Jay & Jewell Kaiser

Why Brevard, Look at this short video that features views of our Brevard College, our waterfalls, downtown Brevard, the Brevard music center and more. Need more information contact Jay today 828-421-0375 http://www.homeinbrevard.com/newspost219-brevard-nc-quality-of-life-video.aspx

Entertainment in Brevard NC

Entertainment Transylvania County is rich in both cultural and recreation opportunities, from summer music at the Brevard Music Center to hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding, canoeing, camping and biking in the Pisgah National Forest. There are downtown events, such as the Festival of Arts, Brevard Philharmonic Orchestra, plus countywide revivals and music festivals.

Transylvania County offers more than 15 summer and year round camps for both boys and girls. Camps

For information on area attractions, festivals, conventions, lodging, hiking, biking and camping visit Outdoor Recreation/Golf or contact:

Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce
Or The Tourism Development Authority
175 E. Main St.
Brevard, NC 28712
(828) 883-3700 or 1-800-648-4523
email: waterfalls@citcom.net
Brevard Chamber of Commerce

If you have never had the chance to spend the day at the Cradle of Forestry you're missing out. Located in the Pisgah National Forest just a 10 minute drive from the entrance of the Forest in Brevard NC. I can attest that the trails are something to behold as well as the center itself. We think it's tough today to live, after seeing how the loggers and true mountain men and there families lived will make you count your blessings

National Public Lands Day Free Program: Water Wonders Spanish- Language Tour Saturday September 26, 2009 Guided walks in Spanish at 10:30am and 3:00pm, English at 1:30pm Location: Cradle of Forestry In honor of the 15th annual National Public Lands Day, the Cradle of Forestry will offer family-oriented programs in both Spanish and English on September 26. All ages are invited to come enjoy the Cradle free of charge on this special day. A Cradle Naturalist will lead a "Water Wonders" (Maravillas del Agua) walk along the wheelchair-accessible 1.3 mile paved Forest Festival Trail. The walk will highlight the historical uses of public lands, and the many ways in which our forests affect watersheds and water quality. Following the one-hour tour, children ages 5-12 are invited to participate in a short game in which they will learn about the water cycle and its importance to living things. Admission for this event is FREE!

History from the Cradle of Forestry Web site www.cradleofforestry.org

History

Our century of forest conservation dates back to the construction of the Biltmore Estate and the reforestation of abused and farmed over land that once ailed the surrounding landscape. Forestry education began in 1889 when George W. Vanderbilt purchased the first land holding in Asheville for his Estate.

Vanderbilt hired a man by the name of Frederick Law Olmsted to oversee the design and construction of the gardens & grounds encompassed by the magnificent estate.

Upon Olmstead's recommendation that the estate required a "Forest Manager", Vanderbilt hired a young man by the name of Gifford Pinchot. Pinchot, who would later serve as the first Chief of the USDA Forest Service and Governor of Pennsylvania, developed and implemented a forest management plan for Vanderbilt's forested holdings.

Subsequently, in 1895, German forester Dr. Carl A. Schenck accepted George Vanderbilt's offer to come to North Carolina to succeed Gifford Pinchot as manager of his vast forest properties. For the next 14 years, Dr. Schenck focused all of his forestry skills on transforming the woodlands we know today as Pisgah National Forest into a restored image of what was once a flourishing forest.

Today the Cradle of Forestry in America is a 6,500 acre Historic Site within the Pisgah National Forest, set aside by Congress to commemorate the beginning of forestry conservation in the United States. The Forest Discovery Center honors forest conservation history with an 18 minute movie about Vanderbilt, Pinchot, Schenck and the beginning of forestry in America. Also located in the Center is an interactive exhibit hall, The Giving Tree Gift Shop and the Forest Bounty Cafe. Outdoor activities include two guided trails which lead you back in time to seven historical buildings, a 1915 Climax logging locomotive and an antique portable sawmill. Thursdays through Sundays you may find a toy maker, a weaver, a quilter, or a wood carver demonstrating traditional Appalachian crafts on the open porches of the historic cabins.

With special programs and events throughout the season, The Cradle of Forestry is a must do attraction in the Pisgah National Forest.

