NHC offers ‘trail ambassador’ training

Join the Nantahala Hiking club this weekend for a training session to educate people how to become “trail ambassadors.” The…
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Haywood County Master Gardeners offer plant clinic

The planting season is getting closer, and Master Gardeners are available to answer questions about lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and…
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Conservation plan coming for Jackson

Jackson County is embarking on a conservation plan with goal of protecting certain tracts of land.  “Jackson County is, from…
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Get in on the Great Backyard Bird Count Walk

As part of the Great Backyard Bird Count initiative, a global community science project that helps researchers understand how birds are doing…
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More trails open across Appalachian Ranger District

The U.S. Forest Service has reopened more trails and roads throughout areas of the Pisgah National Forest’s Appalachian Ranger District…
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State intends to spray Spongy Moth treatment over Haywood, Jackson

Residents of western Haywood County and eastern Jackson County will have the chance to learn about the Spongy Moth infestation…
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WNC Communities seeks nominations for Agricultural Hall of Fame

WNC Communities is now accepting nominations for the Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame. This prestigious honor recognizes individuals…
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FIND Outdoors announces 2025 job opportunites

FIND Outdoors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting outdoor education, recreation and conservation, announced a variety of seasonal and full-time…
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Missing hiker found deceased in Smokies

Missing hiker Ann Houghton, 73, was found deceased in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Feb. 2 at approximately 1:53 p.m. She was found…
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WCU’s Gibbs earns grant for sicklefin redhorse research

Inside Keith Gibbs’ office hangs an imprint of a sicklefin redhorse, a sucker fish that the Western Carolina University assistant…
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Property owners reminded to take action at home, be prepared for wildfires

Now is the time for North Carolinians to act on wildfire mitigation practices and Firewise principles. By taking appropriate action,…
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Lake Junaluska Golf Course to host U.K.’s Proper Golfing Academy

Proper Golfing Academy, a senior golfers retreat based in the United Kingdom, is coming to Lake Junaluska Golf Course in…
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‘The Greatest Wildlife Photographs’ on display at NC Arboretum

Visitors to The North Carolina Arboretum can witness some of the most surprising animal behavior in the new National Geographic…
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Applications being accepted for Junior Livestock Scholarships

Youth who exhibited livestock at the N.C. State Fair are eligible to apply for N.C. State Fair Junior Livestock Scholarships.…
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Rising above the flood: Small towns fight for survival amid funding shortfalls

With billions in damages, limited state aid and considerable uncertainty surrounding federal funding, local officials are still pushing for streamlined…
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Word from the Smokies: Monarchs proposed for threatened species listing

Before National Geographic published its famous August 1976 cover story detailing the search for the monarch butterfly’s wintering grounds, nobody…
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Word from the Smokies: Park embarks on cutting-edge hellbender study

With wrinkly skin that comes in various shades of brown, eastern hellbenders aren’t easy to spot. These giant salamanders, which…
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Conservation Fund protects WNC woodlands

The Conservation Fund announced that a critical property in the Great Balsam Mountains is protected as forest and natural land.
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Cat Classic returns to Cataloochee Ski Area

The call has gone out for snowboarders to submit their best clips for the Cat Classic, which offers cash prizes…
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Cradle of Forestry and partners execute critical repairs

The Cradle of Forestry in America and the U.S. Forest Service (Pisgah Ranger District) announced a collaboration with the Conservative…
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Cooperative extension offers hay for farmers

Haywood County offers resources for farmers needing hay are encouraged to contact the Haywood County Cooperative Extension Office to speak…
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Jackson County seeks lifeguards

The new Jackson County Aquatics Center is hiring five full-time lifeguards. Employees are entitled to full benefits other Jackson County…
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Haywood opens summer camp survey

Anyone interested in enrolling their child in summer camp in Haywood County should take part in the Waynesville Parks &…
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Damage from Helene: Hellbenders may get endangered species listing

By now, the story of Hurricane Helene is a tragically familiar one: the endless rain, the swollen rivers, the angry…
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Haywood Waterways announces Polar Plunge

The Plunge is back for its 13th consecutive year. On Saturday, Feb. 8, Haywood Waterways Association (HWA) and Lake Junaluska…
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MountainTrue hosts plant workday

MountainTrue, in partnership with the Mainspring Conservation Trust and the Pinnacle Park Foundation, is hosting a community volunteer workday to…
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Smokies seeks help in identifying historic homesites

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking help to identify and document former homesite locations within the park. Volunteer-In-Park Frank…
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Grants available for agricultural projects

 The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission is requesting applications from qualifying organizations that support the agricultural industry, impact rural…
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Over the hills and far away: Tsali Ultra race returns to WNC

Returning for its 15th installment, the annual outdoor race, the Tsali Ultra, will be once again held at Tsali Recreation…
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Haywood Waterways

Haywood Waterways Association sent word last week that its staff and vounteers are hearing from one of their partners that…
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Wildfire danger high in WNC

The N.C. Forest Service has designated the fire danger for the state’s far western counties as high.
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Bears are denning; what to and what not to do

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) advises the public that black bears in North Carolina are in their “winter homes,” which…
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Fisheries update offered next month

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park fisheries department is offering an informative and educational workshop from 9 a.m. to noon…
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Word from the Smokies: Volunteer roles critical to park operations

After years of vacationing in the Smokies, Scott and Jayne Young had no trouble deciding where they wanted to retire.…
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Planning board opposes flood plain ordinance change

In a turn of events for the volunteers and members of the public that have been showing up in an…
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Dozens of flood reduction projects to launch in 2025

With about 280 projects approved across the state, the new year will bring visible on-the-ground progress in the effort to…
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Lake Junaluska pickleball courts completed

The pickleball courts renovations at Lake Junaluska are complete. This project, which highlights the growing popularity of pickleball in the…
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Hike Panthertown with Jackson County Rec

The Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department announced a Jan. 17 hike on the Panthertown Loop trail. Trail is about…
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WNC no longer abnormally dry

The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council continues to classify much of Eastern North Carolina as being in a moderate…
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Haywood hosts Master Gardener advice session

NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers are available to answer questions about lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and ornamental plants; disease, insect,…
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Word from the Smokies: Ramsey Cascades Trail reopens following multiyear rehabilitation

For the first time in nearly three years, the trail to Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s tallest waterfall is fully open…
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USDA implements new wood processing program

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled a new program to support American wood processing facilities. 
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Wilderness Wildlife Week

More than 90 free educational sessions, five days of outdoor excursions and key note speakers await attendees of Pigeon Forge’s…
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Macon to address floodplain, Lake Emory Dam in new year

After almost a year of work, discussion and often tense disagreement on the issue, Macon County is set to continue…
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Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust conserves 54.45 acres of forested land

The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (HCLT) announced the permanent conservation of 54.45 acres of forested land just two miles from downtown…
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Rehab efforts begin on popular Smokies trail

The National Park Service (NPS) will begin a major rehabilitation on Laurel Falls Trail, one of the most popular trails…
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Burning permit requirement reinstated in WNC

The N.C. Forest Service has reinstated the requirement for open burning permits in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell,…
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Drought conditions lessen in WNC

After several weeks of increasingly dry conditions, Western North Carolina has finally seen some much-needed rain, taking the whole region…
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HCC hosts spring hunter safety courses

Haywood Community  College’s Department of Arts, Sciences and Natural Resources and the  North Carolina  Wildlife Resources Commission  will offer two opportunities for…
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Design studies on tap for Foothills Parkway

The National Park Service will conduct additional design work and technical studies for Foothills Parkway Section 8D. This decision was…
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