Oct 01, 2020

OktoberForest Webinar, Healthy Forest = Healthy Water

Water, barley, sugar, hops and … trees? How much do you know about what goes into creating the flavor of your favorite beer?

Join Greenville Water, The Nature Conservancy and Bird’s Fly South on Thursday, October 29, 2020 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. EDT for a free webinar to learn how healthy forests contribute to healthy water and ultimately better beer.

Henry Poole, watershed manager for Greenville Water; Shawn Johnson, co-owner of Birds Fly South Ale Project in Greenville, S.C.; and Kristen Austin, Upstate conservation director for The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina will connect the dots between healthy forests and your favorite brews. Feel free to log on with mug in hand for this special happy hour edition of our virtual Conservation Journeys!

With support from the community in 1993, The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina and Greenville Water partnered to protect 30,000 acres of the Greenville watersheds. The result is plentiful and great tasting water. Brewers from across the country have been attracted to the Upstate of South Carolina, including Shawn Johnson, a veteran from the United States Coast Guard that started Birds Fly South Ale Project, a multi award-winning brewery focused on wild/funky beer styles. Grab your favorite beverage and join us to learn about the connections between healthy forest, clean water, and quality beer.

Henry Poole is the Watershed Manager for Greenville Water and is responsible for the operation of both the Table Rock and North Saluda watersheds totaling 30,000 acres. He holds a BS degree in Forest Resource Management from Clemson University and an MBA from Wilmington University. He has 20 years of natural resource experience including utility forestry, traditional forest management, urban forestry, and wildfire management. Kristen Austin has spent her career working in conservation, primarily for The Nature Conservancy the past 22 years. She came to South Carolina in 2004 to establish a conservation program for TNC focused on the Southern Blue Ridge, which has developed into a TNC 5-state regional initiative to focus on forest restoration. Kristen is now expanding TNC’s conservation work into the Piedmont region of South Carolina to protect the lands and water in one of the fastest growing places in the US. While serving in the United States Coastguard, Shawn developed a strong passion for brewing, creating recipes, and honing his craft. Owning and operating Birds Fly South Ale Project with his wife, Lindsay, Shawn combines his love of science, math, and creativity to produce award winning and unique beers.