American Whitewater partners with Riverlink and the Nantahala Outdoor Center for a river cleanup on the French Broad River.
Each May lovers of rivers and music gather on the banks of the French Broad River to celebrate the mountain lifestyle at the French Broad River Festival. The festival gives back to the community by raising funds for the river stewardship work of American Whitewater and various local charities. At the 2009 French Broad Festival American Whitewater is partnering with Riverlink, an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the French Broad River, to encourage river stewardship in paddlers by organizing a river cleanup on the French Broad River.
The river cleanup will be hosted by the Nantahala Outdoor Center on Friday, May 1, 2009. Anyone interested in participating in the cleanup should email info@americanwhitewater.org prior to April 24, 2009 so that lunch and shuttle arrangements can be prepared.
Participants in the cleanup will be meeting at NOC’s French Broad outpost on Friday, May 1st, at 10:00. NOC will be providing a free shuttle service and lunch for those participating in the cleanup. The cleanup is open to the public, boaters should be comfortable in Class III-IV whitewater. Paddlers with their own equipment and rafters are encouraged to participate. A shuttle is available to transport boats to and from cleanup location. For more information on this section of river check out the French Broad Section 9 page on the American Whitewater website. Minimum age for participation in the cleanup is 8 years old, waivers will need to be signed by all participants and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The world’s third oldest river, the French Broad flows through scenic Pisgah National Forest in the mountains of North Carolina. This free-flowing river has moderate Class II and III rapids. Due to its close proximity to Asheville the French Broad River receives a lot of use. The river cleanup will provide paddlers with an opportunity to improve the quality of the river while enjoying all it has to offer. The river cleanup should last several hours and a small reception will be hosted at NOC for the participants at 4:00 as the event wraps up.
RSVPs must be recived before April 24, 2009 for anyone interested in participating in the cleanup. Email: info@americanwhitewater.org to hold your spot.