The Forest Service released its final decision on the Crossover Project, which seeks to restore and strengthen native hardwood forests on more than 1,900 acres of the Nantahala National Forest throughout the Snowbird Mountains near Topton.

Work on the Crossover Project started in 2017 with the goal of making the area healthier and more enjoyable for visitors.

The Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) awarded 12 grants totaling $350,365 to environmental groups working to improve surface water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitats, expand public use and access to waterways, and increase water quality awareness in Buncombe, Haywood, and Madison counties. With these grants and since 1996, the Pigeon River Fund has distributed $10,594,556 in grants.  

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission asks the public to refrain from the illegal practice of moving inland fish, specifically mountain trout, to other mountain water bodies as it can result in altering healthy habitats and negatively impact the agency’s ongoing aquatic conservation efforts.