Outdoors
Cataloochee ski area opens for the season
Following a cold snap and a couple of inches of fresh snow, the Cataloochee Ski Area in Haywood County opened up for its 64th season on Nov. 23.
Drought creeps into WNC
The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council has classified parts of Western North Carolina as being in a moderate drought.
Nominations open for Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards
North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) announced that nominations are now open for the 60th Annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards. This prestigious event, set to take place on May 3, 2025, honors the outstanding individuals, organizations and agencies whose work is making a lasting impact on the conservation of North Carolina’s wildlife and natural resources.
Master Gardeners host wreath-making workshop
The North Carolina State Extension Master Gardeners are hosting a wreath-making workshop Dec. 7. The extension will provide a selection of fresh greenery, natural embellishments and knowledgeable volunteers to show people the ropes.
Permit-free firewood collection begins on reopened areas of the Pisgah National Forest
The U.S. Forest Service invites the public to gather firewood for personal use without a permit on reopened sections of the Pisgah National Forest from now until December 2025.
Winners announced in George Masa Youth Conservation Photography Prize
The George Masa Foundation proudly announces the winners of the inaugural George Masa Youth Conservation Photography Prize, a competition designed to empower young photographers to celebrate and advocate for conservation.
Word from the Smokies: New CEO takes the reins at Smokies Life
When 2024 dawned in Chattanooga, Tennessee, job hunting was the furthest thing from Jacqueline “Jacki” Harp’s mind. As regional director of REI’s southeastern United States operations, Harp loved her job and the feeling of home that came with nearly 18 years of professional history at the company. But then Smokies Life CEO Laurel Rematore announced her intent to retire, and the equation changed.
Flood damage prevention ordinance, dam removal still on the table
Despite a lack of quorum at the November planning board meeting, both the flood damage prevention ordinance and now the removal of Lake Emory Dam remain on the table for Macon County, during a time when much of Western North Carolina is still recovering from damage caused by flooding and winds due to Hurricane Helene.
The Joyful Botanist: Banking on it
There are many places and things that you can bank on in our world. You can call bank on a basketball court or pool table. You can carve a bank on a skateboard. You can donate food to a food bank or blood to a blood bank. You can upload data to a data bank that runs on multiple levels of memory banks. You can climb down the riverbank to take a dip.
