Carrying on a tradition: New NOC president Sutton Bacon brings paddling, business savvy
By Michael Beadle Sutton Bacon once had dreams of becoming a surgeon.
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ATBI identifies 5,000-plus species ... and counting
The All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, an ambitious project to identify every organism in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is…
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Coexistence on the Chattooga
Paddlers floated down the Chattooga River outside Cashiers last weekend for the first time in 30 years since the U.S.…
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The Annual Balsam CBC
The fifth annual Balsam Christmas Bird Count was conducted last Saturday, Dec. 30. The 15-mile diameter circle, which covers a…
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Working on the fly
By Michael Beadle Wintertime may not offer the best opportunities for fly-fishing, but that doesn’t mean fly fishers aren’t busy.
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It’s that time again
By Kathleen Lamont The tradition of New Year’s Resolutions can be accurately traced to 153 B.C., although it could go…
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Outside in 06
The Smoky Mountain News Outdoors section has printed scores of news about the environment, adventure sports and outdoor activities in…
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Resolving to go green(er)
The only New Year’s resolution that I know I have kept came after a particularly devastating New Year’s morning back…
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New fish species gets boost from Fish and Wildlife grant
The sickle-fin redhorse, a new species of fish recently discovered that dwells in only a handful of rivers in WNC,…
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Winter workout and wear
By Rachel Tomlinson With the winter season in full swing, dressing appropriately to prevent cold injuries is often overlooked, especially…
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Survey shows more mountain residents enjoy the outdoors
A statewide survey to gauge support for making hunting on Sundays legal revealed some interesting side statistics on outdoor recreation.
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Winter workout
By Michael Beadle Just because the temperatures drop and days grow shorter doesn’t mean you have to give up your…
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The Sunday ban: Hunters hope to lift 1869 hunting law
Many hunters in Western North Carolina are hoping that an 1869 law banning hunting on Sunday might finally be lifted.
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Fat and sassy
Dwayne Martin loves birds, loves learning about birds and loves educating about birds.
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Land trust and neighbors secure 154 acres on Cowee
Landowners in Jackson County are in the process of protecting 154 acres on Cowee Mountain from future development by placing…
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By the numbers
A private research and public opinion firm was hired by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to measure public sentiment…
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Water Warrior: Former teacher helps students learn more about the importance of a precious resource
By Michael Beadle Kathy Boydston was never one to sit quietly in retirement. A veteran elementary school teacher, world traveler,…
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Simple Living: Care to unplug?
It’s highly possible that you have been daydreaming about a less stressful holiday season, and it includes those memories of…
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Go forth and add
It’s time once again for the Granddaddy of bird counts. Audubon’s 107th annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) takes place between…
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Another step toward protecting farm land in Bethel
A new initiative is now underway to encourage landowners to keep the Upper Pigeon River Valley in the Bethel community…
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Tis the elk rutting season
The shorter days and cooling temperatures of September and October were an important time of the year for the elk…
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A sparrowing we will go
For a bunch of “little ole ladies in tennis shoes,” birders are a hardy lot. Gone is the green of…
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Snow time like the present
By Michael Beadle Cataloochee Ski Area, North Carolina’s oldest ski slope, can now boast the longest running ski season in…
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No compromise
When I was a full-time staff writer at the Smoky Mountain News, I spent a lot of time covering the…
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The Energy Challenge: WCU summit calls attention to problems, possibilities
By Michael Beadle North Carolina’s population is expected to rise by nearly 3 million people in the next two decades.…
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Waiting to inhale: Environmentalists herald new Democratic Congress
Environmental activists across the country are heralding the Democratic sweep of Congress as a mandate for better stewardship of natural…
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Bush continues to “Dance with the one that brung ‘ya”
“Dance with the one that brung ‘ya” is an old Texas mantra, and Texas oilman George W. Bush has filled…
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Ray or the worm – the worm or Ray?
Once again,science and scientists go head to head with the forces of nature to see who can best predict the…
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Not so backcountry
When Al Smith arrived at the backcountry campsite in the Lake Fontana area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park…
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Foundation connects youth with national Park
The non-profit Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation recently awarded a $98,000 grant for rangers to conduct educational outreach programs for students…
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Saving before endangering: Federal bill could help prevent species from becoming listed as endangered
If you’re not careful, you could miss it.
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Cowee Mound preserved for future generations, historic interpretation
Cowee Mound, a 71-acre site in Macon County and once a major Cherokee village, will be preserved thanks to a…
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Spotlight on Endangered Species in WNC
Green Salamander — Although listed by the state as endangered and recognized as a species of concern by the U.S.…
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Simple living
By Kathleen Lamont Have you heard? The recent marriage of sustainable food production and big business is on the rocks.
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How ‘bout them toad suckers? Ain’t they clods?
When my wife came home the other evening, she asked if I had heard about the toad-sucking dog on NPR.
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Winter means waterfowl at Lake Junaluska
Anyone who follows the Naturalist’s Corner knows that I have devoted much ink to the birds one might encounter at…
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Recesses in nature: Bryson City group sets up new caving club
By Michael Beadle There are still dark corners in this world yet to be explored.
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Connecting with nature
Editors note: Bill and Sharon Van Horn with the Nantahala Hiking Club in Franklin recently attended a conference in West…
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Going the distance: Elite runner Jason Bodnar sets his sights on Olympic Trials
By Michael Beadle The marathon can be such a fickle race. As much as you prepare for it, a lot…
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Tisn’t the season, but...
A couple of Sundays ago Bob Olthoff, Blair Ogburn (senior naturalist at Balsam Mountain Preserve) and I were at Balsam…
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Scientists look at ways to stop invasive species
Resource managers and plant specialists with the Blue Ridge Parkway are calling on neighboring landowners to help rein in the…
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Ivory-billed hiatus
Ornithologists Geoff Hill of Auburn University and Dan Mennill from University of Windsor presented a program at this year’s American…
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Lawsuit thrown out, paddlers pledge appeal
Hikers, fishermen and environmentalists won a small victory last week in an on-going tug-of-war with paddlers over the upper Chattooga…
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Simple living
By Kathleen Lamont Buying local produce enables you to: • Eat fresher, better tasting, and healthier foods.
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Falling for autumn
The furnace has been on a couple of nights already to take the chill off. Driving home from Asheville the…
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Fall in the garden
The onset of fall marks the end of the active gardening season for most. It also marks the beginning of…
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Seeing is bee-living
School students who visited the Haywood County Fair last week learned all about bees at a traveling bee hive exhibit…
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What threatens the salamander
Illegal poaching of hellbenders, a gigantic prehistoric-looking salamander, has become so problematic scientists like Dr. Michael Freake are omitting data…
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