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North Carolina’s five-week wild turkey season had its highest ever recorded harvest of 24,089 birds, surpassing the previous record of 23,341 set in 2020.

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Make sure the water’s clean before taking a swim using the Swim Guide app, a resource offering a weekly update on E. coli levels in water recreation areas across the region.

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A community conversation about reducing plastic pollution will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at Grace Episcopal Church in the Mountains in Waynesville.

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Geologist and author Bill Jacobs will discuss the captivating geologic history of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau during a free lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at the Highlands Nature Center.

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After being closed since late 2021 for renovations, the Walker Sisters Cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is once again open to the public.

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A new trail is open in the Old Fort area, an important milestone in an ongoing 42-mile trail expansion project there.

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A series of community programs celebrating the natural and cultural history of the Cosby area will be offered Fridays June 23 through July 14 at the Cosby Campground Amphitheater in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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The formal process to determine the future of the Ocoee Whitewater Center after the facility was destroyed in an April 2022 fire has begun.

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Visit a hub of nature exploration and interactive programs focused on pollinators 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at Highlands Nature Center, in honor of National Pollinator Week.

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 The fifth annual Outdoor Economy Conference in Cherokee will serve as the backdrop to a convening of the Confluence of States and the State Outdoor Business Alliance Network.

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ArborEvenings is back at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville, offering opportunity to spend Thursday and Friday evenings strolling through the gardens through Sept. 22.

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Learn about plastic pollution and the threat it poses to freshwater and marine ecosystems during a free lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at the Highlands Nature Center in Highlands.

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A new study from researchers focusing on the forest-water connection in the Southern U.S. found that, over the coming decades, many forested watersheds could be lost to development, lowering water quality and raising water treatment costs.

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Swain County Exceptional Children’s Teacher Kim Holt was thrilled to learn Motion Makers Bicycle Shop donated $500 to her program to help facilitate community learning activities for students.

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A record number of black bears were killed during the 2022 bear hunting season, according to records from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

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Following its Bloom with a View event, the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville donated flowers and plants to various organizations in Western North Carolina, including Haywood Community College.

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Help scientists band birds this summer with the “A Bird’s Eye View” program at Highlands Biological Station June 22, July 3, July 12, July 25 and Aug. 2.

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North Carolina apple growers will vote Tuesday, June 27, in a referendum conducted by the N.C. Apple Growers Association regarding assessments for apples sold to first purchasers in the state.

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Horse Creek Campground in the Cherokee National Forest near Greeneville, Tennessee, is closed until further notice due to increasing bear encounters.

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A podcast of the Great Smoky Mountains Association, the miniseries “Sepia Tones: Exploring Black Appalachian Music” won the award for Outstanding Public Engagement during the 2023 Public Lands Alliance Partnership Awards.

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Panthertown Map Association, non-profit publishers of Burt Kornegay's “A Guide's Guide to Panthertown,” has made a $7,500 donation to Friends of Panthertown in support of their ongoing conservation, education and stewardship work in Panthertown Valley.

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The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is proposing changes to its priority rating system for stormwater infrastructure grants and offering draft intended use plans for state revolving funds. Public comment on these items will be accepted through 5 p.m. June 30.

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North Carolina saw its 26th coolest May in the last 129 years, with the National Centers for Environmental Information reporting a preliminary statewide average temperature of 64.4 degrees, 2.5 degrees below the 1991-2020 average.

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The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has recognized Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) with its Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation with PCI for its demonstrated expertise and commitment in treating cardiac cath lab patients. The ACC’s accreditation recognizes Haywood Regional’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who undergo diagnostic catheterizations and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures.

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Through Aug. 31, three Storybook Trail of the Smokies displays featuring pages in English and Spanish will be open in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and nearby Gatlinburg.

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Volunteers are needed to help trail crews in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park rehabilitate the Ramsey Cascades and Little Cataloochee trails, with work sessions 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays through September.

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The Highlands Biological Foundation will kick off its annual Zahner Conservation Lecture Series at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 15, with a talk from biologist Allen Hurlbert titled “Birds, Big Data and Citizen Science: Understanding the Impacts of Global Change.”

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The Carolina Mountain Club and U.S. Forest Service received the 2023 Public Lands Partner Award, honoring “exemplary partnership” and “stunning achievements” surrounding the restoration of Max Patch. The national award celebrates the best in public lands partnerships.

