Outdoors
Firecracker 5K returns to Bryson City
Thursday, July 4, marks the 34th running of the Firecracker 5K in Bryson City. Created in 1989 to celebrate the town’s centennial, this annual tradition has grown from 30 to 300 runners.
Large animal vets encouraged to apply for state grants
Large animal veterinarians in North Carolina are eligible to apply for up to $25,000 in funds to help support their large animal practice.
State to ramp up impaired boating enforcement efforts
In efforts to ensure a safer July 4 holiday experience on the water, wildlife law enforcement officers with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) will participate in Operation Dry Water, a national campaign being observed July 4-6, developed through the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).
Hunting, fishing fees to change July 1
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is announcing an increase to fees for hunting, fishing, trapping and activity licenses, permits, stamps and certifications, which will go into effect on July 1, 2024.
Mountain View Garden Club plant sale
Come out to Waynesville for the Mountain View Garden Club plant sale from 9 a.m. to noon July 6 at the Haywood County Farmers’s Market by the HART theater.
Notes from a plant nerd: Orchidaceous!
Please don’t get me wrong, I love the orchids of springtime. Love them. They tend to be as big and showy and beautiful as springtime itself. Ladyslipper orchids, both yellow and pink (Cypripedium acaule and C. parviflorum) and showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis) are certainly beautiful and fun to see blooming in the woods in the spring.
Word from the Smokies: DNA study yields new estimate of Smoky Mountain elk population
Over the decades since 52 elk were reintroduced to Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Cataloochee Valley in 2001 and 2002, wildlife biologists have longed for a statistically accurate count of the population in Western North Carolina.
Big Atlas weekend is coming
Birders around the state are encouraged to grab their binoculars, guidebooks, hiking boots and best birding friends for a weekend of non-stop “atlasting” from June 28-30.
HBF continues ‘Appalachian Apothecary’ lecture
The Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) continues its Zahner Conservation Lecture series at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 20. Registered Herbalist Patricia Kyritsi Howell will take the stage to discuss “Appalachian Apothecary: Herbs of Yesterday and Today.” Following the lecture, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a small reception.
