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Cherokee foundation awards rivercane project $101,000
The Cherokee Preservation Foundation awarded a $101,000 grant to a team of Western Carolina University scientists to support research for the restoration of the region’s once-plentiful rivercane.
The grant, which is administered through the Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources grant-making initiative, funds a project to explore the ecology of the 12- to 16-foot tall grass.
The program links faculty who have expertise in genetics, botany, geochemistry, remote sensing, sedimentology and ecology restoration to research how and where new stands could be planted successfully.
Assistant biology professor Kathy Mathews, third from right, helps Western Carolina University students, from left, Adam Griffith, Katie McDowell and Sharhonda Bell study the physical characteristics of rivercane stands.
Rivercane is an important cultural resource for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. It is used for basket making, blowguns and mats and is also important as a habitat for birds, butterflies and other species. Recently, the N.C. Department of Transportation recognized the plant’s importance for erosion control on riverbanks.
Rivercane was plentiful everywhere in what is now Western North Carolina when Europeans arrived. Settlement and conversion to farmland played a role in its depletion, said Adam Griffith, graduate student in biology, who co-authored a paper that was presented at the Geological Society of America meeting.
“It’s not Asian bamboo. It is not kudzu,” said Rob Young, associate professor of geology. “There’s a strong misconception that rivercane is an invasive species. It’s a native plant that belongs here. If it were aggressive, it would not be gone.”
An initial $40,000 planning grant last year enabled WCU students and faculty to locate about 40 stands of rivercane in Jackson, and other WNC counties. Students recorded measurements at those stands to help decipher the sets of physical conditions that produce the best rivercane for artisans. They measured such qualities as height, density and variety of plants in the area.
“A lot of the time, the rivercane is in a big field of rose and honeysuckle,” said student Katie McDowell. “Those plants take over. They are the first things to grow in.”
Meanwhile, an advisory board of Cherokee artisans will help convey what types of rivercane growth are best suited for their baskets and crafts.
“We think rivercane restoration is a high priority for the Eastern Band,” Young said. “It’s nice for WCU to be able to provide that kind of service.”
For more information, contact Young at 227-3822.
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