Echoes of the Forest

When Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina, it left behind more than devastation—it left opportunity. Among the 821,906 acres of damaged forestland and countless fallen trees lay the seeds of transformation. This is the story of one tree's remarkable journey from Biltmore Forest to Town Hall hearth. A Vision Takes Root In the aftermath of Helene, while communities grappled with the storm's $59.6 billion impact, Liisa Andreassen of Echoes of the Forest walked among the fallen...

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact on Western North Carolina, a remarkable collaboration is taking shape – one that transforms fallen trees into vessels of hope, community, and carefully crafted beer. A Partnership Rooted in Resilience Four local organizations have joined forces to create something meaningful from the storm’s destruction: Appalachian Cooperage , Green River Woods , Burial Beer Co . , and Echoes of the Forest . Together, they’re crafting a project that...

When Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina in late September 2024, it left behind a landscape forever changed. Trees that had stood for decades—some for centuries—were lost in a single night. The devastation was immense, but within that loss lay an opportunity for transformation. This October, that transformation takes tangible form on the Grand Garden Promenade at the North Carolina Arboretum . Introducing Chester Shuey's Live-Edge Bench On October 18, 2025 , Echoes of the...