The Understory: Recent Episodes
None
The Understory shares the stories and inspirations of the activists working towards forest protection in Western North Carolina and beyond. Under the umbrella of Forest Keeper, Hannah Furgiuele and Will Harlan interview guests who are are working together to protect the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest. We work to ensure that the public's voice is heard and the most important recreation and conservation areas are protected.
Lavita Logan was born and raised in Old Fort North Carolina. As one of the founding members of the Old Fort Community Forum (OFCF) which was established in 2018 and now the Project Coordinator for People on the Move for Old Fort (POTMOF), which is one of the working groups that emerged from the OFCF, she was instrumental in the work to bring the Trails Project to Old Fort. During the podcast, she discusses her childhood in the mountains, access to trails and the importance of learning about equity and diversity in her community. She is an inspiration!
Hannah Furgiuele and Zax Milkereit interview Forest Keeper's Executive Director, Will Harlan about his love of the forest, public lands and what's next for the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forests.
The public comment period will be extended through June 29. Details available at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevisionGo to the US Forest Service website at:
https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/CommentInput?Project=43545 to comment.
The USFS will be hosting conference calls starting May 28 for the public to learn more about the plan and comment period.
Shortly before COVID-19, Will and I sat in a small audio lab with Michelle Aldridge and Alice Cohen to talk about the forest plan. It was a great conversation and despite it taking too long to edit, I hope it helps provide some insights into the process of forest planning and how important community collaboration is to the work they do.
Music:
"Sanguine Bond" & "Nightlight"
Joel Corelitz
"Seven Sisters Lullaby"
Hannah Kaminer
Hannah Furgiuele and Will Harlan bring you the second episode of The Understory, a podcast about our public lands and those who work to protect them.
This episode features a conversation with Josh Kelly, public lands biologist for MountainTrue. Join Josh and MountainTrue on April 7 from 5:30-7 pm for a live stream information session about the forest service draft plan and ask all the questions you haven't been able to. More information at https://mountaintrue.org
Josh was born in Madison County, N.C., and went to school at UNC Asheville, earning a degree in biology. He then worked for the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition, where he focused on identifying remnant old-growth forests on public land, and at WildLaw, where he worked to promote ecological restoration as the new paradigm of National Forest management. Josh has also helped the Forest Service conduct rare plant surveys and save hemlocks from the hemlock woolly adelgid.
At MountainTrue, Josh monitors logging and development issues on public land and provide site-specific scientific information to promote ecological restoration and oppose ecologically-damaging management.
Thank you to Jane Kramer for sharing "Hymn" available at https://www.janekramermusic.com
Thank you to Joel Corelitz for sharing https://musicfornothing.com
Hannah Furgiuele and Will Harlan bring you the first episode of The Understory, a podcast about our public lands and those who work to protect them.
This first episode features an interview with Sam Evans. Sam is a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, based in Asheville, North Carolina. He leads their National Forests and Parks Program. He has spent the last six years following the forest plan process and is a critical voice in the conversation.
You will also hear a historical recording from the 1997 Bluff Mountain Music Festival. The Bluff Mountain Music Festival was started in 1995 by Betty Smith, Rodney Sutton, Mary and Rob Kelly, Elmer Hall and others, to combat a proposed timber sale on top of Bluff Mountain, near Hot Springs. This recording was provided by Mary and Rob Kelly, and is a wonderful window back into the early days of this festival.
For any questions or comments, please contact Hannah at hannah@forestkeeper.org.
A huge thank you to Joel Corelitz for creating Musicfornothing.com and providing amazing, top-notch music for all of our podcast needs! http://joelcorelitz.com/