Date: October 14, 2025
Guest Speaker: Jon Stamper, River Cleanup Coordinator, MountainTrue
The Land O’ Sky Trout Unlimited chapter met on October 14 for an update on river cleanup and post-Helene river recovery work across Western North Carolina.
Our guest speaker was Jon Stamper, MountainTrue’s River Cleanup Coordinator. Jon grew up in Asheville, now lives in Madison County, and brings a background as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, raft guide, swiftwater rescue instructor, and outfitter operations manager—experience he now applies to coordinating regional cleanup projects.
Jon outlined the scale of current efforts. The State of North Carolina has allocated $10 million for post–Hurricane Helene cleanup, with a focus on smaller rivers and tributaries that saw heavy flooding and debris. MountainTrue and partner crews—supported by community volunteers—have removed nearly 4 million pounds of trash and storm material from local river systems. To keep momentum, more than 70 full-time cleanup staff have been hired to work across multiple counties. Training and safety remain central, and volunteer opportunities are set up so people with all experience levels can help.
For our chapter, the message was clear: significant recovery work is underway, and collaboration between MountainTrue, Trout Unlimited, and other local partners helps keep projects moving efficiently. Members who want to pitch in or find upcoming volunteer dates can visit cleanupwncrivers.com or https://mountaintrue.org/