Fall 2022 – Supporting Our Trails

I am a lifelong environmentalist.  For almost two years now, I’ve been registered with the National Park Service as a trail steward in Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I’m supporting our trails.  I’m responsible for keeping tabs on the Cedar Ridge Trail, observing and reporting whenever any major trail work needs to be done.  The NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail, or MST, also follows the Blue Ridge Parkway through Doughton Park before it turns to descend the escarpment into Stone Mountain State Park.

So I also spend a lot of time hiking on the MST, unable to help myself, staying in “observe and report” mode as I also explore opportunities for beautiful photography and timelapse captures.  I’m working on an essay describing my adventures finding and protecting several Carolina Lilies along the MST in the park (stay tuned!).  This adventure was the catalyst for me getting to know the leaders of the Friends of the MST a little bit better.

 

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The MST is a state treasure, running 1175 miles from Clingmans Dome to the Outer Banks.  On the sections I’ve hiked, I have to say that is an excellent trail.  In order for the MST to stay excellent, it needs a lot of maintenance: volunteer hours and donations of dollars.

In addition to volunteering, I’m raising funds for the Friends of the MST by selling special edition signed and numbered prints of several recent photographs I’ve captured along the MST, either in Doughton Park or Stone Mountain Park.

Fundraiser Details

One of the things I like most about these signed matted prints is that, if you want to frame it, it is a standard sized mat, which means it will be easier to find a frame you like that fits the decor of the space where you choose to hang it.

There are twenty-five prints total: four sets of five numbered prints, and five individually numbered prints.  The prints I’ve created are mounted, matted, and protected in a cellophane sleeve, as shown here:

One of the signed matted prints for sale.

Profits beyond cost for the matted prints will be donated to the Friends of the MST.  If I sell all the prints, the total donation will be $1,375.00.  If I can raise this total by the end of November 2022, I will personally round it up to an even $1500.00!

If you’d like to purchase one or more prints, they can be shipped anywhere in the United States, or picked up in person at my studio office in Sparta, NC.  I’ve included a purchase link for each photo print, which will take you to my Square checkout site for ordering online.

Beware: Prints are available on a first come, first served basis!!!

Below you’ll find a description of each photo print available.

MST – Doughton Park (series of 5)

Print size is 8 x 12 inches, gray matte size is 12 x 16 inches

$100 – Purchase this print

The MST is just out of the frame, to the right of this big rock.  This is one of the most iconic spots in Doughton Park.  I love the way the light hits the grass.

Fall Colors Over Stone Mountain (series of 5)

Print size is 8 x 12 inches, gray matte size is 12 x 16 inches

$100 – Purchase this print

This is a great view of Stone Mountain from the Blue Ridge Parkway, near one of the overlooks.  You can’t see it, but the MST goes down through that valley.

MST – Doughton Tree Rock (series of 5)

Print size is 8 x 12 inches, gray matte size is 12 x 16 inches

$100 – Purchase this print

This is one of my favorite trees in Doughton Park.  Where I was standing to take this shot, the MST runs directly behind me.  I’ve always enjoyed capturing natural shadows on different surfaces.  It’s like a sun signature, perhaps?

MST – Bluffs Cloud Mirror (series of 5)

Print size is 8 x 12 inches, gray matte size is 12 x 16 inches

$100 – Purchase this print

This is one of my favorite photos in my collection.  Seriously.  I came up on this familiar spot after a particular rain with lingering puddles, and got lucky enough to capture this shot.  This is the Bluffs.  One of my sanctuaries.  Clearly shown is the trail marker for the MST.

Stone Mountain (1/1)

Print size is 9 x 12 inches, light gray matte size is 16 x 20 inches

$150 – Purchase this print

This is one of the better shots of Stone Mountain I’ve ever captured from below grade.  If you didn’t know, Stone Mountain is a monadnock, which is “an isolated hill or ridge or erosion-resistant rock rising above a peneplain.”  It’s one big solid rock.  I love how the black and white shows off its beautiful texture.

MST – Storm Clouds Over Doughton (1/1)

Print size is 9 x 12 inches, light gray matte size is 16 x 20 inches

$150 – Purchase this print

This is a shot straight down the MST, headed southbound, or eastbound, toward the ocean.  One of the best things about Doughton Park (and all of the escarpment) is the constantly dynamic skies.  Never the same skies twice.  Every second should be savored.  This is also what makes Doughton such a great spot for timelapse captures.

Unknown Creek Reflection (1/1)

Print size is 9 x 12 inches, light gray matte size is 16 x 20 inches

$150 – Purchase this print

I’ve always been interested in capturing reflections.  Sometimes it’s best to slow down, be still, and look down!

MST – Foggy Morning Spider (1/1)

Print size is 9 x 12 inches, light gray matte size is 16 x 20 inches

$150 – Purchase this print

The open corridor of the MST is a haven for spiders.  With all the fog we get up here, this is a very common scene.  The early bird gets the morning dew (or fog) on the webs, with perfect angles of light!

