Outdoors
Highlands protects 32 acres
Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust announced the conservation of 31.69 acres of ecologically valuable land within the town limits of Highlands. Located off Bowery Road, the property overlooks Horse Cove Valley.
Boyd sworn in as wildlife commissioner
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission welcomed Justin Boyd to its governing board. Boyd was appointed as an at-large member by North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler and will serve a four-year term until June 30, 2029. Boyd was sworn in on July 22 at the Department of Agriculture headquarters in Raleigh.
Word from the Smokies: Armadillos make a home in the Smokies
With their tough, leathery shells, unique digging habits and pattern of giving birth to identical quadruplets, nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are full of quirks. These solitary creatures are skilled burrowers and surprisingly adaptable — so much so that they’ve expanded their range to include some of the highest elevations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Up Moses Creek: Oil Change
There’s a mountain world up Moses Creek, and I don’t love to leave it. Outdoors, steep wild ridgelines form the horizon, with deep forests, clean air and clear streams tumbling down the slopes. Close to the house are Becky’s beds of flowers, all a-flutter with butterflies, birds and bees.
Crews work toward expedited repair of Newfound Gap Road
The National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration continue to work toward emergency repairs for U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road following the Aug. 1 washout and landslide. The agencies plan to award a contract in August and expect that construction will be complete in early October.
Girls on the Run welcomes new executive director
Girls on the Run of Western North Carolina (GOTR WNC) announced the appointment of Stacie Marlowe as its executive director. A Henderson County native and long-time advocate for youth development, Marlowe steps into the role with a passion for empowering girls and a strong background in youth development programming and nonprofit leadership.
$2 million for EV chargers awarded through Volkswagen Settlement funds
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality is awarding another $1.91 million for new public electric vehicle chargers across North Carolina, filling gaps in the state’s charging network along highways and in rural communities.
Join Franklin Bird club for Macon County walks
The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the Greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane.
Highlands hosts lecture on forest resilience after Helene
The Highlands Biological Foundation will welcome Megan Sutton, Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Southern Blue Ridge Programs, as the featured speaker for the final installment of the 2025 Zahner Conservation Lecture Series.
