About Us │ Echoes of the Forest │ Asheville, NC

Our Mission

Each piece — called an Echo — tells three stories

The story of the tree. The artisan crafting the art. And our mission to rebuild economic roots in Western North Carolina.

Echoes of the Forest transforms Hurricane Helene–salvaged timber into handcrafted public art installations in partnership with local Appalachian artisans. Founded in March 2025, we exist to support artisan livelihoods, foster environmental education, and heal communities through craft.

Artisan chainsaw carving a sculpture from salvaged timber

What We Do

Four pillars of the mission

Artisan Livelihoods

Direct economic support for Appalachian woodworkers and craftspeople through commissions, retail sales, and public art partnerships that put money in artisans' hands.

Environmental Education

Every Echo carries the story of Western North Carolina's forests — the scale of what was lost, the science of recovery, and what it means to transform destruction into something lasting.

Community Healing

Public art installations in parks, town halls, schools, and gathering spaces — creating shared moments of beauty and resilience in the places where people come together.

Tree Memorial

Honoring the forests Western North Carolina lost during Hurricane Helene. We are building a living memorial to the trees that shaped this landscape — educating communities about their ecological importance and ensuring they are remembered, not just mourned.

Our Story

How it started

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina with a force the region had never seen. The storm damaged or destroyed 40% of Buncombe County's tree canopy, affected 39 counties, and left 821,906 acres of forestland damaged — an estimated $59.6 billion in economic impact.

In the weeks and months that followed, fallen timber lined every road, filled every yard, and sat in every clearing across the mountains. Most of it was destined for landfills or burn piles.

"What if the trees that fell could become something that lasts — something that honors what was lost and supports the people who are still here?"

That question became Echoes of the Forest. Founded in March 2025 by Liisa Andreassen, the organization began connecting Appalachian artisans with salvaged timber and the communities looking for ways to heal. The first commissions came quickly — a mantel for Biltmore Forest Town Hall, a bench for the NC Arboretum, a sculpture for a reopening park.

Today, Echoes works with a growing roster of artisans across Western North Carolina, with installations in public spaces from Asheville to Swannanoa. A PBS documentary is scheduled for release on May 14, 2026, and new collaborations and installations are in development throughout 2026.

Every piece starts with a tree that fell. Every piece ends with a community that chose to make something of it.