MST – Wildcat Sunrise (1/1)

Print size is 9 x 12 inches, light gray matte size is 16 x 20 inches

$150 – Purchase this print

Basically every time I go to Doughton, I visit Wildcat Rock.  Since I was a small child.  So, I’ve been coming to this spot for over forty years.  This is a sacred space.  The MST runs along the pasture on the left, which is where the Storm Clouds shot mentioned above was captured.

Sparta Streetscape: Neither For Nor Against

On Monday, April 22, a joint session of the Sparta Town Commissioners and Alleghany County Commissioners was held for the purpose of allowing public comment concerning the upcoming Sparta Streetscape (and Waterline) municipal project, especially concerning how the project should be financed.

I attended this meeting and was the first citizen to speak during the public comment section of the meeting.

Here is the transcript of what I said, which consists mostly questions for stakeholders in the project.

“My name is Ben Erlandson.

[**I’ve omitted the statement about my street address]

I was born in Elkin, North Carolina, and my father and I built a home here at the base of Bullhead Mountain in the mid-1990s.  

I’ve spent most of my life in the mountains and forests of Alleghany County.

It is my permanent home.

We are engaging in an interesting municipal project with long-term implications for success and failure of economies and communities in the Town of Sparta and Alleghany County—within a much larger GLOBAL context.

Considering the ties to economic development for the Streetscape project communicated by the Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Sparta, and Alleghany County leaders, should we not also consider this Waterline and Streetscape project to be a business venture?

If so, let’s consider Alleghany and Sparta resident and nonresident taxpayers to be de facto investors in this venture. You can also check them out here if you need the best accounting services.

Either way, I’ve got a few questions.

How will we know that this Streetscape project is successful?

What are the current definitions of success for this project?

What does failure look like for this project?

Which organizations and individuals will be held accountable for the failures of this project?

How will they be held accountable, and by whom, and to what end?

What sort of recourse will taxpayers have in the event of project failure?

What happens if and when taxes need to be raised again for additional phases of the streetscape project?

What happens when there is a surplus and we no longer need the tax dollars to pay for the streetscape, will taxes be LOWERED again?

How are we planning to enforce the economic goals of the streetscape project?

Who has the authority to enforce these goals?

For example: what happens if a successful business that doesn’t fit the tourism-centric Streetscape model takes up space in the streetscape environment and refuses to leave?

[** due to the three-minute time limit per speaker, I decided at the moment to skip this next statement and did not say it aloud:

OR – What about a rogue group or individual wanting to add elements to the Streetscape plan such as trees or benches or monuments creating an extra maintenance burden on town and county employees and annual budgets?

** but it should be known that Barbara Halsey has already instigated one of these rogue endeavors, attempting to force the town and county to add trees back into the Streetscape plan despite the logical reasons for removing them from the plan.  Ms. Halsey spoke openly about this endeavor at this meeting on April 22, after announcing her intentions to force the trees back into the plan during the Information Session held at the Sparta Methodist Church on Tuesday, April 9.]

Who will regulate these rogue endeavors, and how?

I certainly have many more questions.

As I mentioned before, this is the sort of project that can garner national attention for its successes and its failures.

All stakeholders involved in this long term project should be excited that we are interested, we are fascinated, we are observing, and we are reporting.

I look forward to an ongoing open discussion about the successes and failures of this project.

Thank you!”

Knowing that I’d have a three-minute time limit for my remarks—despite the fact that several of the people at the meeting went well over their time limit, with what appeared to be no effort at agenda/rules enforcement from anyone running the meeting—I trimmed the above comments down from a much longer set of remarks.  I’d like to include some of these remarks in this blog post, in order to generate more discussion about the ongoing implementation of this and future phases of the Sparta Streetscape Project.

I do not intend to take sides on this issue. I think one of the worst things that can happen to any long term project is for its stakeholders to take sides with a “for or against” mentality.

My goal is to illuminate the complicated relationships between the many different perspectives to be held on this multi-faceted long term series of projects to help navigate an equitable way forward, in service of current and future residents of Alleghany County and the Town of Sparta.

Regarding the successes and failures of the Sparta Streetscape project:

Which aspects and elements of the project will we be measuring in order to make appropriate assessment decisions as we evaluate the successes and failures of this project (both during its construction and after its completion) regarding the economic development and economic vitality of the town of Sparta and Alleghany County?

Regarding communication about the Sparta Streetscape project:

What kind of transparency will be provided regarding the progress, successes, and failures of this project over time?

Will the thousands of residents investing in this venture have access to public quarterly progress reports, written in layman’s terms?

Will we have quarterly or semi-annual “town hall” style meetings in each township?

Will these communications run in two directions?

