Oconaluftee Indian Village: Cultural Education Experience

Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: Oconaluftee Indian Village

Cost: $20 per person

Meetup Location & Time (for Carpooling): TBD

Step into the 18th-century Cherokee world at the Oconaluftee Indian Village. This guided experience offers a powerful educational look at Cherokee traditions, craftsmanship, and community life. Tours depart every 30 minutes and include live demonstrations, interpretive storytelling, and meaningful cultural engagement.

This tour is coordinated by the Cherokee Historical Association.

Oconaluftee Indian Village – Cherokee Historical Association

Farm Disaster Recovery & Conservation Planning Field Tour

Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: Bethel Area Farms

Cost: Free

Meetup Location & Time (for Carpooling): TBD

This unique field trip will visit farms in the Bethel area that have been impacted by recent natural disasters. Participants will see firsthand the soil degradation, infrastructure damage, and landscape challenges farmers face—and the conservation strategies being implemented to recover. Guided by local conservation professionals, this tour will focus on real-world conservation planning in response to extreme weather and flooding.

Boots and weather-appropriate attire are encouraged.

Presented by Haywood Soil & Water Conservation District in partnership with local producers.

Great Smoky Cannabis Company Farm Tour

Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: Cherokee Cannabis Operations Farm

Requirements: 21+ with valid ID

Cost: Free

Meetup Location & Time (for Carpooling): TBD

Step behind the scenes of the Tribe’s cannabis production facility for an in-depth look at sustainable cultivation, research and development, and tribal enterprise management. This 2-hour immersive tour will be led by Forrest Parker, General Manager, and Matt Hampton, Director of Operations, offering participants a chance to ask questions and engage directly with tribal staff.

⚠️ Note: All guests must be 21 or older and present a valid ID at check-in. Security will issue visitor badges. Photography is allowed except in designated areas.

Spots are limited. Pre-registration required.

Welcome to Great Smoky Cannabis Company | Cherokee, North Carolina

EBCI Tribal Fish Hatchery Tour

Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Location: EBCI Fish Hatchery

Cost: Free

Meetup Location & Time (for Carpooling): TBD

Join Natural Resources Director Mike LaVoie for a behind-the-scenes look at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ (ECBI) fish hatchery. Learn about trout egg hatching, stocking efforts, and the Tribe’s outstanding trout fishery management program. You’ll see fish in various growth stages and explore the raceways that support this thriving aquatic ecosystem.

This 1-hour tour includes Q&A and guided interpretation of the system’s design and conservation purpose.

Home : Fish Cherokee

NC Sunshine Laws

Understanding Sunshine Laws

For Soil & Water Conservation Districts

Navigating North Carolina’s sunshine laws and public records regulations can be complex, but our website simplifies the process. This resource provides clear, accessible information on open meetings and public records laws in NC, ensuring government transparency and accountability. Documents on the site include clickable links and references for deeper exploration. If you have questions, please reach out to your regional coordinator. Elise McLaughlin and Kristina Fischer, at the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Soil and Water Conservation, have provided all materials to support your understanding and compliance.

Sunshine Laws slideshow
Sunshine Laws Handout
Sunshine Laws Scenarios

Preparation for a District Board Meeting

Preparation of District Board Meetings

Preparation for meeting checklist:

  • make sure meeting is posted appropriately
  • check with supervisors and staff for agenda items
  • send board meeting packets to supervisors and interested parties
  • contact supervisors and interested parties with meeting reminders as appropriate
  • prepare supervisor travel vouchers

After meeting checklist:

  • minutes
  • upload approved minutes to Sharepoint

What are open meetings and open government?

Open Government Guidance– Provided by the NC Attorney General’s Office, for more information on resources provided, please visit: Open Government at North Carolina Department of Justice.

The University of North Carolina has a School of Government program, which has provided great resources to our districts over the years. They maintain an invaluable blog. Search their resources to learn more about working with boards and North Carolina Law.

What are Robert’s Rules of Order?

Robert’s Rules of Order is essentially a guidebook for conducting meetings and making decisions as a group. Written by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert, it was first published in 1876. The aim was to provide a standardized set of procedures for organizations, large and small, to conduct their business fairly and orderly. Below are some great resources:

Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised 12 edition

Cheat sheet provided by Board Effect.

Note: Before hosting electronic meetings, please check with your state about the laws regarding electronic meetings.

Meeting Packet Example Items & Information
Preparation for Board Meeting PowerPoint

Items shared are provided by the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Soil and Water Conservation and can be located here. Presentation materials provided by Rick McSwain.

Division Quick Notes:

Division Quick Notes:

Division New Hires :

  • Soil Scientist- Pabitra Aryal
  • CReP Specialist- Seth Bauguess
  • Engineers- Sam Just and Matthew Berens
  • Central Regional Coordinator- Taryn Thompson

News:

New SWCC Commission Chairwoman Barbara Bleiweis and Commission Member At-Large, Dr. Prosche Spence.

March 11 & 12 is a Commission Meeting in the Outerbanks. Field trip registration closes March 4 & book hotel by March 7, call 252-441-5581, State Soil & Water block.

Tom Hill is approaching his retirement. His last day is March 31, 2025.

Project Learning Tree: Explore Your Environment K-8 Workshop

This posting is used as a notification and does not serve to register for the event. Please see ‘Event Website’ to register for the event.

Are you wanting to bring Project Learning Tree workshops to your county? Then this training is for you!

Participants will explore the myriad of PLT materials, recognize the strength of the extensive PLT network and history, experience activities, and make a plan to deliver their first workshop. Experience with adult education programs and the NC EE Certification program are highly recommended. Successful future facilitators will have the support of their organization and/or facility to host and present workshops. Please review the NC PLT Facilitator Requirements document at http://go.ncsu.edu/facilitator_requirements to understand what will be expected upon completion of the facilitator training. Continue reading “Project Learning Tree: Explore Your Environment K-8 Workshop”