Local climate group seeks new members
Despite the pandemic, the recently formed WNC Climate Action Coalition is still hard at work.
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Frugal Backpacker closes Asheville store, moves online
The beloved discount outdoor gear store The Frugal Backpacker has announced that it will close its stores in Asheville and…
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Conservation projects receive $1.25 million
A total of $1.25 million for six projects in far Western North Carolina received funding in this year’s round of…
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Drive-thru Winter Lights
The annual Winter Lights event at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville will be a drive-thru experience this time around.
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Southern forests recognized for fishing events
The U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Region received the 2019 National Rise to the Future — Fish Your National Forest Award…
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Man dies following fall from Smokies overlook
An Alabama man is dead following a fall from an overlook in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Smoothing the way to LeConte: Smokies completes $1.3 million trail project
The few remaining leaves hanging in the trees shine like stained glass as the morning sun rises high enough to…
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Volunteers remove 1.8 tons of trash from Lake Chatuge
More than 50 volunteers showed up for MountainTrue’s 10th annual Lake Chatuge Shoreline Cleanup on Nov. 7, removing 1.8 tons…
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Conservation groups sue over red wolf policy
A trio of conservation groups is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for alleged violations of the Endangered Species…
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Federal money coming to WNC public lands
Public lands in Western North Carolina are set to get a chunk of the $950 billion approved for deferred maintenance…
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Blue Cross donates $275K to fight food insecurity
Blue Cross NC has contributed $275,000 to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project this year to help combat food insecurity caused…
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Smokies bridge projects will require road closures
Work has begun to replace seven bridges in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and repair seven others, improvements made…
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Seasonal burns begin at Cades Cove
Approximately 689 acres of fields in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be burned…
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Grant will support bear-safe camping in the Smokies
A $4,000 grant from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will help the Great Smoky Mountains National Park practice proactive bear management…
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Moment to shine: Outdoor economy conference focuses on widening the base
In the wake of COVID-19, 2020 has been a banner year for the outdoor recreation economy, and throughout the month…
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Trump administration criticized for implementation of landmark conservation law
Environmental groups are decrying the Trump Administration’s execution of the Great American Outdoors Act and the Dingell Act, which permanently…
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Smokies search and rescue gets a boost
Friends of the Smokies and its supporters have raised $89,000 this year to fund search and rescue efforts in the…
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Virtual race raised $70K for the Smokies
The fourth annual Cades Cove Loop Lope has raised $70,000 for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park despite having to…
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Pisgah plans prescribed burns
The Pisgah National Forest plans to conduct prescribed burns in multiple areas of the forest this week.
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Man dies following fall from Smokies overlook
An Alabama man is dead following a fall from an overlook in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Volunteer to build community outdoors
Outdoor Mission Community, formerly known as Outdoor Mission Camp, is seeking volunteers to aid in trip planning, leadership, skills certifications…
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Use caution during wildfire season
Fall wildfire season is underway in North Carolina, and the N.C. Forest Service together with the U.S. Forest Service is…
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Exhibit re-imagines Bartram’s art
An exhibit featuring the work of more than a dozen regional and local artists who have rendered William Bartram’s 18th…
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Deadly rabbit disease could spread to N.C.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is asking for help to monitor the spread of a deadly rabbit disease known as…
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Help hellbenders
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wants to hear about hellbender sightings, part of agency biologists’ ongoing effort to learn more…
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Storm impacts Panthertown access
Hurricane Zeta has washed out a significant portion of a road used to access the Salt Rock Gap Trailhead at…
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Congressmen push for red wolf conservation
An Oct. 27 letter signed by 24 Democratic U.S. Congressmen is asking federal agencies to take urgent action on behalf…
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Cleanest air on record: Pandemic accelerates long-term move toward cleaner air in N.C.
When President Richard Nixon ‘s signature on the Clean Air Act of 1970 prompted North Carolina to create its Division…
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Middle school students collect data for space exploration
Usually, the K-8 Trailblazers group at Mountain Discovery Charter School in Bryson City can be found venturing out to trails…
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N.C. launches climate resiliency program
North Carolina has launched a new initiative to help the state prepare for the impacts of climate change while reducing…
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Melonas named new head of N.C. national forests
Allen Nicholas retired in September after nearly five years in charge of North Carolina’s national forests, and James Melonas will…
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Smokies seeks solutions to overcrowding
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has gotten a lot busier since its creation in 1931. In 1932, its first…
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Missing Knox County man found safe in park
Search and Rescue Team members in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park found missing hiker Fred Braden Jr. last night…
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Rescue crews answer the call
Picture-perfect fall weather drew countless numbers of people to embark on outdoor adventures during the month of October, but some…
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Conservation purchase complete in Burke County
The Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina has purchased 322 acres in Burke County, completing the second and final stage of…
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Waynesville rec department earns national distinction
After seven years spent laying the groundwork, the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded an honor that Director…
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1,500 pounds of trash hauled from Haywood waters
Fifty people participated in the Big Sweep trash cleanup Haywood Waterways Association hosted Sept. 19, removing 1,500 pounds of trash…
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Knox County man missing in the Smokies
A Knox County man was reported missing yesterday after day hiking alone on the Middle Prong Trail in the Tremont…
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Pandemic multiplies demand, complicates operations for outdoor businesses
As the Coronavirus Pandemic continues, people worldwide are rediscovering the outdoors in a big way — leading to record visitation…
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WCU professor releases outdoor instruction book
Western Carolina University Professor Emeritus Maurice Phipps has released a new book aimed at people who are working or training…
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Sign up for nature-based learning
A new subscription-based program from the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont aims to connect families through nature-based activities and…
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Hike series to feature discussions about racism, diversity
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash will lead a series of small-group hikes through the park with the…
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Grant will fund ag center for Swain
The N.C Tobacco Trust Fund has awarded $1.5 million in grants this year, and one of the 15 applications granted…
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National parks visitation explodes in WNC
For Western North Carolinians who see the outdoors as a safe haven when life gets hard, perhaps the most distressing…
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Haywood water among state’s cleanest
Haywood County water treatment plants received top honors among the 55 plants honored statewide with the N.C. Area Wide Optimization…
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Kephart’s writings compiled in new book
Several years of research, compilation and collaboration by two writers from Western Carolina University have resulted in a scholarly book…
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Two new lifeguard instructors certified in Waynesville
Two lifeguards at the Waynesville Recreation Center have been officially certified as American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructors.
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Clay shooting tourney raises money for the Smokies
Friends of the Smokies raised $53,000 to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the second annual Smokies Cup,…
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Woman dies in Cades Cove due to cardiac distress
A visitor to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park died Tuesday, Sept. 29, following a cardiac event in Cades Cove.
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Virtual book club will explore climate change solutions
A virtual book club through the Highlands Biological Foundation this fall will cover the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan…
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