Outdoors
Amid Pisgah logging plans post-Helene, Forest Service shuts out public
In early April, a U.S. Forest Service office in East Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest issued a memo inviting the public to weigh in on its recovery operations in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene. The storm had felled trees across tens of thousands of acres of the forest, the agency said, and those trees posed the risk of fueling wildfires.
Troxler: Raw milk puts human health at risk
From childhood, we have learned that milk is a foundational food, growing strong bones and a healthy body. People likely remember the slogan “Milk, It Does a Body Good” and our meals being served with a glass of milk. Milk is a staple of childhood and a product families can confidently serve their kids.
Discover the Smokies with new public programs
This summer and fall, visitors can enjoy family-friendly programs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, starting June 7. Visitors are invited to take a hike with a ranger, learn about mountain life, meet some of the creatures that call the Smokies’ home, trek into the dark and much more.
Spring road maintenance planned in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The National Park Service will complete important maintenance along popular roads in Great Smoky Mountains National Park this June. This will require temporary partial closures of Little River Road and single-lane closures along the Spur to allow park staff to safely and efficiently complete this work.
DEQ accepting comments on wastewater treatment plan for Helene-affected areas
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Infrastructure is accepting comments until June 30, 2025, on a draft Intended Use Plan (IUP) and Priority Rating System for funding assistance for decentralized wastewater treatment systems in Hurricane Helene-affected areas.
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.
Botany, beauty and Bartram: The flower hunter's legacy
More than two centuries after William Bartram explored the Southern Appalachian foothills, his words, like his footsteps, still echo through the ridgelines and river valleys he once traversed.
Word from the Smokies: Scientific inquiry, a thriving enterprise in the Smokies
Birds, bees, bears, dragonflies, salamanders, hemlocks, fungi. Scientific research in Great Smoky Mountains National Park addresses a wide swath of subjects. From Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and states much farther away, scientists from several disciplines have found the park fertile ground for inquiry.
Trail reopenings announced across Helene-damaged Appalachian Ranger District
The USDA Forest Service announced that several trails and recreation sites damaged by Hurricane Helene have reopened across the Appalachian Ranger District on the Pisgah National Forest. With the support of partners and volunteers, the Forest Service has successfully cleared 227 miles of trails on the Appalachian Ranger District since the storm struck last year, accounting for 70 percent of the district’s trails.
