Chimney Swift Tower Built at Outdoor Classroom

November 13, 2023

Chimney swift tower joins other shelters for birds to reside on campus

You may be wondering why there is now a new structure (pictured above), that looks like a stand-alone chimney, on our outdoor classroom campus? This is a chimney swift tower, a safe spot for the chimney swift bird to shelter! The chimney swift tower joins several other shelters on the outdoor classroom campus for birds and bats to reside.

Chimney swifts are small, quick birds that spend a lot of their time flying in the air. Due to deforestation, and the increase in buildings, these birds began living inside actual chimneys (which look and feel a lot like hollow trees). The chimney swift needs a habitat where they can cling to vertical walls, as they don't perch on tree branches and limbs. Chimney swift towers are dedicated homes for the bird to find shelter.

The swifts migrate between the eastern half of North America and the western half of South America. They eat many bugs that thrive in watery habitats, just like our Outdoor Classroom.

You can learn more about the chimney swift here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chimney_Swift/overview. 

Building the chimney swift tour took a collaborative effort, and we are so thankful for those who helped to make it happen! Myers and Chapman volunteered their expertise and materials to construct the tower itself. The outdoor classroom’s own property maintenance volunteers, Larry and Butch, helped dig the post-holes, which is not an easy task to do by hand! Big thank you to Charlotte ToolBank for renting us the tools we needed to complete this project. Lifting up such a heavy, tall structure posed a challenge; our partners at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden connected us with, Dixie Forestry and Grading, that had the equipment to get the job done safely. We are so very grateful for Jackie Bagley, Chad Fields, Lance Canty, and Connie Wade from Catawba Nation who contributed their time and talents to help put the metal flashing on top of the chimney swift and get the structure on its feet, even after the sun went down.

We hope to see birds enjoying their new home soon! 

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Catawba Riverkeeper Welcomes Dr. Mo Drinkard as New Executive Director

December 17, 2025

Catawba Riverkeeper is pleased to announce that Dr. Mo Drinkard has been hired as their new Executive Director. A standout among over 100 applicants, Mo was offered the position by the Catawba Riverkeeper Board of Directors search committee on Thursday, November 20th, and she assumed her role as leader of the organization on Monday, December 1st, 2025. Catawba Riverkeeper Brandon Jones, who participated on the search committee, shared that “Mo’s education, experience, and passion are directly aligned with the organization’s mission and needs. We are excited for her perspective and leadership in continuing the critical work of protecting our waters.” Mo is a mission-driven non-profit leader, professor, and scholar with a passion for building strong organizations, nurturing future leaders, and tackling big challenges in conservation, equity, and education. With over 20 years of experience spanning academia (Kent State University, Brevard College, Miami University), community partnerships, and environmental science, she's worn many hats: executive director, grant writer, program architect, DEIB strategist, faculty and student mentor, and not often enough, field biologist in muddy boots. Mo's work lives at the intersection of applied research and social change. She specializes in transforming great ideas into funded, functional, and impactful programs, whether that’s designing experiential learning curricula, guiding strategic organizational turnarounds, or helping community-based groups access the resources they need to thrive. From leading national workforce development initiatives to restoring urban watersheds (Doan Brook Watershed Partnership) and mentoring the next generation of environmental scientists, Mo brings an entrepreneurial spirit and deep subject matter expertise in biology, ecology, sustainability, and inclusion. Mo believes that science is for everyone, and that real change happens when we build spaces where all voices can lead. “I am honored and excited to offer leadership for the next chapter of Catawba Riverkeeper’s work. I believe deeply in the mission and am fully invested in the health and future of this watershed. I look forward to getting to work supporting the waterways, communities, and people that make up this expansive and impactful basin,” Dr. Drinkard said. Catawba Riverkeeper, currently one of the ten largest riverkeeper organizations in the United States, boasts over 8,000 members across the 26 counties of North and South Carolina where the waters of the Catawba flow. As the fifth Executive Director of the organization, Mo will bring new and innovative ways to advance the work of her predecessors and the mission of the organization in this new chapter of Catawba Riverkeeper’s leadership. Mo will be supported by 11 full-time staff and 22 volunteer board members to preserve, protect, and restore the Catawba River so that it sustains plentiful, clean water for generations to come.