CMLC's Annual Meeting and Hike
featuring Patrick McMillian
Saturday, April 10th, 1pm at Holmes State EducationalForest
Directions
A WNC native, Patrick McMillan travels the world as the host, co-creator, and writer of the popular and award winning PBS nature series Expeditions with Patrick McMillan. He is also a professional naturalist, lecturer and director of the Campbell Museum of Natural History at Clemson University. His research has taken him around the world in pursuit of new species of plants, and his areas of expertise are in sedge and Begonia taxonomy, natural community ecology and conservation biology.
His work has been featured in both the National Wildlife and South Carolina Wildlife magazines, as well as in numerous articles in local and regional newspapers. A highly sought after speaker, Patrick will give an inspiring talk about the global significance of the Blue Ridge Mountains and land protection in the face of climate change, and then lead our members on an educational botany hike at Holmes State Educational Forest.
The annual meeting presents the opportunity for CMLC not only to celebrate our achievements in 2009 but also to look forward to our next year of projects. Patrick’s presentation will be followed by a 40 minute easy to moderate hike in the forest. We will also present the 2010 Lela McBride Land Stewardship Award, which is given to an individual (or group) who has made significant contributions to land conservation or stewardship in the region.
2009 Lela McBride Land Stewardship Award
This year the 2009 Lela McBride Land Stewardship Award was awarded posthumously to Mr. George "Howard McElrath, and to the entire McElrath family in recognition of his admirable stewardship of land—not only in donating an easement on his property, thereby ensuring that the land will forever be protected in its natural state—but for the attachment he felt for his land, which he kept in its natural state for all his 95 years
Congratulations to the McElrath Family! Pictured from Left are Kieran Roe, Jessie Felder, Rhonda Streadwick, Tom Fanslow and Katelyn Felder (front)
Rhonda is Mr. McElrath's daughter, Jessie is Rhonda's granddaughter, and Katelyn is her greatgranddaughter.
Lela McBride, the award's namesake, was an exemplary community leader and conservationist. She helped to spearhead a natural areas inventory of Henderson County in the early 1990s and then helped to found the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. The award is made annually by CMLC to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to land conservation and stewardship in western North Carolina. To learn more about this award and our previous recipients, click here.
