GSMA publishes children’s chapter book

A new fictional chapter book for young readers is now available from the Great Smoky Mountains Association. 
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Road closed for logging operations

Courthouse Creek Road, located on the Pisgah Ranger District near Pisgah Forest, is closed to motorized use through Dec. 31.
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Erosion issues ongoing at Millennial Campus

Despite multiple outstanding environmental violations, a new student housing complex located on Western Carolina University’s Millennial Campus off Killian Road…
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Smokies cyclist dies following accident

A cyclist passed away in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last week following an accident on a downhill section…
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Cataloguing biodiversity: WCU lands grant for biological collections

A collection of 47,000 plants and animals currently tucked away in various rooms of Western Carolina University’s Stillwell building will…
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With 900-mile challenge, hikers hope to raise $60K

A pair of experienced Smokies hikers will soon embark on a 900-mile challenge in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park…
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Report unsolicited seed shipments

Numerous people in North Carolina have reported receiving unrequested shipments of seeds from foreign sources, and the N.C. Department of…
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Change of plans for Master Gardener classes

The Haywood County Master Gardener course typically offered from January through April each year will move to August through October…
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Lake Junaluska cancels 5K

Lake Junaluska’s Friends of the Lake 5K will not take place in 2020. 
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Duke pauses aerial spray program following complaints

Angela Faye Martin’s husband Brent had already left the house to scout a future hike for the guide service they…
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Smokies resource education chief named

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash has named Stephanie F. Kyriazis as the park’s new Deputy Chief of…
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Bringing backcountry to the back door: Early plans unveiled for Chestnut Mountain park

The project may still be in its early stages, but plans are beginning to take shape for the 448-acre park…
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Congress passes legislation to fund parks, conservation

President Donald Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law on Tuesday, Aug. 4, guaranteeing funding for much-needed maintenance…
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Mainspring hires new employee

Rachel Newcomb has been hired as a conservation outreach associate for Mainspring Conservation Trust. 
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Mainspring conserves Cherokee mound

A culturally significant 40-acre property in Macon County has now been conserved, thanks to Mainspring Conservation Trust. 
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More Parkway facilities reopen

The Blue Ridge Parkway has reopened four previously closed campgrounds in North Carolina and Virginia, but some seasonal facilities remain…
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National forests welcome new leadership

In the midst of a summer characterized by coronavirus-related disruptions on top of the closing of the public comment phase…
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New Kids in Parks Trails created in Robbinsville

The Cheoah Ranger District on the Nantahala National Forest has two new Kids in Parks TRACK Trails, designed to turn…
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Volunteers show up big for creek cleanup

Haywood Waterways Association saw its biggest group of litter pickup volunteers ever when 22 people showed up July 11 to…
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‘Part of history’: Canary Coalition dissolves after 20 years

After 20 years at the forefront of clean air efforts in Western North Carolina, The Canary Coalition is no more. …
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Speak on the future of Chestnut Mountain

An online forum at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, will seek public input to help shape plans for the Chestnut…
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Environmental organizations sue over NEPA changes

The Southern Environmental Law Center is representing 16 environmental organizations in a lawsuit claiming that the Trump administration illegally cut…
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Fires Creek inholding conserved

Mainspring Conservation Trust has sold 49 acres of land at the headwaters of Laurel Creek to the U.S. Forest Service. 
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Franklin butterfly garden’s honors long-time volunteer

Kay Coriell, a longtime supporter of Franklin’s greenway along the Little Tennessee River, has been honored for her efforts by…
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Outdoor Leadership alum honored at SCC

A graduate of Southwestern Community College’s Outdoor Leadership Program who now holds the title of outdoor recreation planner with the…
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Parkway Foundation welcomes new Trails & Views manager

Audrey Pearson is the new Trails & Views Forever Program manager at the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. 
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Work for the Smokies
 

Work for the Smokies

Local applicants are wanted for facilities management jobs in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 
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Tsali trails undergoing maintenance
 

Tsali trails undergoing maintenance

The Left Loop Trail of the Tsali Trail Complex in the Nantahala National Forest is closed for maintenance work. 
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Missing hikers found safe

A search and rescue effort in the Shining Rock Wilderness area of the Pisgah National Forest had a happy ending…
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Snorkel the Pigeon

Discover the amazing diversity of life in the Pigeon River with an event on Saturday, July 25, at Jukebox Junction…
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Tour a working farm

Tour 10-Acre Garden and enjoy a wood-fired pizza Saturday, July 25, at the Ten Acre Garden in Bethel. 
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Fall event cancellations announced

With rising case counts showing that the Coronavirus Pandemic is far from over, a new round of cancellation announcements has…
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Dillsboro to host Jackson County Farmers Market
 

Dillsboro to host Jackson County Farmers Market

The Jackson County Farmers Market will set up at Innovation Station in Dillsboro, Wednesdays 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. 
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New shelter-in-place medical course offered
 

New shelter-in-place medical course offered

A new online course from Cullowhee-based Landmark Learning is teaching first aid skills for people who are sheltering in place. 
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Smokies creates emergency manager position

Liz Hall has been selected as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s first emergency manager.
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Tribe receives USFS grant for forest management

A grant from the U.S. Forest Service will help the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians expand and connect the Hall…
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Freedom on foot: Cashiers man shares trail running passion through guide company

These days, Brendon Voelker’s life revolves around running, but eight years ago the Texas native was still struggling to complete…
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Campgrounds, rec areas reopen in the Pisgah

New re-openings have been announced for the Pisgah National Forest. 
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Man drowns after rescuing minor
 

Man drowns after rescuing minor

A visitor to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park perished last week when he tried to save a younger family…
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Motorcycle accident results in fatality
 

Motorcycle accident results in fatality

A motorcycle fatality occurred on Newfound Gap Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park shortly after 5 p.m. Monday,…
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Sanitation supplies available for farmers markets
 

Sanitation supplies available for farmers markets

A new campaign from EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems aims to make farmers markets safer for the public and vendors alike. 
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DuPont considers entry fees
 

DuPont considers entry fees

Visitors to DuPont State Recreation Forest could have to pay an entrance fee in the future following Gov. Roy Cooper’s…
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Trees for sale
 

Trees for sale

Tree seedlings are now available from the N.C. Forest Service, with nearly 50 species of conifers, hardwoods and native understory…
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Garden offers music-filled summer evenings

The popular ArborEvenings after-hours series at the N.C. Arboretum will return this year with a toy-filled twist. 
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America, mile by mile: Cross-country trip reveals country’s beauty, diversity

Back when the trip was a new idea, I don’t think either of us took it seriously. Three weeks on…
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LEGOs in the garden

The arrival of the N.C. Arboretum’s newest exhibit was delayed due to COVID-19, but Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks…
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Butterfly murals installed in Cullowhee garden

Four larger-than-life butterflies now greet visitors as they enter the Cullowhee Community Garden, each representing a species that helps pollinate…
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Planning effort seeks to form regional multi-use trail network

A plan that would create a 150-mile-plus trail network through Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties is now out…
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Farmers market starting in Cashiers
 

Farmers market starting in Cashiers

Locally Grown on the Green farmers market offers local produce 3 to 6 p.m. each Wednesday during the growing season…
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New Smokies podcast launches

A new podcast series from the Great Smoky Mountains Association brings the science, stories and sounds of the Great Smoky…
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