Shared by the Western North Carolina Alliance, on Jan. 5:
Julie V. Mayfield, executive director of the Western North Carolina Alliance, has been appointed by Gov. Beverly Perdue to serve on the state’s influential Mountain Resources Commission (MRC).
The MRC’s mission is to take care of our natural resources to enhance and sustain quality of life and ensure the long-term health of our region and our people. Commission members provide recommendations to local, state, and federal legislative and administrative entities regarding protection of these resources.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve on the MRC, whose mission of environmental stewardship perfectly aligns with our vision and daily work at the Alliance,” Mayfield said.
The MRC was created in mid-2009, when the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Mountain Resources Planning Act with broad bipartisan support. The bill stated that the purpose of the measure was “to encourage quality growth and development while preserving the natural resources, open spaces, and farmland of the mountain region of Western North Carolina.”
The Mountain Resources Commission is composed of 17 appointees from mountain counties who represent a broad range of interests – local government, mountain Councils of Government, the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, the North Carolina National Parks, the Parkways and Forests Development Council, the tourism industry and the land trust community.
Mayfield’s term runs through Aug. 31, 2015. She took her seat on the commission in late October.
For almost 30 years, the Western North Carolina Alliance has been a trusted community partner, marshaling grassroots support to keep our forests healthy, our air and water clean, and our communities vibrant. The Alliance and its chapters throughout Western NC unleash the power of citizens’ voices to protect the natural heritage of our region to help ensure that people and the environment can thrive. For more information, please visit www.wnca.org.