The Transylvania French Broad Stewards is a volunteer group that works to promote the natural and economic vitality of the upper French Broad River in Transylvania County. They do this by connecting with landowners and river users to promote best practices for agriculture, forestry development, and recreation.
In 2019, the Transylvania French Broad Stewards transitioned from a stand-alone group to a program of Conserving Carolina. This arrangement allows Conserving Carolina to handle the technical work of running a nonprofit, so volunteers can focus on grassroots, “boots-on-the ground” work.
Volunteer with Transylvania French Broad Stewards
You can help keep the river clean, beautiful, and safe! To volunteer with the Transylvania French Broad Stewards, please sign up as a Conserving Carolina volunteer and let us know you’re interested in this group. Volunteer opportunities include paddling sections of the river to monitor safety conditions as one of our River Runners, taking part in river clean ups, monitoring water quality, and helping with Riverfest. Learn more about volunteering with Conserving Carolina.
Check River Conditions
Volunteers with the Transylvania French Broad Stewards post updates about conditions in the upper French Broad River, including potentially dangerous fallen trees or logjams on this Facebook page. These updates do not reflect all current conditions on the river. You are responsible for your own safety on the river. We hope that these updates help you to navigate the river safely and enjoy your trip.
More Ways to Get Involved
Follow Us on Facebook
Follow the Transylvania French Broad River Stewards on Facebook to get river-related news, including upcoming events and updates on river conditions.
Come to Our Monthly Meetings
All are welcome at the Transylvania French Broad Stewards meetings on the 4th Thursday of each month at 8:00 a.m. We meet at Transylvania Cooperative Extension, 106 East Morgan Street, Brevard, NC 28712.
Make a Donation
Please help support the Transylvania French Broad Stewards! Donations go through Conserving Carolina.
Riverfest
Mark your calendars! The Upper French Broad Riverfest is happening Saturday, June 15th 2024. Every summer, the Transylvania French Broad Stewards host a free, family-friendly festival in Rosman, NC, where the French Broad pours out of the mountains, crystal-clear. Riverfest brings the community together and gives children the opportunity to enjoy the river. Riverfest features free tubing rides, hands-on activities, food trucks, and more. It also coincides with the annual Headwaters Outfitters Hellbender 20-Miler Relay Canoe Race!
This event is sponsored, in part, by:
Our partners:
Our sponsor:
Food providers:
For more information or to become a sponsor, contact Pam Torlina at [email protected].
The Story of the French Broad River Stewards
It started with a monster logjam that blocked the entire river for over a year. Logjams are dangerous for paddlers and tubers and they can cause flooding in nearby fields. Clearly, there was a need for more proactive stewardship of the river. So a resident named Sid Cullipher brought citizens together in a group that became the Transylvania French Broad Stewards. In 2019, we interviewed Susan Brown and David Whitmire, two charter members of the group. They shared with us their story about how the Stewards got started and their vision for the future.
