County to Host Streambank Repair Workshops for Landowners and Professionals

NC Cooperative Extension will hold both non-certification and certification streambank repair workshops in Buncombe County in late January and early February, offering hands-on and classroom instruction on stabilizing streambanks using natural materials and native live stakes and plants. Organizers say the trainings are intended to provide practical, cost-effective solutions to reduce erosion, protect habitat and improve water quality.

The non-certification workshops are described as half-day, free sessions with hands-on instruction. Scheduled dates are Saturday, January 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Swannanoa Fire & Rescue, Bee Tree Substation, 510 Bee Tree Rd., Swannanoa, with registration by January 21; and Wednesday, February 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Buncombe County Sports Park, 58 Apac Dr., Asheville, with registration by January 29. Participants must be 18 years or older, and registration is required for all workshops.

A full-day certification workshop is scheduled for Thursday, February 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 131 Sweeten Creek Rd., Ste.10, Asheville. That session will include classroom presentations, hands-on practice and the option to pursue a certification test. Registration fees and deadlines apply; the certification workshop is listed at $250 and the non-certification workshop at $25.

Workshops are aimed at a broad audience: registered landscape architects, professional engineers, commercial landscapers, municipal and county landscape personnel, utility workers, HOA officers, homeowners and landowners, designers, park managers, students and environmental educators. The trainings are relevant for anyone who manages property adjacent to streams or who is involved in municipal stormwater and riparian management.

Local public health and environmental officials note that stabilizing streambanks can reduce sediment and pollutant runoff, protect drinking water sources and lower flood and infrastructure risks for downstream neighborhoods. Community capacity-building through these workshops could be especially valuable for neighborhoods that have historically faced greater flood vulnerability and limited access to technical assistance.

Cost and access will affect who can attend, and the fee for certification presents a potential barrier for unpaid community volunteers or low-income landowners seeking formal qualifications. Organizers emphasize registration is required and that more information, including how to register, is available through the NC Cooperative Extension link on the county webpage.