Press Room – Page 25

Land conservation organization restores next-door land

May 7, 2015

The Smoky Mountain News featured coverage of LTLT’s work to decontaminate the former Duncan Oil property—a 1.52-acre property next door to LTLT’s office.

See an excerpt below and read the full piece online.

Excerpt:

A contaminated property next to Land Trust for the Little Tennesse’s office in Franklin could have a brighter future now that the land conservation organization has purchased it.

“I never paid that much attention to this part of town until our offices moved here,” said Ben Laseter, LTLT’s associate director. “LTLT staff parks behind the building, so every day I’d park my car and be face-to-face with this adjacent lot full of tanks, barrels and pumps from its days as an oil distribution business and service station. It seemed kind of ironic that this was right next door to a non-profit dedicated to conserving this wonderful part of the world we live in.”

The 1.5-acre property used to belong to Duncan Oil. Containing 350 feet of Little Tennessee River frontage, the land took a beating during the 40-plus years it was used for storing and distributing petroleum. Read more.

Asheville Citizen-Times: Smoky Mountain High ninth graders get ‘stake’ in future

April 28, 2015

On April 28, the Asheville Citizen-Times included an article about LTLT’s educational program work with ninth graders at Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva.

Below is an excerpt of the piece. You can read the full piece online by clicking here, or by clicking on the image below.

Excerpt:

SYLVA – At first glance, the “stream” looks more like a ditch. Trickling through the campus of Smoky Mountain High School, Bumgarner Branch doesn’t get much attention. But to Amanda Clapp’s ninth grade science classes, it’s worth taking notice.

“When I began the water quality curriculum section with my students, they expected there was nothing living in that stream,” Branch said. “But when I took them down there, they discovered a diverse community of fish, insects, snails and crayfish. In the fall, they said, ‘If we can make the creek better, then maybe we’ll find more biodiversity!’ So we pursued it.”

So Clapp connected with the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee’s Citizen Science Program Manager Jason Meador, who offered to help teach the students how to improve the stream through “livestaking.”

Smoky Mountain News: Paul Carlson honored for conservation work

April 22, 2015

The Smoky Mountain News recently included coverage on LTLT’s Paul Carlson being named Outstanding Conservationist in the 2015 Roosevelt-Ashe awards given out by Wild South in March.

Read an excerpt below. Check out the full article online.

Paul Carlson of Land Trust for the Little Tennessee was named Outstanding Conservationist in the 2015 Roosevelt-Ashe awards given out by Wild South, an environmental organization that works in several southern states.

Carlson, LTLT’s founding director, led LTLT for 18 years, helping to conserve and protect thousands of acres before transitioning from the role director to senior advisor at the end of 2014.