Will town and county officials listen openly to citizens whenever concerns are voiced, whenever questions are asked?

Will town and county officials provide open, transparent responses to these questions, and will clear connections be made between these citizen concerns and questions and the resulting actions taken by town and county officials?

Regarding economic development and the Sparta Streetscape project (or “economic vitality” as the Chamber of Commerce prefers to call it):

How do the non-essential streetscape elements (such as the new stoplight) tie directly into Workforce Development, Youth Retention, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Agriculture, Tourism, Small Business Development, and Business Recruitment—which are the Eight Issues of economic development identified in the Alleghany Strategic Economic Development Plan for 2015-2020?

What are the specific benefits of these Town of Sparta Streetscape tie-ins to the Eight Issues of the Economic Development Plan, and how, specifically, do they benefit the thousands of residents of Alleghany County?

 

Erlandson For Alleghany County Commissioner

My name is Ben Erlandson, and I am running as an independent write-in candidate for Alleghany County Commissioner in the 2018 general election.  I believe we can build a reasonable future for Alleghany County and its citizens as part of the Appalachian Mountains and the New River Basin.

Let’s Respect the Past and Consider the Future.

As the first step in this process, I need to gather signatures to submit to the Alleghany County Board of Elections to ensure that my write-in candidacy is officially recognized—so all votes cast for me in the general election will be officially counted.

But first, let me introduce myself and tell you a little bit about why I want to be an Alleghany County Commissioner.

I was born in 1979 and grew up in Elkin, NC, just down the road from Sparta.  I spent most of my childhood and teenage years walking and camping in the forests and mountains of Alleghany County, from Stone Mountain to Doughton Park.  We are so lucky to have these wilderness areas in our backyard.

In the mid-1990s, my father and I finished out a modular home at the base of Bullhead Mountain, in Glade Valley, NC, where I now live.

I am quite proud to be a product of the North Carolina public school system: Elkin Primary School, North Elkin Middle School, and Elkin High School.  Even for college, I went to a public university: UNC-Asheville.

I am a photographer, a brewer, a gardener, a naturalist, a writer, and a professional educator living in this beautiful land we all call home.  Over the course of my life experiences, I have come to realize that I am passionate about supporting the following issues in my local and regional communities:

Healthy Communities

Education and Lifelong Learning

Arts, Craftsmanship, and Creativity

Local Economies

Sustainable Agriculture

Social Justice

Environmental Stewardship

Natural Wonder

I will write more about each of these things in future posts.

SO!  You may be wondering…

Why am I running for a seat on the Board of Commissioners?

Well, as an Alleghany County Commissioner, I would like to achieve three major goals with our communities during and beyond a four-year term:

Reasoned progress

Evidence-based problem solutions

Open communication and participation

For each major issue the county faces, I believe we can work together for reasoned progress by establishing measurable outcomes to define and track the successes and failures of any program funded by the county.  If we don’t have data to know how well a program is working over time, then how do we know if it is working or not—and if that county money was well spent?

If we use measurable outcomes, we can begin to implement evidence-based problem solutions for all of the critical issues facing our communities.  We can evaluate and assess these outcomes over time to know which direction to take with the solutions we establish.

Do we keep funding the solution from one year to the next?  Do we change the solution? Do we throw it out altogether?  Do we work with the organization implementing the solution to help them find additional sources of funding?

Finally, as an educator and technology systems designer, I firmly believe in communication and participation.  Open communication and collaborative participation across our communities is a requirement if we are to have any chance of building and maintaining a reasonable future for the current and future citizens of Alleghany County.

Can any one of us predict or define what that reasonable future looks like?

Absolutely not. We’ve got to work together to build it, and we’ve got to continue working together to keep it.

Should I be elected, here is what I will bring to the table of the Alleghany County Board of Commissioners:

Local effort and elbow grease

Critical thinking and common sense

A “big picture” perspective

Global experience and expertise

A passion for life and simplicity

Concern for all of our communities

As I mentioned, the first step is to collect enough signatures from registered Alleghany County voters and submit them to the Alleghany County Board of Elections before the deadline.  As we get down to the wire, I’ll keep you posted.

Please connect with me via email or send me a message through the Erlandson for Alleghany Facebook page, and I will find a way to ensure that you can sign the official petition form.  We can meet at the Blue Ridge Business Development Center (next to the Alleghany County Library) or I can meet you in a place that is convenient for you.

Also, petition forms are available to sign at two other locations in downtown Sparta:

Becca’s Backwoods Bean – 21 N Main St, Sparta, NC 28675 (map)

Journey Wellness Studio – 81 W Doughton Street, Sparta, NC 28675 (web)

Thank you for taking the time to read my introduction to my platform for reasoned progress in Alleghany County.

I look forward to the opportunity to serve you as a public official!

Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions or concerns.

Let’s work together to build a reasoned future for Alleghany County!

Stay tuned for updates. 🙂