Drought persists in N.C.
Despite widespread rains last week, the drought situation in North Carolina hasn’t changed much, according to a map published Dec.…
Read More
N.C. mussel added to threatened species list
A freshwater mussel known as the Atlantic pigtoe has been added as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act…
Read More
Sherpa rice returns to NOC
River’s End Restaurant at Nantahala Outdoor Center is once more serving its legendary Sherpa rice dish after locals and visitors…
Read More
Pigeon River Fund awards grants
Nine grants totaling $326,348 will help environmental groups support area waterways in a variety of ways following the announcement of…
Read More
New MST director named
Brent Laurenz, deputy director for the voting rights nonprofit Common Cause in North Carolina, will be the next leader of…
Read More
‘More than a road’: New superintendent discusses her vision for the Blue Ridge Parkway
Growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, Tracy Swartout made some of her favorite childhood memories traveling the 469-mile ridge road…
Read More
Pisgah Center will not reopen after flood damage
The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard won’t reopen following extensive damage from Tropical Storm Fred, the N.C. Wildlife…
Read More
Burn ban partially lifted as drought conditions persist
The statewide burn ban enacted Nov. 29 was lifted for 67 counties as of noon Wednesday, Dec. 8, due to…
Read More
Red wolf arrives in Asheville
A 1982 Piper Saratoga airplane flew into the Asheville Regional Airport Nov. 20 to deliver an endangered red wolf and…
Read More
Habitat management project proposed for Nantahala forest
A diverse set of management activities proposed for the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest would include timber…
Read More
Archeology students dig into Cherokee history
By Molly Phillips • Contributing writer | Over the summer, 16 students from Western Carolina University — led by Dr.…
Read More
Lifetime sportsman licenses now cheaper for older residents
North Carolinians ages 50 and older can now purchase lifetime hunting and fishing licenses for half price, following implementation of…
Read More
Budgeting for conservation: State budget amplifies funding for trails, parks and conservation
Western North Carolina will see a new state park, rail trail efforts and miles of backcountry paths following Gov. Roy…
Read More
New trails coming to Old Fort
A grant from Dogwood Health Trust will fund the first 6 of 42 planned miles of new, accessible trails in…
Read More
State budget funds more trails, parks and conservation
Western North Carolina will see a new state park, rail trail and miles of backcountry paths following Gov. Roy Cooper’s…
Read More
Haywood students spread pollution awareness
Storm drains at Haywood Community College now sport stencils reminding people to help keep the waterways clean, thanks to a…
Read More
Senate confirms first-ever Native American NPS head
The U.S. Senate confirmed Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III as director of the National Park Service on Thursday, Nov. 18,…
Read More
Leadership change coming to local food organization
After more than two decades serving farmers and the local food community, Charlie Jackson will retire as executive director of…
Read More
A.T. gets 1.2 miles longer
When Appalachian Trail season starts next year, the trek will be 1.2 miles longer thanks to three significant trail relocations…
Read More
Road closed for powerline installation
Winding Stair Road in Macon County will be closed through late March to install an overhead powerline replacing the existing…
Read More
Yancey Ridge Trail relocation complete
A years-long effort to restore and relocate the Yancey Ridge Trail in Avery County is now complete, including a 1.2-mile…
Read More
Woman dies following Smokies car crash
A Sevierville woman is dead following a single-vehicle crash on the southbound Spur between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Wednesday, Nov.…
Read More
Winter begins on the Parkway
Winter has started on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with some seasonal closures in effect and the first round of snow-related…
Read More
Residents, Wildlife Commission save distressed bear cub
Wildlife biologists at the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are praising Asheville residents for helping them locate a distressed female bear…
Read More
Fontana cleanups remove 3,500 pounds of litter
Cleanup efforts at informal campsites along Fontana Lake removed 3,500 pounds of trash this year, thanks to more than 30…
Read More
Water testing yields mixed results in Hiwassee Watershed
Lakes in the Hiwassee River Watershed tested extremely low for E. coli and other pathogens this summer, according to data…
Read More
Harmon Den bridge will feature animal underpass
A bridge replacement project underway in the Pigeon River Gorge will temporarily close a section of Interstate 40, but once…
Read More
Fish and Wildlife Service ditches controversial red wolf rule
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week that it would withdraw its 2018 proposed red wolf management rule…
Read More
Winter hours begin at N.C. Arboretum
The days are getting shorter, and so are the hours at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville.
Read More
Waterrock Knob gets new interactive exhibits
New interactive exhibits are now up at Waterrock Knob Visitor Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, highlighting elements of the…
Read More
‘Stronger than I thought’: Wheelchair-bound tribal member takes cycle trip along Trail of Tears route
As the September start date for Maranda Bradley’s long-planned bicycle ride along the Trail of Tears approached, its carefully woven…
Read More
Wildlife Commission heightens monitoring for chronic wasting disease
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is increasing its monitoring efforts for chronic wasting disease this deer season after a deer…
Read More
Dillsboro resident wins big in Senior Games
Dillsboro resident Phil Woody took home 10 medals in this year’s North Carolina Senior Games.
Read More
Canton’s catalyst: Chestnut Mountain aims for April open
Seth Alvo makes defying gravity look easy. Pushing off on his mountain bike, he gathers speed on a rolling portion…
Read More
New NPS agreement to amp up collaboration with tribal nations
The National Park Service and the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association recently finalized a new five-year agreement that aims…
Read More
Help the Park Service solve a murder
The National Park Service is asking anybody who took pictures or videos on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina…
Read More
Smokies superintendent receives leadership award
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash was one of five leaders nationwide recognized with the Walter T. Cox…
Read More
Smokies volunteers honored for service
A pair of volunteer organizations within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park earned regional recognition for their service in 2020.
Read More
New StoryWalk book up in Cashiers
A new book is available on the StoryWalk in the Village Green in Cashiers.
Read More
Public input sought on Nikwasi
Help determine the future of a unique and precious cultural resource in downtown Franklin by taking an online survey hosted…
Read More
Making the invisible visible: Smokies marks three years of research effort in African American history project
Combing through the dustiest tomes of park history, Great Smoky Mountains National Park researchers have since 2018 been working to…
Read More
Wheelchair-accessible trail comes to Cades Cove
A new wheelchair-accessible trail in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a half-mile pathway…
Read More
Emergency loans available for flood-affected farms
Twelve counties in Western North Carolina have received disaster declarations from U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack due to…
Read More
N.C. law aims for carbon neutrality by 2050
After extensive negotiation and revision, a bill aiming to steer North Carolina toward carbon neutrality by 2050 has been signed…
Read More
N.C. senators co-sponsor critical wildlife bill
North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr are among the 28 cosponsors on a bill that the N.C. Wildlife…
Read More
Highlands gets BearWise recognition
Highlands recently became the first recognized BearWise Town in the U.S., with the honor officially bestowed on Oct. 5.
Read More
Haywood lumberjack team takes first place
Haywood Community College recently hosted the 30th John G. Palmer Woodsmen’s Meet, usually held at the Cradle of Forestry, In…
Read More
Hands-on approach key to HCC program
When Dylan Brooks first started his college education, he began in a business program. It didn’t take long to figure…
Read More
Straight for the basket: Disc golf course will open soon in Cherokee
By the end of this year, a new championship-caliber disc golf course will debut on a wooded property along Raven…
Read More
Discovery revises timeline for human presence in North America
Fossilized footprints found in New Mexico’ White Sands National Park have revealed evidence of human occupation there beginning 23,000 years…
Read More