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A bipartisan bill seeking to designate the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives as the Benton MacKaye Trail Association continues a push it began in 2021 to bestow the prestigious designation upon the 288-mile trail.

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Learn more about septic systems during an event 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, June 5, at the Haywood County Agricultural Service Center on Raccoon Road in Waynesville.

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A lively conversation on the history of the French Broad River corridor’s transformation — as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the watershed today — will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, at Manheimer Auditorium at University of North Carolina Asheville, and over Zoom.

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Campgrounds, picnic areas and visitor centers on the Blue Ridge Parkway are now open with full services for the 2023 season.

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Friends of the Smokies raised more than $400,000 for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during its 25th annual Greenbrier Barn Party Friday, May 12, setting a fundraising record for the event.

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This spring, the National Park Service released its third edition of the Green Parks Plan, setting refreshed goals and objectives to advance sustainable park operations.

A press release describes the plan as “a bold vision for national parks to attain net-zero status by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy and water, reducing solid waste, transitioning to green transportation and fostering a culture of sustainability inside and outside of parks.”

The plan also aims to further the NPS’ commitment to work toward phasing out single-use plastics over the next decade.

Five goals in the Green Parks Plan are: combat the climate crisis by achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, achieve net-zero water use and net zero energy for facilities and operations, achieve net-zero waste and sustainable procurement, adopt and support zero-emissions transportation methods, and engage the NPS workforce, partners, visitors, stakeholders and communities to support and participate in sustainability, climate resilience and environmental justice.

The plan is part of the NPS response to climate change outlined in its Climate Change Response Strategy.

The first edition of the Green Parks Plan was released in 2012. The update incorporates advancements in science and technology, as well as new legislation and executive orders. Read the plan at nps.gov/subjects/sustainability/index.htm.

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International hiker and writer Jen Seymour will speak at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 8, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

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The deadline for public comments on an Environmental Assessment examining the impact of proposed changes associated with the Laurel Falls Trail Management Plan has been extended through Sunday, June 4.

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Haywood County Animal Shelter is set to receive a $12,500 grant investment from national nonprofit Petco Love in support of their lifesaving work for animals in Haywood County.

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The Cherokee Central Schools Board has chosen Consuela Girty, a 20-year employee of Cherokee Central Schools, as the school system’s next superintendent.

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Starting Thursday, June 1, adult soccer pickup games will be held weekly at 6:30 p.m. at the Cullowhee Recreation Park in Jackson County.

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The N.C. House of Representatives is considering a bill titled the North Carolina Native Plant Act after it unanimously passed the Senate May 3.

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The Highlands Nature Center kicks off its summer season on Memorial Day weekend, with extended hours noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 28, and summer hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday starting Monday, May 29.

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The ancient art of bonsai will take center stage during the “Bonsai as Fine Art” exhibition June 2-11 at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. The event will feature 20 works created by professional bonsai artists and members of the Blue Ridge Bonsai Society. 

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Nantahala Outdoor Center will hold its Women’s Paddlefest Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 4, hosted by inspirational paddler Anna Levesque.

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Help is now available for Pactiv Evergreen Canton paper mill workers to determine how they can maintain health insurance after the mill closes. Health insurance for many workers is expected to lapse Aug. 1.

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This weekend, The SHARE Project will host its third annual WNC drug awareness event — “Hope Not Stigma.”

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A Swanannoa man forfeited his vehicle and received a stiff prison sentence after pleading guilty in Haywood County Superior Court to trafficking illegal drugs and other crimes, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said.

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Agricultural producers and private landowners have until May 26 to sign up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program, a federal program that lets producers and landowners continue grazing and haying while conserving grasslands and promoting diversity and healthy soil.

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The ‘Kids Hike Highlands’ trail passport program is back, with a refresh for the 2023 season. 

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Experience the “Appalachian magic” of lightning bug season with a series of walks planned throughout the spring and early summer to experience the show from a variety of different species. Naturalist Sarah Johnson will lead these walks on her farm in Macon County.

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Students from The Christ School in Asheville have won one of five annual awards given by Blue Ridge Parkway managers to recognize volunteer contributions to preservation, protection and enjoyment of the Parkway.

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