Outdoors
Haywood Farm Bureau scholarship deadline nears
High school seniors in Haywood County who have a degree of need coupled with a serious commitment to agriculture and community service are encouraged to apply for the Haywood County Farm Bureau’s scholarship program by April 15.
Students must have a GPA of at least 2.5, be residents of Haywood County, be currently enrolled in a Haywood County school or a two or four-year school, planning to enroll in an approved post-secondary program (technical/community, junior college, or a four-year institution.)
Cost-saving energy program now available
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Energy Saver North Carolina program is now available in all 100 counties, helping eligible households lower energy bills. Residents can check eligibility and apply for rebates to improve home efficiency, with more than $200 million available for upgrades.
Remember the Removal: A 950-mile bike ride, and so much more
At some points, engulfed in the rush of the ride, “your head feels like it’s going to pop off your shoulders,” said 2026 Remember the Removal mentor Freida Saylor.
Saylor participated in RTR in 2025, a three-week, approximately 950-mile bike ride that traces the northern route of the Trail of Tears — one path of forced removal of the Cherokee people to Oklahoma from their Southern Appalachian homelands — following the 1830 Indian Removal Act signed by President Andrew Jackson.
Hurricane recovery receives a boost
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission have entered into a $290 million Good Neighbor Agreement to support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in Western North Carolina. The agreement — the largest of its kind for the Forest Service — will speed up recovery efforts, create new jobs, reduce overall costs and strengthen communities impacted by the hurricane.
NC greenhouse gas emissions lowest in decades, uptick projected
North Carolina’s annual greenhouse gas emissions are at their lowest levels in decades. However, forecasts indicate that increased reliance on natural gas and coal for electricity generation could temporarily offset these gains in the coming years.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has released an update to the state’s greenhouse gas inventory.
Water monitoring volunteers needed
In 1996, the Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) program was established as a water quality monitoring program for many Western North Carolina counties. In Haywood County, Haywood Waterways Association manages 25 sites on 19 streams. The program’s purpose is to provide long term water quality monitoring information to help leverage grant funding for water quality improvement projects.
Haywood hosts annual plant sale
The annual Haywood County Extension Master Gardener plant sale is taking place now. Available are bare root strawberries, raspberries, black raspberries, elderberries, blackberries, asparagus and horseradish, along with potted blueberries at excellent prices.
This sale is pre-order only. You may order online with a credit card or download the order forms (to print and mail in with a check) at go.ncsu.edu/haywoodplantsales.
State announces $5.7M for flood resilience in WNC
Gov. Josh Stein announced $5.7 million in grants from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint to reduce flood risk in the French Broad River Basin. The announcement includes eight projects that will create new floodwater storage, restore and reconnect floodplains, relocate facilities and infrastructure out of harm’s way, and improve water quality.
Spongy moth infestations found in 7 N.C. counties
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has identified infestations of spongy moth in seven counties across North Carolina that it anticipates treating in 2026.
Residents within the impacted areas were notified by mail in February about these infestations as well as proposed treatments. Informational sessions will be held within these communities in March to collect public comments for consideration.
