Parking lot project concludes at Chimney Rock
A 10-month-long construction project to restore a retaining wall and expand a parking lot washed out during heavy rains in…
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Ten great outdoor moments from 2020
There’s been a lot of focus lately on all the ways that the last 12 months have been hard and…
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Trail of Love: Despite paralysis, EBCI member will cycle Remember the Removal
Maranda Bradley knows exactly what her 2015 self would say if she knew what the 2020 version was up to…
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New bike trails coming to Wilson Creek
A project that will add 10 additional miles of mountain biking and hiking trails to the Wilson Creek Area in…
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Go to guide school
Nantahala Outdoor Center will offer its much-loved Guide School in 2021
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WCU professor tapped for Virginia governor’s coastal planning team
Rob Young, director of Western Carolina University’s Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, was recently appointed by Virginia Gov.…
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Three added to Agricultural Hall of Fame
The N.C. Agricultural Hall of Fame now has three new members following the induction of John Holman Cyrus, Fred N.…
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GSMA releases butterfly-centric 2021 calendar
The official 2021 Great Smoky Mountains Association wall calendar, featuring stunning macro photography of butterflies and moths found in the…
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Mask up at the gym
Masks must be worn inside gyms and other fitness facilities following Gov. Roy Cooper’s latest executive order.
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Smokies species inventory hits 21,000
The All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory has hit a new milestone in its quest to document the incredible biodiversity of the…
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‘100 Favorite Trails’ map gets update
More than 35 Carolina Mountain Club members banded together to create an updated version of the widely popular “100 Favorite…
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Safety net: Nonprofit aims to bolster search and rescue ops
It was the fall of 2019, and Bill Zimmerman had just hopped in a truck with other members of the…
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Hunt safe this Christmas
Inland fishing and hunting license sales have skyrocketed in 2020, with a 23 percent increase in licenses sold since stay-at-home…
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Awards honor sustainable forestry
A new round of winners has been announced for the annual EcoForester Awards, honoring the people and organizations that are…
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Noland certified in playground inspection
A Waynesville Parks and Recreation employee was recently certified as a playground safety inspector.
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USDA launches contact center
A new contact center is available for people with questions for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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For the love of bees: Bee feeding is a pastime with a purpose
For Ash Rovecamp, keeping honeybees has never been about honey. “I don’t really consider myself a beekeeper,” he said. “I’m…
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Become a junior bird expert
Ornithology Season is underway for the N.C. Arboretum’s ecoEXPLORE program, which encourages kids to connect with the outdoors and engage…
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Rare shrub seeds for sale
Alarka Institute in Cowee is now selling seeds and young plants of the Franklinia, one of the most rare shrubs…
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Local climate group seeks new members
Despite the pandemic, the recently formed WNC Climate Action Coalition is still hard at work.
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Frugal Backpacker closes Asheville store, moves online
The beloved discount outdoor gear store The Frugal Backpacker has announced that it will close its stores in Asheville and…
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Conservation projects receive $1.25 million
A total of $1.25 million for six projects in far Western North Carolina received funding in this year’s round of…
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Drive-thru Winter Lights
The annual Winter Lights event at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville will be a drive-thru experience this time around.
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Southern forests recognized for fishing events
The U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Region received the 2019 National Rise to the Future — Fish Your National Forest Award…
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Man dies following fall from Smokies overlook
An Alabama man is dead following a fall from an overlook in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Smoothing the way to LeConte: Smokies completes $1.3 million trail project
The few remaining leaves hanging in the trees shine like stained glass as the morning sun rises high enough to…
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Volunteers remove 1.8 tons of trash from Lake Chatuge
More than 50 volunteers showed up for MountainTrue’s 10th annual Lake Chatuge Shoreline Cleanup on Nov. 7, removing 1.8 tons…
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Conservation groups sue over red wolf policy
A trio of conservation groups is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for alleged violations of the Endangered Species…
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Federal money coming to WNC public lands
Public lands in Western North Carolina are set to get a chunk of the $950 billion approved for deferred maintenance…
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Blue Cross donates $275K to fight food insecurity
Blue Cross NC has contributed $275,000 to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project this year to help combat food insecurity caused…
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Smokies bridge projects will require road closures
Work has begun to replace seven bridges in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and repair seven others, improvements made…
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Seasonal burns begin at Cades Cove
Approximately 689 acres of fields in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be burned…
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Grant will support bear-safe camping in the Smokies
A $4,000 grant from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will help the Great Smoky Mountains National Park practice proactive bear management…
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Moment to shine: Outdoor economy conference focuses on widening the base
In the wake of COVID-19, 2020 has been a banner year for the outdoor recreation economy, and throughout the month…
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Trump administration criticized for implementation of landmark conservation law
Environmental groups are decrying the Trump Administration’s execution of the Great American Outdoors Act and the Dingell Act, which permanently…
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Smokies search and rescue gets a boost
Friends of the Smokies and its supporters have raised $89,000 this year to fund search and rescue efforts in the…
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Virtual race raised $70K for the Smokies
The fourth annual Cades Cove Loop Lope has raised $70,000 for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park despite having to…
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Pisgah plans prescribed burns
The Pisgah National Forest plans to conduct prescribed burns in multiple areas of the forest this week.
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Man dies following fall from Smokies overlook
An Alabama man is dead following a fall from an overlook in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Volunteer to build community outdoors
Outdoor Mission Community, formerly known as Outdoor Mission Camp, is seeking volunteers to aid in trip planning, leadership, skills certifications…
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Use caution during wildfire season
Fall wildfire season is underway in North Carolina, and the N.C. Forest Service together with the U.S. Forest Service is…
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Exhibit re-imagines Bartram’s art
An exhibit featuring the work of more than a dozen regional and local artists who have rendered William Bartram’s 18th…
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Deadly rabbit disease could spread to N.C.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is asking for help to monitor the spread of a deadly rabbit disease known as…
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Help hellbenders
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wants to hear about hellbender sightings, part of agency biologists’ ongoing effort to learn more…
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Storm impacts Panthertown access
Hurricane Zeta has washed out a significant portion of a road used to access the Salt Rock Gap Trailhead at…
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Congressmen push for red wolf conservation
An Oct. 27 letter signed by 24 Democratic U.S. Congressmen is asking federal agencies to take urgent action on behalf…
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Cleanest air on record: Pandemic accelerates long-term move toward cleaner air in N.C.
When President Richard Nixon ‘s signature on the Clean Air Act of 1970 prompted North Carolina to create its Division…
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Middle school students collect data for space exploration
Usually, the K-8 Trailblazers group at Mountain Discovery Charter School in Bryson City can be found venturing out to trails…
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N.C. launches climate resiliency program
North Carolina has launched a new initiative to help the state prepare for the impacts of climate change while reducing…
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Melonas named new head of N.C. national forests
Allen Nicholas retired in September after nearly five years in charge of North Carolina’s national forests, and James Melonas will…
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