Celebrate the millions of acres of public lands covering Western North Carolina during National Public Lands Day Saturday, Sept. 23.

Audubon North Carolina is urging residents to help keep the skies dark this fall to help birds as they migrate south.

The Mountain Monarch Festival will return to Gorges State Park in Transylvania County for its second year 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, celebrating the monarch butterfly during its migration season.

After a monthlong closure enacted when a bear scratched a park visitor, Rich Mountain Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has reopened.

A public meeting 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, in Candler will give the public the chance to help shape the forthcoming master plan for the new Pisgah View State Park, with an online survey also offering an opportunity for input.

The Haywood County Fair is coming up Sept. 28-Oct. 1, and the Home Economics Division is looking for volunteers to help handle the more than 350 entries expected for contests in preserved foods, home furnishings and more.

Help plan the future of Pinnacle Park, a 1,500-acre natural area in Sylva, by participating in a survey now open online.

Take a 4.6-mile hike to a spectacular view along the Bartram Trail near Highlands 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23.

A weekend of riverside games, whitewater rafting, adventure films and gear deals will liven up the fall Sept. 22-24 at Nantahala Outdoor Center in Swain County.

Join in for the sixth annual Pollinator Field Day 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River.

The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded Sara Snyder Hopkins, assistant professor and director of the Cherokee Language Program at Western Carolina University, a grant of $64,905 for her ongoing translation project, Eastern Cherokee Histories in Translation. 

Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital, Duke LifePoint hospitals, announced the appointment of Ashley Hindman as the new chief executive officer.

With 54 volunteers turning out for the Carolina Mountain Club’s Quarterly Crew Day at Sam Knob last month, the group was able to check a lot of items off its to do list.

A total of 20 organizations located across the western region have received grants from Made X Mtns in support of their work to increase outdoor recreation access and economic opportunity.

N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Elizabeth S. Biser has been chosen as the next president of the Environmental Council of States, a national association of state and territorial environmental agency leaders.

Spend time with beekeepers during the next meeting of the Smoky Mountain Beekeepers Association at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Swain County Business Education Center in Bryson City.

The 16th annual Power of Pink 5K Run/Walk/Dog Walk will raise money for early breast cancer detection on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Frog Level in Waynesville.

A $36,500 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will fuel education efforts on the wonders of the French Broad River Basin over the next several years.

Registration is open for an after-school program at the Waynesville Recreation Center, which will kick off Wednesday, Sept. 13.

Three freshwater mussel species have been proposed for designation as endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Cumberland moccasinshell, Tennessee clubshell and Tennessee pigtoe all occur in the Tennessee River Basin, while the Cumberland moccasinshell and Tennessee clubshell are also found in the Cumberland River Basin.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail turns 46 on Sept. 9, and Friends of the MST is offering a variety of opportunities to celebrate all month long.

Adult pickup futsal games will be held starting 6:30 p.m. Thursdays beginning Sept. 14 at the Cullowhee Recreation Center gymnasium

A biking skills program will meet after school at Meadowbrook Elementary School in Canton on Thursdays from Sept. 14 through Oct. 5.

The staff of the Smoky Mountain News won 18 advertising awards, including three first-place honors, as well as 16 editorial awards, including five first places, at this year’s North Carolina Press Association awards banquet. Awards were won in Division C, the largest division for nondaily publications.

To recognize their exemplary contributions to Western Carolina University and the local and regional community, WCU’s Board of Trustees is honoring Phil and Connie Haire with an honorary naming designation.  

 Elizabeth (Betty) Waldroop’s ties to Southwestern Community College go way back to the very beginning and they run deep. 

Legal Aid of North Carolina announced it has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Governor’s Crime Commission, the chief advisory body on crime and justice issues to North Carolina’s Governor and Secretary of Public Safety, to support survivors of domestic violence, while also increasing awareness and education statewide. 

The 13th annual Dazzling Dahlia Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 9, in Highlands.

Indian Boundary Campground in the Cherokee National Forest near Tellico Plains, Tennessee, is now closed due to damage from a flash flood on Aug. 14.

Delve into the captivating world of wildlife during a 60-minute interactive experience starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Swain County.

The hunting season for mourning and white-winged doves opens Saturday, Sept. 2, and will be separated into three segments.

Advance tickets are now on sale for the N.C. Mountain State Fair, slated for Sept. 8-17 at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher.

Learn how to fly fish with the Tuckasegee Chapter of Trout Unlimited 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, at East LaPorte Park in Jackson County.

The Waynesville Recreation Center will close for its annual maintenance week Monday, Sept. 4, through Tuesday, Sept. 12.

Look behind the scenes of a land conservation project with a presentation at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, at Manheimer Auditorium at the University of North Carolina Asheville, and via Zoom.

Support Haywood Waterways Association and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Haywood County during the annual Trout Race slated for 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at BearWaters Brewing in Canton.

A community jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

A new collaboration is poised to make a large impact by providing new housing options for Jackson County seniors, low-income families and business professionals. 

BBB Scam Tracker has numerous reports of unscrupulous contractors who trick homeowners with supposedly good deals.

The Safe Passage Fund Coalition is hosting The Crossing, a free event and screening of films highlighting road ecology in Southern Appalachia and beyond.

Western Carolina University’s Highlands Biological Station will be hosting a book signing event to benefit the Highlands Botanical Gardens from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Highlands Community Building. 

Haywood County Recreation is hosting a series of events throughout September. Here’s a look at what lies ahead

Join Haywood Waterways for its annual “Big Sweep” cleanup event, which will remove tons of trash from local waterways and roadways.

The Town of Franklin has modified the basketball court at Memorial Park to include two new pickleball courts.  

Friends of Panthertown has two events coming up in September that will give people a chance to get involved.

Jackson County Recreation will host a series of events throughout September.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation recently welcomed Bronwyn Lance to the nonprofit organization’s Council of Advisors. 

The N.C. Forest Service is now accepting tree seedling orders for its annual sale.

Long-time Audubon staffer Curtis Smalling has been named interim executive director of Audubon North Carolina.

NCDOT awarded a $6.2 million contract to replace a bridge, build a roundabout, new sidewalk and new bike lanes in Cullowhee.