About Us
Appalachian Land Stewards has served public and private clients in western North Carolina since 2011. Our journey began with a passion for ecological restoration; managing forest structure and species composition to improve the ecological function of degraded forest land. Much of this work began with controlling non-native invasive plant species and restoring native plant diversity. The writing of Doug Tallamy (Bringing Nature Home) inspired us to not only prioritize efforts on large forest tracts, but to also create and maintain healthy ecosystems in our own backyards.
Over the years, our services have expanded to include tree care and preservation, hazard tree removal, wildfire risk mitigation, prescribed burning, and trail construction. We bring the same ecological principles to all of these endeavors, and always plan for future generations. Our broad experience and holistic approach to land management help landowners balance the complexities of managing land for ecology, aesthetics, and safety.
John received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Northern Arizona University in 2005 with a focus on Ecological Restoration. After working 4 seasons as a wildland firefighter, he turned his focus to fire ecology and prescribed burning. In 2006, he moved back to the east coast and settled in Old Fort, NC. There he began to focus on controlling the spread of invasive plant species and restoring native plant diversity. John served as Natural Resources Coordinator for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy for 5 years, then Landscaping Supervisor at Warren Wilson College for another 5 years. Founding Appalachian Land Stewards has been the culmination of a lifelong passion for enjoying the outdoors and leaving our planet in better shape than we found it.
ISA Certified Arborist #SO-7509A
NC Pesticide Applicator License #026-27128
