more about this foundation contact the Community Foundation of WNC.

Source: www.cfwnc.org Community Foundation of WNC website

River Issues
Upper Chattooga River
The US Forest Service has withdrawn its preliminary decision to allow limited boating on the upper Wild & Scenic portion of the river pending further evaluations. A decision is expected in Fall 2010 to decide whether to maintain or change the current Forest Plan management direction for the 3 National Forests involved in NC, GA, and SC relative to existing recreational uses including boating in the upper Chattooga River.

Horsepasture River
The Horsepasture River has been designated by the NC Environmental Management Commission as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW). J-MCA actively participated in the hearing process and recommended that the headwaters area should remain in the current classification of High Quality water, but managed as ORW. Our position hinged on the wastewater needs of the Cashiers area and balancing public and environmental health. J-MCA fully supports the ORW classification with this caveat.

Conservation Action Plan (CAP) for the Upper Little Tennessee River Basin
The Partners for the Little Tennessee (PLT) consists of 15 state, federal and tribal agencies and 9 non-profit organizations (including J-MCA) that have joined together as a dedicated group working to enhance and conserve the natural resources in the Little Tennessee River Basin. The basin area includes the upper Tennessee, Tuckasegee, and Cullasaja Rivers and numerous tributaries. This large scale cooperative effort to protect these rivers and critical habitats for threatened species has identified crucial areas and areas requiring further study, such as the upper Tuckasegee River. The PLT continues to coordinate resources and activities for collaborative efforts, pool our scientific knowledge, and promote public awareness through educational workshops and demonstrations. Visit http://littlebasin.org/the_team.html for more information.