DuPont Falls ... Good News

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.  (Margaret Mead)

DuPont State Forest (North Carolina,)  located between Hendersonville and Brevard, is 10,400 acres of beautiful hardwood forest and numerous spectacular waterfalls, open to the public because a few concerned people made it happen.

On Tuesday I visited High Falls and Triple Falls with one of those folks responsible for keeping this treasure public.

Before it was a state forest, most of the land belonged to DuPont Industries which had a huge plant there. During this time, DuPont maintained the forest as a recreational site for its employees and people in the area. 

 

But by 2002, the plant was closed. A developer bought a large tract of the land, including the falls, planning to turn these natural wonders into selling points for a gated community.

Local residents who had all their lives enjoyed access to the pristine beauty of the falls were told that that the forest would no longer be open to the public.  Nineteen of those residents decided to fight against this and formed The Friends of the Falls.

My friend Aleen Steinberg was one of this intrepid group. (Aleen is also one of the driving forces behind Muddy Sneakers -- the nature education program I blogged about HERE.)

Aleen and the Friends of the Falls staged a homegrown PR campaign, targeting civic groups, Scouts, hunters and fishermen, nature lovers, the Audubon Society, anyone who might have an interest in keeping the falls open to the public.  They sent over 4,000 emails and letters to the governor’s office.

“Our rallying cry was ‘Save it for the people, not the privileged few,'" Aleen told me. 

The Friends worked tirelessly and at last the state condemned the land and settled with the developer to purchase his original tract.

So it was that because of the work of this small group of thoughtful, committed citizens, I was able to see for myself the beauty of High Falls and Triple Falls -- in the company of any number of happy hikers and nature lovers.

After the feeling of frustration I've been experiencing during the past weeks, a visit to DuPont Forest was a wonderful reminder that now and then government can get it right -- when we, the people, keep after them.

Thanks, Aleen, not just for the great picnic and the pleasant company, but for the example you set!

Muddy Sneakers

 Muddy Sneakers is an outdoor science program for public school students in western North Carolina, providing fifth graders regular (6 - 12 times a year) learning expeditions to nearby natural areas where, in  small groups led by trained naturalists, the students can learn about Nature through direct experience.

It's a genius idea. Today's urban and suburban kids, caught up in television, the Internet  and a myriad of planned activities are often completely without experience of the natural world.  Even if it weren't for all those distractions, not many kids anymore live within walking or biking distance of natural areas.

Enter Muddy Sneakers!  They work with fifth graders, the perfect age --young enough to feel a sense of wonder and not distracted by teen age hormones and coolness.  What an excellent way to foster environmental awareness!  What's more, this outdoor classroom experience often lights a fire in mediocre or poor students, resulting in  surprisingly improved academic performance in every area.


Have a look at their website; maybe even think about getting involved!  Wouldn't it be great to see programs like this everywhere?

Thanks, Merisi!

I was in Asheville yesterday, attending a luncheon for Muddy Sneakers (of which I shall post more tomorrow) and of course I took my camera.

It's ironic -- Muddy Sneakers is all about getting city kids out into Nature and helping them to understand what they see there.

I, on the other hand, am only now beginning to appreciate what I see in a city -- and that's thanks to Merisi's blog. Without Merisi, I wouldn't have stopped to notice the delicate pastel tiles surrounding this simple but elegant carving...

And thanks to Merisi, I'm always looking up at roof lines  and enjoying the geometry of architecture. . .

 Here are some more things I saw in Asheville yesterday.