Save the UNCA Woods

06/06/2026

Thanks to all who stopped by the Save the Woods table at last Saturday's 5 Points Neighborhood Flea Market! We enjoyed chatting with locals and a number of folks from out of town.

If you missed it, you can order Save the Woods dog bandanas and other merch on Save the UNCA Woods website: https://www.saveuncawoods.org/how-to-help/order-merch

📸 Most photos by Maariah K McAndrew

06/03/2026

Tonight, 6/3/26! WNC Sierra Club Monthly Meeting - June 3 - The Environmental Benefits of Urban Forests

When: Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m.
Where: Reuter Center of UNCA, 300 Campus View Dr, Asheville, Room 102 or online via Zoom.

Join the June 3 as we discuss the importance of urban forests. Urban forests have long been significantly undervalued and overlooked in development planning when it comes to the ecosystem services they provide. This presentation will highlight several major benefits of urban forests, such as carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation, reducing the urban heat island effect and energy costs, enhancing mental well-being, decreasing runoff with better stormwater management, and raising home values and incomes.

We will review current statistics that estimate the worth of these advantages and analyze the consequences of losing urban forests due to development. Additionally, we'll examine the ecological significance of urban forests, along with the challenges and opportunities associated with these habitats.

Dr. David Clarke is a botanist and professor of biology at UNC-Asheville. After earning a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and serving as a postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Institution, he started his position at UNCA in 2000 and has been teaching botany courses and performing botanical research ever since.

Mary Schultz has a Masters in Biology and has taught undergraduate courses in Biology and Environmental Science at UNCA, Warren Wilson College, and Western Carolina University. Her education and teaching experience include Botany, Plant Ecology, Ecosystem Ecology, and Climate Ecology. She currently teaches Biology and Environmental Science at Mars Hill University.

The WNC Sierra Club meets monthly in Room 102 at UNCA’s Reuter Center on Campus Drive and simultaneously on Zoom. For more information, contact WNC Sierra Club Chair Judy Mattox at [email protected].

Parking at UNC Asheville: register for parking either ahead of time at unca.aimsparking.com or at the Reuter Center on the night of the meeting.

06/02/2026

We're grateful to for spreading the word about ! has been sharing petition and will give us more opportunities to raise awareness at their festival in Marshall, NC, June 4-8, 2026. We also want to give a shout out to supporters who will be performing there, such as , , and who lead a song circle in the UNCA woods that was filmed to create a video for cause ; to and of the , who did a benefit concert; and to for spreading the word on social media--we're so grateful for all your support!

06/01/2026

April 2026 UNC Asheville Millennial Campus Development Advisory Committee Summary Notes

“South Campus” = UNCA urban woods

05/27/2026

Thank you, Intrinsic Construction !

We think this picture says it all......
The 45-acre UNC Asheville urban forest is under threat of development despite being a crucial educational resource and wildlife habitat.
Learn more at Save the UNCA Woods https://www.facebook.com/SaveUNCAWoods
Save the UNCA Woods

05/27/2026

Tam. T. has cancelled today's guided nature event due to threat of thunderstorms; please follow us to stay informed about other upcoming events.

05/25/2026

Weather permitting, join students and community members for another quick pop-up rally for the UNCA woods on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, from 4:30 to 5:30 PM.

Student members of UNCA’s Student Action Coalition, YDSA, and Sunrise Movement clubs, as well as community members, will be holding up signs at the intersection of W.T. Weaver Boulevard and Broadway Street for the Tuesday traffic rush. Bring your own signs or use some of ours as we stand up for the UNCA woods.

05/23/2026

This bear is wondering, “How do I sign the petition to save my habitat?” Learn more at Save the UNCA Woods

The 45-acre UNC Asheville urban forest is under threat of development despite being a crucial educational resource and wildlife habitat.

05/23/2026

Sign the petition and send to five friends! 💌📬 https://www.saveuncawoods.org/how-to-help/petition

UNC Asheville’s 45-acre urban forest—a vital educational and community resource and wildlife habitat—is under threat of development. Without notice, excavation began on January 13, 2025, destroying ecological research plots, disturbing wildlife, and alarming trail users. Heavy boring equipment arrived shortly after, intensifying concerns. In Fall 2025, UNCA hired consulting firm HR&A Advisors to stand up a committee to make a recommendation on how to develop the forest. This committee of mostly UNCA insiders is expected to make its recommendation soon.

We must ask HR&A to recommend a conservation path for the 45-acre urban forest and urge UNCA to collaborate on a plan that balances financial needs with preserving this invaluable green space for future generations.

Raccoon photo by