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Merged into one, environmental groups announce new name

Members of ECO, the Western Carolina Alliance and the Jackson-Macon Conservation Association celebrate approval of the new Mountaintrue, a merger of all three organizations.

Three organizations that work for conservation across Western North Carolina have given final approval to a merger and announced a new name.


The merger united the Hendersonville-based Environmental and Conservation Organization, the Western Carolina Alliance and the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance into a larger group called Mountaintrue with the tagline "Protecting the Places We Share."
"It went very smoothly. We had a joint annual meeting and it was unanimous," said ECO President Jan Partin. "All three organizations are very much on board with becoming Mountaintrue. We will still have an office right where we have it now, at Biz 611. We will have our director, Mark Stierwalt, and we'll continue to have our staff person and Americorps volunteer."
The merged organization is working now on a strategic plan and goals, she added.
In addition to its Asheville headquarters and Hendersonville office, Mountaintrue will have offices in Franklin and Boone.
"I think we're going to probably see more activity here because all the administrative functions will be up in Asheville so we can focus more on programs," Partin said. "We will continue to have all our committees so as far as I'm concerned it looks like we'll be as good or better than we have been."
The Western Carolina Alliance covered 22 counties with a staff of 10 people including specialists in grant writing.
Directors and members of the three organizations met and approved the merger on Nov. 20.
"We are very grateful to the more than 100 people who came to celebrate this historic moment with us and to all those who took part in the voting process that has allowed us to move forward as a larger, stronger regional organization," the new organization said on its website. "Together, we are committed to protecting the natural resources of North Carolina's beautiful mountain communities."