FloodPlain Issues in Summary Revised 9-8-2009 by Jay Kaiser (as interpreted by Barbara Tapley, 9/09) Below is a fantastic interpreted document for The City of Brevard in Transylvania County. The City of Brevard has rules and regulations somewhat similar but all the same different than that of the County in regards to what can and cannot be placed within a flood area.. The City has what is called the UDO Transylvania County is well known for its hundreds of waterfalls and the headwaters of the French Broad River. As is most river basins there is always a potential of flooding in the low lying areas. You might ask, how can the mountains flood? The French Broad River even though at 2000 foot in elevation and higher with some areas lower to 1800 feet is no different than areas nearly at sea level. Below you will see what Barbara found to be true for the city of Brevard. In the County (Transylvania County) there is one huge difference in that in the 100 year flood area you can in-fact build as long as what we call the free board is greater than one foot above the FFE. As a member of the Transylvania County Planning Board we have made a recommendation to the County Commissioners for a 2 foot free board. It was studied and the reduced cost of flood insurance versus the payback to build 2 feet higher has a short term payback in most cases. This is to be voted on Sept. 14, 2009. Barbara’s comments for the City requirements below: The purpose of mapping flood hazard areas is to prevent the loss of life and property that could occur if homes or businesses are built in areas where periodic flooding is possible. The flood maps are in the Transylvania County GIS accessible directly from their website or by clicking on the site on our MLS. Identify the parcel and apply “proposed flood mapping.” The “existing flood mapping” is easier to interpret, but should go away in another month or so when the proposed maps take effect. In summary, here’s what the designations mean: Flood Way: Indicated by slashes (//////) on former maps, but can’t see this on the new maps! You can call the City Planning Department for them to print out the version they are able to produce which does show the flood way. Nothing can be built in a designated flood way. 100 Year Flood Plain/AE: The new designation is “AE” and nobody seems to know what those initials stand for. This is the lighter blue color on the maps. New construction can occur in this zone provided flood studies (called “H and H” studies, Hydraulic and Hydrological) and subsequent engineering takes place. This can involve either fill and grading or elevating structures or both. A floodplain development permit from the city of Brevard is required prior to performing grading or construction. A new structure must be one foot (residential) or two feet (commercial) above what is determined to be the high water mark in a 100-year flood. 500 Year Flood Plain/A: This is the dark blue on the maps. This designation is not really cause for much concern…you can build anything you want in this zone. You do still need to get the floodplain development permit prior to any construction. Flood Insurance: Everybody in our county is eligible to buy flood insurance, regardless of what the flood risk of their property is. It is affordable and easy to get from any property insurance company. Without insurance, property damage/economic loss is the owner’s responsibility. Most mortgage companies will REQUIRE the purchase of flood insurance if any part of a property is in a flood zone (even the 500 year).

Pisgah Forest Class Adopts A Manatee

Can you imagine a first grade student so caught up in a class study that he takes a chunk of Christmas vacation to follow-up on it? That's exactly what Andrew Howell did, and he and his family went to Florida to make this happen.
Kelly Estep's first grade class at Pisgah Forest Elementary School has adopted an animal; her name is Georgia. Georgia is not quite the typical soft, cuddly pet. She is ten feet long and tips the scales at 1,635 pounds. Georgia is a manatee. She was orphaned as a newborn and taken from the waters near Brunswick, Ga., to SeaWorld in Orlando, where she was nurtured and reared to adulthood by the staff of the manatee rescue center there. Released into the wild, the nearly six year old Georgia discovered Blue Spring Run and has spent every subsequent winter lounging about in the 72° water with other manatees.

Georgia is nearly eighteen years old now, the mother of four, and a recent grandmother. Estep's class found her biography particularly endearing, and decided she is the manatee for them. Andrew was especially fascinated. He encouraged his parents Mellissa and Kevin to plan a visit with his great-grandmother in Clermont, Fla., and while there to make a trek to Blue Spring State Park. Mellissa used some of the money she had been awarded as Transylvania County's Teacher of the Year for 2007 to help make the trip possible.

Andrew was delighted upon arrival at Blue Springs to learn that although Georgia was not on site that day, one of her calves was. He was able to walk out on the boardwalk-docks that allow visitors to explore the park and see not only Georgia's calf, but approximately nine other manatees, as well as an alligator. He learned that Georgia's "childhood" at SeaWorld had led her to feel very comfortable with humans, and that at Blue Springs she had proved to be something of a problem because she tried to buddy-up to people in rafts and canoes - thus causing them to overturn. Fortunately, when it is not cold, most of the adult manatees leave the spring and enjoy life in the waterways; so Georgia is not about to create problems on a daily basis.

While on the trip, the Howells also visited the manatee animal hospital at Lowery Park Zoo in the Tampa area. Injured or orphaned manatees are taken there for special care. Having learned from SeaWorld and Blue Springs' experiences with Georgia, the staff there try to give manatees very little human contact so that when they release them they are still able to survive without being too used to humans.

The trip may have a greater impact on wildlife in North Carolina than the Howells envisioned. While fishing, they noticed a PVC pipe for old fishing line. (Discarded/Broken fishing line that gets into the water is very detrimental to animals, aquatic and non-aquatic.) They discovered it is a state initiative to have fisherman put their old line in the pipes, and a volunteer gathers all of the old line. It is sent it to a company that melts it down and recycles it into new line. The Howells are going to use the Florida model and try to start a similar program locally.

Andrew brought back many memories and pictures to share with his classmates and to remind him of his trip. He helped his classmates paint a mural depicting manatees in the water. Everyone worked on the mural, and Andrew was especially pleased to see that it turned out looking very much like the real life gentle creatures he saw on his vacation.