Riverlink Inc

RIVERLINK PROMOTES THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER AND ITS WATERSHED.

LAND CONSERVATION: IN 2021, RIVERLINK COMPLETED ITS RE-ACCREDITATION WITH THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE, SOLIDIFYING OUR POSITION AS A PROFESSIONAL LAND TRUST FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS. RIVERLINK ALSO ACQUIRED A SMALL PARCEL OF WETLAND ON FLORIDA AVENUE IN WEST ASHEVILLE FOR THE SAKE OF RESTORATION AND EDUCATION. IN TERMS OF VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP, RIVERLINK WORKED WITH MUNICIPALITIES, PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS TO HOST WORK DAYS FOR REMOVING INVASIVE PLANTS AND GARBAGE FROM FUTURE KAREN CRAGNOLIN PARK AND OTHER PROTECTED LANDS HELD BY RIVERLINK. ADDITIONALLY, RIVERLINK COMPLETED ITS ANNUAL MONITORING AND REPORTING FOR ITS CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROPERTIES. WE ALSO SOLD TWO FEE-SIMPLE PROPERTIES (ONE A FORMER BROWNFIELD IN THE RIVER ARTS DISTRICT AND THE OTHER OUR HISTORIC OFFICE SPACE) RESULTING IN ~$4M IN ENDOWED, QUASI-ENDOWED AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS FOR THE ORGANIZATION FOR

GENERATIONS TO COME. IN ADDITION, WE INVESTED OVER $100,000 IN DESIGN AND PRECONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR THE GREENWAY PHASE OF THE FUTURE KAREN CRAGNOLIN PARK. WATER QUALITY: IN 2021, WE COMPLETED A SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR OF OUR PILOT PROGRAM ADOPT-A-STORM DRAIN. WE REACHED OUR GOAL OF HAVING 100 STORM DRAINS ADOPTED IN THE CENTRAL ASHEVILLE WATERSHED. CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED ON OUR INNOVATIVE STORMWATER PROJECT DIS IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH RAIN GARDENS INSTALLED ON SIX RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. RIVERLINK SECURED $354,000 IN GRANT FUNDS TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT THE SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY STORMWATER PROJECT, A GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT INCLUDES AMENITIES AT ERSKINE APARTMENTS, AN ASHEVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTY.

EDUCATION: AT THE START OF 2021 OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM CONTINUED WITH VIRTUAL LESSONS DURING THE SPRING SEMESTER OF SCHOOL. WE WERE ABLE TO HOST THESE VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH 450 STUDENTS AT 7 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. AS PANDEMIC RESTRICTION LIFTED WE WERE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM FOR LESSONS WITH SUMMER SCHOOLS IN HENDERSON COUNTY. WE WORKED WITH 225 STUDENTS AT 6 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS DURING THE SUMMER AS WELL AS A COUPLE LESSONS WITH AFTER SCHOOL GROUPS. DURING THE SUMMER WE ALSO HOSTED OUR RIVERCAMP WITH REDUCED CAPACITY AND 20% OF CAMPERS WERE GIVEN FINANCIAL AID. WHEN THE FALL SEMESTER STARTED WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO HOST ALL IN-PERSON LESSONS AGAIN AND WE WORKED WITH 1,035 STUDENTS AT 14 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. DURING THIS YEAR OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM WAS AWARDED MULTIPLE GRANTS THAT TOTALED $34,000.