Smokies names new deputy superintendent
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s long-time Facility Management Division chief has been named as the park’s new deputy superintendent.
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Restoring a giant: EBCI partners to resurrect the chestnut tree
Rex Mann’s father was the kind of storyteller whose voice would make everyone in the room stop what they were…
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Made by mountains: Regional brand aims to drive entrepreneurship, stewardship in WNC’s outdoor economy
The outdoor industry has for years been on an upward trajectory in Western North Carolina, and a regional branding campaign…
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ATC resumes thru-hiker recognition
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has lifted a recommendation against long-distance hikes on the A.T. for the first time since the…
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Cherokee enter partnership to save the chestnut tree
In a mountaintop signing ceremony on Wednesday, April 21, The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and The American Chestnut Foundation…
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Drought enters N.C. after long absence
Moderate drought has returned to North Carolina for the first time since November 2019, though it is currently relegated to…
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Teachers train to help kids bike and walk to school safely
This spring, 17 physical education teachers from Haywood, Jackson, Swain and Macon counties joined the Western Carolina University Project Discovery…
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Chronic wasting disease confirmed close to N.C.
A chronic wasting disease case confirmed May 12 in Virginia occurred just 33 miles from the North Carolina counties of…
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Temporary changes proposed for N.C. hunting rule
In an online public hearing at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 13, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will take public comment…
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NOC welcomes new president
Nantahala Outdoor Center has named a new company president, welcoming former Grand Canyon Resort Corporation CEO Colin McBeath to the…
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Man dead following Smokies car accident
A Venezuelan man who had been living in Sevier County is dead following a traffic accident May 2 in the…
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Making it happen: Swain County teen chases professional mountain bike career
Austin San Souci was just 2 years old the first time he rode a bike. “He never had training wheels.…
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Repairs proposed for Wilson Lick cabin
A multi-phase restoration project is proposed for the historic Wilson Lick cabin in the Nantahala National Forest in Macon County.
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TVA grant to reduce Lake Junaluska litter
A $4,400 grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority will help Haywood Waterways Association support community stream cleanups and Haywood County’s…
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Outdoor-rooted veteran therapy program accepting applications
Equinox Ranch will welcome combat veterans to its inaugural program this June.
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Sculpture showcase comes to arboretum gardens
An outdoor sculpture showcase now up in the N.C. Arboretum’s gardens will showcase the work of 17 local and national…
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Hooked on Haywood: County’s expanded outdoor programming offers new ways to explore
“My name is Tommy Thomas. I’ve been fly fishing 30, maybe closer to 40 years now,” says the man wearing…
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Land donation protects key Roan Highlands landscape
A record-setting land donation will conserve 7,500 acres in the Roan Highlands, a success that Southern Appalachian Highland Conservancy Stewardship…
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Transforming gardening: Book details Webster man’s design for a better, cheaper greenhouse
On cold January days, Bob and Janaye Houghton prefer to eat outside. “If it’s 20 degrees in the sunshine, it’s…
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Summer camp canceled at Waynesville Rec
For the second year in a row, the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will cancel its popular summer camp series…
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Explore Cades Cove vehicle free
Vehicle-free Wednesdays at Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park begin this week, giving cyclists and pedestrians the…
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More than 5 million pounds of litter collected this year
Collections from this year’s N.C. Department of Transportation Spring Litter Sweep totaled more than 1.4 million pounds, far surpassing the…
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Motorcyclist dies after Smokies crash
A Guatemalan man died following a motorcycle crash in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Sunday, April 18.
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Hike with Haywood
A series of hikes exploring Haywood County’s many trails is in full swing, with the next one offered Monday, May…
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Weighing the Pigeon’s future: Public hearing spurs robust turnout for and against paper mill permit
State of residence was the most visible dividing line in an April 14 hearing on the proposed terms for a…
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Bryson City teen joins Olympic team with history-making performance
Western North Carolina teenager Evy Leibfarth will represent the United States in the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo this year…
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Parkway gets new superintendent
Tracy Swartout will take over as superintendent for the Blue Ridge Parkway on May 23 following the departure of former…
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Buy national forest passes online
A new online platform now allows visitors to the Nantahala, Pisgah and Croatan National Forests to pay day-use and annual…
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Bear activity high in some areas
The Pisgah National Forest warns visitors to North Mills River, Bent Creek Experimental Forest, and Black Balsam and surrounding areas…
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Five-year bird survey seeks volunteers
Thousands of volunteer birdwatchers will mobilize this March for the first-ever N.C. Bird Atlas survey, a statewide community science survey…
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Weigh in on Canton’s paper mill permit
An online public hearing at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, will take input on terms of a proposed wastewater permit…
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Important Roan Mountain tract now in public ownership
A 91-acre area known as the Roan Mountain Gateway is now in U.S. Forest Service ownership after the Southern Appalachians…
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Art of the invite: Brevard business aims to increase Black participation outdoors
Earl B. Hunter Jr. describes his younger self as a “Good Times kid,” growing up on free lunch and government…
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Become a trail maintainer
Help keep WNC’s hiking trails in shape by joining on of the Carolina Mountain Club’s many ongoing maintenance crews.
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Weigh in on Waynesville greenway project
A new project in Waynesville involving the Richland Creek Greenway and new park property across Richland Creek in front of…
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Podcast series explores Black Appalachian music
A six-part podcast mini-series exploring the intersection of Black history and Southern Appalachian music through the Great Smoky Mountains Association…
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Park, Gatlinburg Police crack down on litter
A targeted law enforcement effort aiming to combat litter resulted in 37 stops including 25 verbal warnings and 13 citations…
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Take a stroll at the arboretum
The N.C. Arboretum in Asheville will resume offering guided trail walks this spring, with groups setting off at 1 p.m.…
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Even as a drive-thru, Winter Lights drew high attendance
The first-ever drive-thru Winter Lights experience at the N.C. Arboretum brought record numbers of people to see the bright holiday…
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Seagrass declining on N.C. coast
A recently published report shows significant loss in seagrass along the North Carolina coast.
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New StoryWalk in Cashiers
The new Cashiers Greenway Ramble StoryWalk is now complete, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday, April 2, set…
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Year of the cicada: After 17 years, large cicada brood will emerge aboveground
This spring, the eastern United States will play host to one of nature’s great marvels — periodical cicadas, mysterious insects…
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Road closures extended in Greenbrier
A delay in supplies for the Ramsey Prong Bridge replacement project is causing an extended closure for Ramsey Prong Road…
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Invasive mussels found in aquarium products
Invasive zebra mussels have been found in commercially available aquatic moss balls in North Carolina, and consumers who have purchased…
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Read through the woods: Storybook Trail promotes literacy and nature
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park hopes to help visitors experience the Smokies story in a new way thanks to…
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Revamped Bryson City market to start in May
The farmers market in Bryson City is growing, with Swain County Cooperative Extension and the Swain County Tourism Development Authority…
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‘Twice the work’: Farmers report higher-than-expected 2020 sales, but also higher costs
When spring sprung in 2020, so did the Coronavirus Pandemic, forcing farmers to make life-altering decisions in the face of…
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New flower found in South Carolina
A new flower species has been found in a South Carolina county bordering the Western North Carolina mountains, according to…
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N.C. birds suffering from bacterial infection
A concerning number of goldfinch and pine siskin birds have been reported dead across the state over the past few…
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Newfound Gap Road named All-American Road
Newfound Gap Road has been designated an All-American Road, joining the Blue Ridge Parkway in claiming a designation that recognizes…
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