Swannanoa River Watershed is...

 Just who is Swannanoa Watershed Action Network? And why and how?

Swannanoa Watershed Action Network (SWAN)

 When All Thrive, Earth Regenerates (WATER)

Here's a brief summary written by another member.

SWANWATER is made up of a group of local residents who wish to impart the theories behind Doughnut Economics to people living in the Swannanoa Watershed.

 
We are in the process of organizing workshops to which members of the community will be invited. The goal of the workshops will be to help us zero in on where the shortfalls lie in the local social safety net and to identify where we might be overshooting the ecological ceiling, thereby threatening sustainability and the environment.
 
Once we collect data, we'll be able to paint a picture of where needs lie. We plan to facilitate solutions via channels as needed including: working with and advising local government, active citizen participation in such things as river clean ups, workshops to increase environmental awareness and permaculture education just to name a few possible tracks.
 
Our organization was launched in March of 2022 and has been meeting weekly since with participation growing. We presently meet at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church every Friday at 3.

And the mission of the group:

The mission of SWAN is to mobilize caring individuals and organizations in the Swannanoa watershed to help catalyze a safe and equitable space for all people without shortfalls of the social foundation or without overshooting the ecological ceiling, based on the model of Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth. This includes climate change adaptation and mitigation, home food gardens, home solar, tiny homes for the homeless, river clean ups, capital for local initiatives, gender equality, social equity, education, and health for all.

SWAN is a network of volunteers with skills in permaculture, IT, raising capital for BIPOC enterprises, community development, Buncombe County planning, videography, website design, facilitation, environmental policy, blockchain, teaching, political activism, environmental planning, solar energy, local governance, writing, and more. For the past one year, the organic, self-organizing network has met for two hours each week for discussion, presentations, planning, and action. Workshops will soon be held throughout the watershed.

 

SWAN welcomes new participants, partners, and support for these efforts. The network has a Facebook page, Google Group, and Google Calendar which new members can join, and we now have a YouTube channel as well! Please complete the signup form with your name, address, email, affiliation, interest, and skills.

 

Regular weekly meetings take place at the Black Mountain Presbyterian Church house at 129 Montreat Rd, Black Mountain, NC, each Friday afternoon from 3-5 pm. All are welcome.