Local nonprofit offers stroll beneath 'Treasured Trees' of downtown Black Mountain
Swannanoa Valley Tree Alliance hosts free walking tour on Earth Day
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
April 13, 2023
The Treasured Tree program, launched in 2019 by the Swannanoa Valley Tree Alliance, features nearly 50 trees in the Swannanoa Valley. An April 22 walking tour around downtown Black Mountain will explore the significance of nearly a dozen of them. Photo courtesy of SVTA
Among the vast canopy of trees around the Swannanoa Valley, there are nearly 50 that carry a proud distinction. These “Treasured Trees,” as they have been labeled by the Swannanoa Valley Tree Alliance since 2019, all have stories.
From 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Saturday, April 22, the public is invited to learn nearly a dozen of them in and around downtown Black Mountain, in a special Earth Day presentation.
Since its establishment, the SVTA, a collaboration between the Asheville GreenWorks, the Black Mountain Parks & Greenway Foundation and the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, has endeavored to plant, preserve and protect the local urban forest canopy. The group raises money for these efforts through its Treasured Trees initiative, which celebrates the natural history of the land.
Forty-eight trees, many of which are more than 200 years old, now hold a Treasured Tree designation in the valley. The oldest, believed to be living since at least 1780, is a Southern Red Oak on historic property in Swannanoa. Nearly 20 species of trees, ranging from Eastern Hemlocks, to White Oaks, to River Burch, with many in between, have been recognized by the SVTA.
A free walking tour on April 22 in downtown Black Mountain will share the stories of several of the Swannanoa Valley’s “Treasured Trees.” Photo courtesy of SVTA
Each tree contains a commemorative plaque, specially designed not to harm the trunk, with general information about the selection. Many of the trees are on private property and require permission from the owner to view.
The 2023 Earth Day tour, which will meet at the Black Mountain United Methodist Church, at 101 Church Street, will share the history and significance of Treasured Trees near downtown. Participants are asked to bring water, wear comfortable shoes and clothing and register for free at https://www.eventbrite.com. The approximately 2.5-mile loop will include brief stops at more than 10 destinations, and the event will include a native tree raffle.
For more information on the 2023 SVTA Earth Day Treasured Tree Walking Tour, email info@SVTreeAlliance.com.