The Nature Conservancy, led in WNC by Program Director Megan Sutton, won the Sustainable Forestry Award for its work to prevent wildfire through education and prescribed burning. There is little debate that years of fire suppression have contributed to the dense vegetation buildup that feeds wildfires, and Sutton has demonstrated her commitment to work collaboratively with other organizations to address this issue, especially through her support of multi-use management in the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest planning process. 

Other Root Cause winners included Asheville-based Navitat Canopy Adventures — which received the Support of Local Forest Products Award for its efforts in promoting zip-lining, an unconventional forest product — and Asheville woodworker Mike Hester, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for welcoming customers to his woodworking shop for more than 40 years. 

Root Cause is an initiative committed to raising sustainable forestry awareness in the Southern Appalachians. This is the sixth year the organization has issued its annual awards.