A tough farming year
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer “Overall, it’s been a really tough year for farming,” said Jackson County farmer William…
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Go west yon hiker
A new hiking club has joined the ranks of an already burgeoning collection of trail trotters in WNC.
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Preserving tradition Non-profit grows plants for Cherokee artisans
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Not too long ago, the number of people who carried on the ancient Cherokee…
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Building a bridge of ideas and insight from the Smokies to Iceland
By George Ivey • Contributing writer What in the world would bring together the Great Smoky Mountains and the country…
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Homeward bound
After Jersey and the Big Apple (see last week’s Naturalist’s Corner — www.smokymountainnews.com/outdoors/item/7554-famous-nyc-offspring), it was time for a leisurely trip…
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The dam is gone, so how’s the Tuck doing?
Learn about biological changes afoot in the Tuckasegee River since the removal of the Dillsboro dam two years ago during…
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Canoe trip to explore the Little Tennessee
A guided canoe float trip down the Little Tennessee River will be held on July 19 as part of the…
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Open water swim added to the Lake Logan multi-sport line-up
The fast growing sport of Open Water Swimming has been added to the Lake Logan Multisport Festival held Aug. 4…
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Girls on the Run to increase presence in Macon County
Girls on the Run is reaching out to elementary and middle school girls in Franklin to get involved in a…
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Bringing back the native river cane
River cane, a native type of bamboo that once grew in large stands along mountain rivers, has gotten a helping…
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Venture to a unique high-elevation granite dome on guided hike
A special guided hike to the Ridges of Cedar Knob in the Highlands area will explore a high-elevation granite dome…
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Get off the eaten path with guided wild mushroom hunt
Join a renowned mushroom forager for a guided mushroom hunt from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday July 29.…
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A measure of hope for the hemlock forests?
A scientist fighting to save the dying hemlock forests of the Southern Appalachians will give a talk on ongoing efforts…
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Smokies workshop to engage teachers
An all-day workshop on July 31 will explore the ethics and ethos behind ecology and conservation in the Great Smoky…
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Land a hand for the Smokies’ historic cabins
The historic cabins, churches, school houses and farmhouses that date back to the times of early Appalachian settlers in the…
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Wild places, wild things featured at Mountain Wildlife Days
The ninth-annual Mountain Wildlife Days will be held Friday, July 20, and Saturday, July 21, at Sapphire Valley Resort near…
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Hiking the Southern Appalachians? Download this App
Hikers who want to travel smarter on trails in the Southern mountains now have access to a mobile app called…
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Take a working vacation on the AT
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is searching for volunteers to help maintain sections along the fabled footpath. No previous trail experience…
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Learn how to manage your forest land
Four workshops for private forest landowners in Western North Carolina will be held on Wednesdays and Thursdays between mid-July and…
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Fox sightings not always a cause for concern
Foxes sighted in daylight, or in urban and suburban settings are not necessarily rabid or dangerous, according to the N.C.…
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Reward offered in elk poaching case
The N.C. Wildlife Federation is offering $5,000 for information about the recent elk killings that directly leads to an arrest…
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Top supporters for national parks include local groups
Friends of the Smokies and The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation are among a select group of organizations featured as part…
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Pigeon River Fund awards grants
Seven projects received $116,300 in grants from the Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. Grant…
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Summer doldrums? Students can volunteer in the Smokies
Students can join a park ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this summer in a hands-on work project.…
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Kids camp to explore heritage farming
Kids will explore local agriculture in the 4-H Farm to Fork Day Camp in Haywood County held from 9 a.m.…
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State recognizes Western Carolina for its energy reduction efforts
Western Carolina University has gotten more kudos for lowering energy use and costs and promoting utility savings.
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Famous NYC offspring
New York City is big, bustling and in July – hot, but there are always entertaining and even educational ways…
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‘Around the World in 80 Birds’ coming to Highlands
International birder and Highlands-Cashiers resident Romney Bathurst will present “Around the World in 80 Birds” at 7:30 p.m. July 23…
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Franklin couple collaborate on outdoor books for children
In 25 years of teaching kindergarten, Cathryn Sills of Franklin read a lot of books to her young students. In…
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Farm tour and garden walk in Jackson
The Jackson County Farmers Market is sponsoring the sixth annual Farm Tour and Garden Walk from 1 to 5 p.m.…
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Highlands art center hosts eight garden tours
The Bascom’s 2012 Mountains in Bloom Garden Festival, which includes a garden tour and flower show, will take place July…
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Winged creatures of the night unveiled
The Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah Forest just outside of Brevard will host a night for nature enthusiasts of all…
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Audubon Society to host birding tours, talk
The Highlands Plateau Audubon Society is offering birders a chance to stroll around the grounds of a private home on…
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Hike the Smokies with a naturalist
A guided hike on the three-and-a-half mile round-trip Thomas Divide Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be…
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Land Trust hosts Yellow Creek Falls hike
The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee will host a nature study and leisurely hike to Yellow Creek Falls and…
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Guided hike explores Purchase Knob
Meet with a park ranger and enjoy mountain views while lunching on top of Hemphill Bald July 19. Hiking enthusiast…
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LTLT to share vision and work
Learn the latest about the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, including an update on land conservation initiatives, at noon…
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Hay Day rolls into Haywood July 12
The Mountain Research Station will hold its annual Hay Day on July 12, featuring demonstrations of the latest hay equipment…
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Take the aerial challenge with NOC’s new zip line park
Nantahala Outdoor Center has opened a new Nantahala Zip Line Adventure Park that features a traditional zip line and aerial…
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Stargazing comes to a telescope near you
An evening of stargazing using optical or radio telescopes will be held at 7 p.m. July 13 at the Pisgah…
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Mapping ancient Cherokee mounds
Cherokee mounds will be the focus of a 7 p.m., July 12, presentation at the Highlands Biological Station. Ben Steere,…
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Fly fishing guide to share secret spots
The Plateau Fly Fishing Club will hold a casting clinic at 6:15 p.m. and a meeting at 7 p.m. July…
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Learn about “hummers” in upcoming program
A hummingbird program by Cathyrn and John Sill will be held July 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kern Youth…
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Kudos, Gov. Perdue
News outlets began reporting Sunday night (July 1) that North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue vetoed Senate Bill 820, which would…
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Paging Robin Pope: When no hospital’s in sight, treating medical emergencies takes quick wit and know-how
If you fall from a ledge rock-climbing, break a leg backpacking in the wilderness or twist your shoulder paddling a…
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The changing face of WNC’s national forests
A million acres of national forests sounds like a lot, and indeed it is. But consider the 8.6 million people…
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Mapping Mountain Treasures: Wilderness on the line
A sweeping review of the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests will get under way in a matter of months, a…
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‘Spectacular’ nature photography on exhibit at Cradle of Forestry
“Spectacular Southern Appalachians” is the theme of a Nature Photography Exhibit by the mountain chapter of the Carolinas Nature Photographers…
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Chimney Rock completes new elevator and staircase to iconic rock tower
Building the original elevator to the mountain’s summit in 1949 took workers 18 months to blast through solid granite, creating…
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Youth National Fly Fishing Championship held in Cherokee
This year’s U.S. Youth Fly Fishing Championships were held in Cherokee last weekend, with venues including the catch-and-release waters in…
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