Tuscola wins annual FFA dirt competition
Tuscola High School students placed first among the 13 competing teams at the 2012 Area Land Judging contest hosted earlier…
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Funding helps turn teachers into rangers
Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has received a $12,000 grant from Verizon to empower teachers with science…
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Build it and they will come
Back in spring of 2011 I wrote about a wetlands restoration project at Lake Junaluska - www.smokymountain news.com/archives/item/3686-a-perfect-fit. Candace Stimson,…
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Snow guns get ski season off with a bang
As superstorm Sandy hurled itself toward the Northeast, soon to leave a wreckage of flooded streets, sunken boardwalks and dangling…
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Venus and moon dance in front of the sun
Early mornings kind of go with the territory around here. With work, kids and the never-ending list of chores, every…
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Discussion focuses on climate change and the Appalachians
A discussion about the local effects of climate change and development will be held at the historic Rickman Store near…
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Community asked to weigh in on regional bike plan
The Land-of-Sky Regional Council will host a round of community input meetings Nov. 5 through Dec. 6 to gather input…
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Residents recognized for land stewardship and research
Two environmentalists were honored by the Franklin-based Land Trust for the Little Tennessee at its annual celebration Nov. 3 in…
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Cherokee 5k to benefit cancer support group
The annual Cherokee Choices 5k Run, Walk or Roll will be held at noon on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the…
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Backpacking 101 held Nov. 17 in Cullowhee
Novice outdoor adventurers can learn the basics of wilderness excursion at a 45-minute workshop beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday,…
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Take only pictures, leave only footsteps: Outdoor photographers hone the craft of capturing the Smokies
They stood in a line, trigger fingers poised, eyes fixated on the target. It was early morning, and the predawn…
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Some things never get old
Last Saturday (Nov. 3) was this year’s annual fall hike in the Waynesville watershed. The hikes started back in 2007,…
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Lily effort takes root around WCU
An effort to re-establish a favorite local flower while also growing a scholarship fund at Western Carolina University is off…
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Stranded hiker rescued from national park backcountry
A hiker stranded on the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was successfully evacuated by rescuers last…
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Cherokee hopes bounty will help rein in pesky coyote population
In Cherokee, a dead coyote is worth more than a live one — about $25 more. In the coming weeks,…
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Guided hikes continue as fall gives way to winter
Hike amidst flowing creeks and historic remnants along the Smokemont Loop Trail on a guided hike through the Great Smoky…
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A WCU campus run with a twist and a message
Western Carolina University, as part of its Love Your Body Week, will hold a station run on campus at 4:30…
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Diamond Brand partners to produce outdoor rec website
Asheville retailer Diamond Brand Outdoors has partnered with RootsRated.com to introduce a new, locally-sourced digital outdoor recreation guide for the…
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New trout website aims to hook anglers
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has fired up its new trout fishing webpage, which provides useful information for trout anglers…
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Fourth-graders conquer Appalachian trails on hiking trip
More than 70 fourth-graders and parents trekked across the Appalachians in Macon County as part of an annual student trip…
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Trails initiative seeks input from Haywood residents
A public workshop focusing on ideas for Haywood County trails that could become part of a Regional Trails Plan will…
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Water stewardship videos shown in Swain
Four short videos that are part of a Watershed Film Series titled “It’s Our Water” will be shown the evening…
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An easy, historical hike on the Carolina side of the Smokies
Hikers can participate in a leisurely, guided hike Saturday, Nov. 17, on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky…
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This winter?
Finch irruptions are not that uncommon. They generally occur in some numbers, in some locations almost every year. But in…
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Forest Service cracks down on ginseng poaching
Kristin Bail, forest supervisor of the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, warned would-be ginseng poachers last week that law enforcement…
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See shuttle artifacts and night sky viewing
A special presentation of the fall night sky and the first public display of new space shuttle artifacts will be…
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The fading glory of Burley: Once a staple cash crop, only a handful of tobacco fields are still hanging on
This year, Bill Holbrook will start drawing on the “old man pension” — as this local tobacco farmer likes to…
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Pack your brownbag and head to WCU for garden talk
A Western Carolina University lunch speaker series is drawing to a close for the fall with a talk about community…
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Haywood Farmers Market moves indoors for November
The Historic Haywood Farmers market will move indoors starting this weekend, with Saturday’s market held from 8 a.m. until noon…
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Cataloochee Ski Area breaks records with October opening
For only the second time in its history, Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley will be open for skiing in…
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Bears descend on Panthertown Valley
The U.S. Forest Service is discouraging people from backcountry camping of bringing food into the Panthertown Valley area outside Cashiers…
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Backcountry camping fees coming soon in the Smokies
Great Smoky Mountains National Park plans to implement changes to its current backcountry reservation and permitting process in early 2013.…
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Put your roots down at ginseng expo
The upcoming International American Ginseng Expo in Western North Carolina will be an opportunity for local ginseng retailers to learn…
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Forest Service to open “green” ranger station
A new, environmentally friendly ranger office will be opening in Mars Hill in Madison County Nov. 13 to serve the…
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Benton MacKaye guide series now complete
The Benton MacKaye Trail Association has announced this fall the completion of the new Benton MacKaye Trail Guide — Smokies…
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Mountains to Sea Trail photo contest
Public submissions are being accepted for a statewide outdoor photography contest. The Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail are…
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WCU group sets record in 175 mile relay run
Students and faculty members from Western Carolina University’s athletic training program finished the 2012 Mountain Jug Run for Research in…
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Farmers market says goodbye to summer
It is time to pack up and move indoors. Saturday Nov. 27 marks the last weekend of the season that…
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Jump on board the growing Farm to School program
An all-day workshop put on by the Growing Minds Farm to School program will help schools connect with local farmers…
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Symposium brings together outdoor educators from the region in Cullowhee
Students and professionals in outdoor education fields will partake in the annual Adventure Education Conference, Nov. 2 at Western Carolina…
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Hike to Waynesville’s watershed
A birder, ecologist and forester will lead a guided fall hike through Waynesville’s 8,600-acre preserved watershed from 9 a.m. to…
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HCC Woodsmen team rocks the Cradle at Timbersports meet
Haywood Community College’s Timbersports Team took first place by a landslide at the John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet held…
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Safety courses mark start of fall hunting
Free hunter safety courses will be held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 5-7 on the Haywood Community College campus.…
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Bike Haywood honored for Haywood County master plan
Bicycle Haywood NC and Haywood County both received top awards from a national planning organization for their bicycle advocacy work.…
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Celebrate fall with the LTLT
The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee will host its fall celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov.…
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The sounds of silence
This morning when I had coffee on my deck, I did not hear the hooded warbler that nests in the…
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Bear alert: Forays against backpackers’ food prompts camping ban in the Pisgah Forest
A series of close bear encounters in the Pisgah National Forest have prompted a temporary ban on overnight camping in…
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Get your cameras and get outside
Lens Luggers of Western North Carolina is hosting an all-day photography outing Oct. 27 to suit even the novice recreationalist.…
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A Natural twist on Halloween fun
Highlands Nature Center will host the Halloween “Enchanted Forest” Nature Trail Oct. 30 for a trick-or-treating experience in nature. Group…
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Blue Ridge Parkway goes mobile for leaf season
Just in time for fall leaf season, a free new mobile app for the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding regions…
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