Restoring Western North Carolina's post-Helene streams

Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina's waterways. Thousands of miles of streams and rivers now face eroded banks, severed floodplains, and degraded water quality—threatening both ecosystems and community resilience.

But this crisis didn't start with the storm. Our region inherited channelized streams from outdated farming practices, the legacy of colonialism, and the scars of unchecked development. The flood was inevitable. And it won't be the last.

When Apollo and Dan met in India studying water under Rajendra Singh, they discovered a shared home in Asheville and a shared mission. Ama Earthworks was born—named after the Cherokee word for water, a reminder that healing begins with language rooted in place.

We're a hydrological design studio restoring impaired waterways through regenerative projects. More importantly, we're advocates for landowners who lack resources or expertise to act alone. While regional organizations do vital work, significant gaps remain. These gaps are where we can offer the most impact: providing technical assistance, matching funds, training, and project coordination directly to private landowners.

Our vision is ambitious: empower every deed holder living near a stream to become a watershed steward, regardless of income. This is just the beginning of our longer journey. We will use the funds from this round to gift restoration work, utilizing the capital to activate machines, procure and plant native wetland and riparian systems, and bring the water work to the people. Our efforts will be documented and shared to raise awareness. Ama Earthworks is already building momentum here is our local community. We’ve repaired hundreds of feet of stream bank, and have thousands more ahead of us. Apollo and Dan recently hosted a benefit for another watershed advocacy group: Riverlink, where they shared ancient practices of India with the water community of Western North Carolina. For this funding round, they are supported by the FRIENDS OF THE LAND OF SKY REGIONAL COUNCIL INC, a registered non-profit for public society benefit, focusing on various community and environmental initiatives. We believe healthy water systems heal communities, while also tending to the current climate situation. Restoring our relationship to water opens the door to restoring relationship with our fellow humans, ancestors, decedents, and the greater web of life. As Rajendra Singh says: Water is Climate. Climate is Water.