Rathbone hired for state ag role
Waynesville resident Kaleb Rathbone is now serving as an assistant commissioner to N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, overseeing Western N.C.…
Read More
Rivercane to help preserve Cherokee culture
Volunteers are needed to help plant rivercane at Rivers Edge Park in Clyde at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29.
Read More
Revisions proposed for state groundwater standards
An online public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, will take comment on proposed revisions to the N.C. Groundwater…
Read More
Arboretum shifts to winter hours
Starting Monday, Jan. 11, the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville will resume its normal winter hours of 8 a.m. to 7…
Read More
Panthertown marked milestones in 2020
As 2020 shifts to the rearview, Friends of Panthertown is celebrating a slew of accomplishments earned despite an ongoing pandemic.
Read More
Report mudpuppy sightings
Biologists with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are asking the public, particularly anglers, to submit any sightings of mudpuppies to…
Read More
New bee species found in the Great Smokies
By Jonathan Austin • Contributing writer | A recently documented bee species has been identified living in the Great Smoky…
Read More
Pisgah National Forest grows at Linville Gorge
More than 200 acres have been added to the Pisgah National Forest at Linville Gorge thanks to a recently completed…
Read More
Uncertain season: ATC issues 2021 thru-hiking guidance as pandemic continues
Appalachian Trail thru-hiker season was already in full swing when coronavirus fears prompted widespread lockdowns in March, and the Appalachian…
Read More
Virtual nature: Highlands Biological gets creative with outreach amid pandemic
By Geoff Cantrell • Contributing writer | In a typical school year, Highlands Biological Station serves nearly 10,000 students through…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
Go to guide school
Nantahala Outdoor Center will offer its much-loved Guide School in 2021
Read More
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.…
Read More
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.…
Read More
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…
Read More
Mask up at the gym
Masks must be worn inside gyms and other fitness facilities following Gov. Roy Cooper’s latest executive order.
Read More
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…
Read More
‘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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
Awards honor sustainable forestry
A new round of winners has been announced for the annual EcoForester Awards, honoring the people and organizations that are…
Read More
Noland certified in playground inspection
A Waynesville Parks and Recreation employee was recently certified as a playground safety inspector.
Read More
USDA launches contact center
A new contact center is available for people with questions for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
Local climate group seeks new members
Despite the pandemic, the recently formed WNC Climate Action Coalition is still hard at work.
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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.
Read More
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…
Read More
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.
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
Pisgah plans prescribed burns
The Pisgah National Forest plans to conduct prescribed burns in multiple areas of the forest this week.
Read More
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.
Read More
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…
Read More
