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New River Conservancy

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New River Conservancy

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Dedicated to protecting and preserving the New River Watershed and its inhabitants across 3 states

11/04/2026

New River Conservancy Welcomes new Director of Conservation

Please help us welcome our new Director of Conservation, Kat Diersen, who began her tenure with the non-profit in mid-October. The Director of Conservation will be based in West Jefferson, N.C. and will work with a broad range of partners and the public to develop, fund and implement stream and floodplain restoration, land protection and other conservation projects. Diersen will serve the watershed-wide role as lead for the NRC internal “River Ecology” team, ensuring that projects throughout the watershed bear the NRC hallmarks of quality, community engagement, efficiency and transparency.

Conserving biodiversity and wild places is Diersen’s personal and professional passion, and she loves pursuing it here in the oldest mountain range in the world. Kat brings 20 years of experience in environmental policy and partner-driven habitat conservation to her role of Director of Conservation at New River Conservancy. “Good science and sound policy are foundational to any large scale conservation effort, however, in my experience, the most enduring conservation outcomes are those that support, and are supported by, the communities that they affect.”

Kat is delighted to bring her background and experience home to her beloved Southern Appalachia, and to focus on collaborating with partners and landowners to build healthy and resilient ecosystems across the New River watershed. Diersen says “I deeply admire NRC’s origin story and roots in the fight for a free flowing river, and its ongoing efforts to support local communities by protecting the health of the river and its watershed. It's one of the reasons I knew right away that NRC would be a great fit for me.”

Of the New River, Diersen says, “This is among the oldest, most biodiverse, and most beautiful places anyone could hope to live and work. I’m so lucky to be in a role that lets me be close to it every day, and I’ll try to do it justice!”

Kat Diersen has a permit to handle hellbenders. In order to be able to monitor the population, there are occasions where these incredible creatures need to be handled.

Full story here: https://newriverconservancy.org/new-river-conservancy-welcomes-kat-diersen-as-new-director-of-conservation/

11/03/2026

Do you get New River Currents, our monthly newsletter? Send us a message with your email and we will sign you up!

Inside the November issue you will find news of our work throughout the New River Watershed - a restoration in North Carolina, upcoming clean ups in the New River Valley in Virginia, and a new round up program in the New River Gorge in West Virginia.

https://conta.cc/4f0R8GA

Also - peep our refreshed logo. What do you think?

11/02/2026

We are incredibly proud to announce the completion of the Middle Fork Restoration - an environmental success for the New River watershed - in Blowing Rock, NC, near the headwaters of the New River.

Partnering with North Carolina Land and Water Fund National Park Service Blue Ridge Parkway theTown of Blowing Rock the Middle Fork Greenway and NC Dept of Environmental Quality Division of Nonpoint Source Planning, the New River Conservancy has completed restoration of thousands of feet on the banks of the Middle Fork of the New in Blowing Rock, NC. This restoration has taken years of persistence and patience of all parties through Covid, personnel changes, and the devastation of Hurricane Helene. Andrew Downs, Executive Director for the New River Conservancy: “Our DNA at New River Conservancy is in projects that transform the watershed. The Middle Fork restoration is indicative of that and will benefit many in the Upper New River watershed and beyond.”

The challenge

Between the Town of Blowing Rock Water Treatment plant and the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 2,000 linear feet swath on the banks of the Middle Fork of the New River threatened infrastructure at the water treatment plant and contributed sediment to trout waters. Sediment is the number one threat to aquatic life in our rivers, creeks and streams.

The 2,000 linear foot stream was highly unstable, with eroding streambanks, and limited riparian vegetation. The channel was generally located along the right side of the valley, against a steep valley wall, but one area, where the stream swung to the left, threatened a building of the Blowing Rock Water Treatment Plant.

Well done to everyone involved in this project that took nearly ten years to complete. Those years included a world-wide pandemic and a 1,000 year flood. What an example of resilience, patience and perseverance for the New River. After and before pics show the dramatic change.

Full story here: https://newriverconservancy.org/middle-fork-restoration/

11/01/2026

We’d like to wish Will Sowards, our New River Clean Up Coordinator, a fond farewell and best wishes on his future endeavors.

Sowards spent 3 years working with American Climate Partners, cleaning and assessing the Rappahannock and Clinch Rivers, also worked for the James River Park System as a Programs Assistant, before joining the New River Conservancy.

Will joined the New River Conservancy several months after hurricane Helene, a seminal moment for much of the watershed, and has spent much of his time with NRC helping with the aftermath of the devastating flood. During his time with us Will has been instrumental in river clean ups throughout the watershed. The New River watershed became a much cleaner river with Will as part of our team.

Good luck, Will, and we hope the wind is always at your back.

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween from our beloved mascot of the New River watershed - the hellbender.

Once feared and loathed, the hellbender is a comeback story like few in the any watershed. Folks used to think this adorable salamander was a creature from hell. But no more. A harbinger of crystal clear water, the hellbender is now considered good luck to all who encounter them.

10/30/2026

Hey Virginia Peeps! Want to make a difference in the New River Watershed? We have two clean ups coming up next weekend - November 6 & 7 - in the New River Valley.

Friday, Nov 6, join us for a Clean Up on Stroubles Creek in Blacksburg, VA. Stroubles Creek, a tributary of the New River. Stroubles Creek headwaters begin from Blacksburg’s 16 springs; the stream is subject to a significant amount of urban runoff and trash. It is then routed under Virginia Tech’s Drillfield. The stream resurfaces below the Drillfield where it feeds the Duck Pond and continues through a large area of active ecological restoration.

Saturday, Nov 7, join us for a riverfront Clean Up on the New River at . clean up riverside trash and remove invasive plant species along Smith Farm Trail in Fairlawn, VA. We will be cleaning trash and removing invasives along the riverbank from that address southwest to Sheffey Park (located about 1.3 miles upriver, accessible by Hazel Hollow Rd or on foot by Smith Farm Trail). At higher flood stages, this zone becomes inundated by the New River, which may spread or deposit trash and transport invasive species seeds. Our work is crucial to a healthy river ecosystem!

To register, please visit https://newriverconservancy.org/events/

10/29/2026

Last week Sydney & Celia Haney White, NRC Clean Up Coordinators, joined Friends Of Peak Creek,Inc. to host an information session about the watershed for 1st Graders from Pulaski Elementary School.

The school was making several stops throughout the town, visiting the library, the Fire Department, Police Station, and we met them at the Gazebo in Jackson Park to talk about how they can help keep the Peak Creek watershed clean and healthy.

Thank you to everyone who helped out!

10/27/2026

This past Saturday, October 24, VT Delta Company Cadets joined us as we removed an estimated 1400 lbs of trash from the Big Stony Creek and greater New River Watershed, including 7 full-size tires, numerous smaller tires + rubber scraps, a flatscreen TV, a broken fish tank, and about 200 lbs of scrap metal. Great work!!

As we discovered, there is still quite a lot of trash buried under years of leaf litter and dirt, so we will make a plan to get some community members in there to continue cleaning it up in the near future.

Join us for our next clean up along Stroubles Creek from the VT Duck Pond to the South End of the VT Stream Lab. Register Here: https://forms.gle/GauEk8CYqzbYUwoJ6

Address

PO Box 1480
West Jefferson, NC
28694

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13368466267

Website

https://www.newriverconservancy.org/

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