The Naturalist's Corner: Snowbirds part deaux
In a past column regarding snowbirds (“Snowbirds are here”), I wrote, “No, I’m not talking about your Uncle Bernie and…
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Asheville native joins Parkway Foundation Team
George Ivey has joined the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation as the nonprofit’s new development officer.
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River cane to improve Clyde water quality
A coalition of individuals and organizations came together to get river cane planted at Rivers Edge Park in Clyde this…
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River park efforts revived in Cullowhee
Work could begin on a long-awaited river park in Cullowhee sooner rather than later following completion of an N.C. Department…
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Waynesville boarder wins X Games gold
Waynesville native and X Games rookie Zeb Powell took gold Jan. 26 at an international competition held in Aspen, Colorado,…
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Smokies visitation tops 12 million
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw a record 12.55 million visits in 2019, an increase of 1.13 million over…
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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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Stay safe during hunting season
It’s hunting season in Western North Carolina, and non-hunters are encouraged to be proactive about ensuring their safety while in…
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Kudzu co-op opens online store
The Asheville-based cooperative Kudzu Culture has launched an online store offering locally harvested kudzu products.
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Settlement reached in coal ash case
Duke Energy will move forward with excavating nearly 80 million tons of coal ash at sites in North Carolina following…
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Swain tourism authority requests aquarium expansion
The Swain County Tourism Development Authority has approached the county about expanding the Appalachian Rivers Aquarium that just opened its…
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Hunting, fishing and trapping license changes take effect
Several changes to hunting, inland fishing and trapping licenses structures and fees went into effect with the start of the…
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Red wolf event a success
Tea time at Nettie’s Bakery in Waynesville raised $1,350 in support of the critically endangered red wolf during the inaugural…
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Land trusts surpass land conservation goal
Eight area land trusts protected a collective 8,598 acres in 2019, equivalent to 13.43 square miles, bringing the total protected…
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The Naturalist's Corner: CBC vagaries
This year’s Balsam Christmas Bird Count was record setting — but maybe not in a good way. The 63 species…
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Land added to Haywood’s Parkway section
The Blue Ridge Parkway is now 53.3 acres bigger thanks to the Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s recent donation of…
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The year in quotes
It’s often been said that there’s wisdom to be found in the rhythms of nature, and that’s certainly true. But…
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Bog protected in Burke County
A 17-acre bog in Burke County is now protected for consesrvation folowing a Dec. 16 purchase by the Foothills Conservancy…
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Petrea to leave Waynesville Parks and Rec
Tim Petrea, program supervisor for the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department since 2013, will be leaving North Carolina for a…
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Hello solstice my old friend
The official time of the 2019 winter solstice in the northern hemisphere is 11:19 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday,…
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National parks battle invasion
The National Park Service is embarking on a system-wide effort to crack down on invasive animal species following the conclusion…
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WCU recognized as ‘green college’
For the ninth year running, Western Carolina University has made The Princeton Review’s list of North America’s most environmentally responsible…
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Space camp programs announced
The recently released summer camp schedule for The Learning Center at PARI includes two residential camp programs, each offering the…
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Panthertown chosen for Leave No Trace awareness program
Panthertown Valley’s popularity is increasing, and advocates for the backcountry area — located near Cashiers in the Nantahala National Forest…
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Conservation purchase will protect birds, A.T. views
A 51-acre conservation purchase in the Highlands of Roan will protect a prominent ridge near the Appalachian Trail.
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SCC’s NPS law enforcement program graduates 17
Pledging their utmost dedication and respect to this nation’s natural resources, 17 graduates from Southwestern Community College’s National Park Service…
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Cataloochee, Cades Cove accesses to close this winter
The main access roads into Cataloochee and Cades Cove will be closed for several months this winter due to road…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Guilty pleasure
Last Saturday, Dec. 7, had the makings of a very productive day. Girls were going to Asheville shopping and home…
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Two Sparrows: Town WCU renames renovated collections facility in honor of Cherokee past
Long before the creation of Western Carolina University, the state of North Carolina or the U.S. Constitution, the valley now…
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Burnsville woman wins national park writing residency
Sue Wasserman of Burnsville has been chosen as the winner of the second annual Steve Kemp Writer’s Residency, funded by…
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Smokies facility chief wins regional honor
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to the winner of this year’s Facility Manager of the Year for…
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FSA election winners announced in Haywood
William “Danny” Hyatt of Waynesville has been elected to represent his local administrative area during the Farm Service Agency’s recent…
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Rallying around the red wolf: Haywood man works to save N.C.’s native wolf
Christopher Lile, 23, was just months away from graduating to begin a career in wildlife conservation when he first learned…
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Mapmaker donates to Panthertown
The Panthertown Map Association has donated $7,500 to Friends of Panthertown.
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HCC students develop bat capture skills
The number of wildlife jobs relating to bat research has spiked significantly in recent years, and a mini grant from…
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Smokies volunteer wins national photo contest
Robert Burton, a volunteer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, was recently chosen as the grand prize winner in…
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More than 2,000 acres protected in McDowell
A 2,200-acre purchase in McDowell County clinches the second phase of a conservation project that is expected to protect a…
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Parkway recognizes all-star volunteers
Over the past year, 1,380 volunteers contributed more than 48,000 hours of service to the Blue Ridge Parkway, but six…
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Committee advances conservation bills
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted on Nov. 19 to advance two key conservation bills.
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Project proposed to aid bog turtle
A plan to cut down encroaching trees and shrubs in the White Oak Bottoms bog near Standing Indian Campground in…
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Smokies names new resource management chief
Lisa McInnis will be the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s new chief of resource management and science, taking over from…
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The Naturalist's Corner: The A, B, C and Ds of chickadees
All birders, backyard feeders and most other people know chickadees. These small, noisy, gregarious black and gray fluff balls are…
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Fundraising effort launches to repair Parkway amenities
An anonymous donor is offering $300,000 toward repairs on the Blue Ridge Parkway — but only if other Parkway supporters match…
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Legacy for education: Waynesville couple donates land for natural resource education
Haywood County has seen its share of change over the past century, and nobody knows that better than Joe Morrow. …
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Learning in the real world: Smokies outdoor education center turns 50, plans expansion
As it nears the end of its 50th anniversary year, the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont has its eyes…
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Slopes open at Cataloochee
Cataloochee Ski Area became the first ski resort on the East Coast — and one of 11 nationwide — to…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Louisiana solitude
I recently made a semi-regular sojourn to the northeast Louisiana Delta, a stone’s throw from where I grew up. Friends…
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Panthertown selected for recreation impact intervention
Panthertown Valley is one of 14 locations nationwide to be selected as a 2020 Leave No Trace Hot Spot.
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Smokies volunteer earns regional recognition
Jim Goddard, a volunteer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has received the National Park Service Southeast Regional Hartzog…
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Lifetime achievement award honors former HCC instructor
Retired Haywood Community College forestry instructor John Palmer has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement award in the annual EcoForesters’…
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