Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation announces fundraising goals
 

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation announces fundraising goals

The Waterrock Knob Visitor Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway will get new exhibits if the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation…
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BearWaters develops river access

The Pigeon River flows a little healthier thanks to several riverbank improvements made at BearWaters Brewing in Canton. 
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The wildest show: Synchronous fireflies display untamed beauty in the Smokies

I entered the lottery on a whim, figuring that, like 90 percent of my fellow entrants, I’d end up with…
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From the ground up: Holbrook reflects on a lifetime of agriculture

Bill Holbrook has been a lot of things in his 71 years on earth — a factory worker, a manager, a…
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Paving work begins on the Parkway
 

Paving work begins on the Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway will resurface more than 65 miles of pavement between Asheville and Cherokee this summer, with work…
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Chimney Rock State Park still closed

Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park is still closed due to storm damage, but Chimney Rock Village and Old…
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Recycling on the uptick
 

Recycling on the uptick

Recycling is on the rise in North Carolina according to a recently released report showing numbers for all 100 counties…
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Grant will fund waterways in Macon
 

Grant will fund waterways in Macon

Cartoogechaye Creek will become a little healthier thanks to a $100,000 grant that Mainspring Conservation Trust landed from Duke Energy’s…
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Rally ‘Round the River: Conference aims to unite Macon around watershed conservation

Twenty-five years ago, a group of residents, conservationists and agency officials met in Macon County to talk about water. At…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Lake J eagles

Most readers know the pair of bald eagles that nested at Lake Junaluska this spring were unsuccessful. There is no…
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Bethel farmer added to Ag Hall of Fame

Haywood County farmer Bill Holbrook has been inducted into the Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame for his tireless…
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Volunteers restore Smokies building

Key elements of the historic Palmer Barn in the Cataloochee area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are now…
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Outdoors retailers open in Cherokee

Cherokee’s new outdoors retailers will host a grand opening celebration 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at their…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Musings from count year 2018

This past spring was one of the more trying ones with regard to my annual U.S. Forest Service bird point…
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Retaining wall causes closure at Chimney Rock

A collapsed retaining wall at Chimney Rock State Park has caused the park to be closed since the collapse occurred…
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Kids in the Creek design winners announced

Lucas Cody of Bethel Middle School won this year’s Haywood Waterways Association Kids in the Creek T-shirt design contest. 
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Grant helps preserve A.T. view

A $21,500 grant from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy will help Mainspring Conservation trust conserve a 504-acre property in Graham County. 
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Through the raincloud: Agricultural community takes stock after record-breaking rains

A month of rain capped off by the arrival of Tropical Storm Alberto has caused massive flooding, landslides and loss…
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Pigeon River Fund awards grants
 

Pigeon River Fund awards grants

Environmental groups in Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties recently received a total of $217,010 to improve water quality, wildlife habitat…
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Cheoah and Tusquitee get new district ranger

The Cheoah and Tusquitee Ranger Districts of the Nantahala National Forest have a new district ranger following the May 29…
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Junaluska pool to reopen

The pool at Lake Junaluska will likely open this week following renovations that began in March. 
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Highlands Biological gets new director
 

Highlands Biological gets new director

The Highlands Biological Foundation has a new executive director with the hire of Charlotte Muir. 
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National Trails System turns 50
 

National Trails System turns 50

A celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act will kick off at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May…
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Parkway facilities open for the summer
 

Parkway facilities open for the summer

Memorial Day Weekend signals the beginning visitor season on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with all facilities now reopen after winter…
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Smokies celebrates 20 years of new discoveries

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is celebrating 20 years of conducting biodiversity inventories, with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory…
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Base Camp prepares to go mobile

A mobile recreation program offering outdoor recreation opportunities in communities throughout Haywood County will begin June 18, and a meeting…
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Lands protected in WNC

From mountains to coast, a cadre of land conservation agencies is working to preserve the properties most important to North…
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Telling NOC’s story: Book shows early years of outdoor center through the eyes of staff, leaders

It was 1972, and the world of whitewater paddling was changing. Americans were just about a decade into experimenting with…
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Smokies visitors spend $922.9 million in gateway communities

A new report from the National Park Service shows that 11.3 million visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Back in the saddle

I have had, since 2004, one of the best gigs any bird nerd could ask for. That was when I…
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Report hellbender sightings

If you’ve seen a hellbender, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wants to know. 
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New videos explore local food scene
 

New videos explore local food scene

A new video series celebrating Western North Carolina’s local foods economy — and the small businesses and communities that drive…
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Red wolf status grim, review says

A five-year red wolf status review, released April 24, showed that only about 40 red wolves are left in the…
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Job Corps center expands opportunities
 

Job Corps center expands opportunities

The Oconaluftee Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center is increasing its partnerships and training options, providing more opportunities for the students…
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Masa to be added to A.T. Hall of Fame

The late George Masa, whose photographs were pivotal to the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, will be…
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City Lights Café recognized for green practices
 

City Lights Café recognized for green practices

City Lights Café in Sylva has been recognized by the state for its sustainability efforts, earning certification from the N.C.…
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Best of the burden: Smokies mules make backcountry operations possible

In popular culture mules get a bad rap, cast as stubborn, ornery and even mischievous.  But Danny Gibson, animal packer for the…
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Road work begins in the Smokies

A handful of road projects will impact travel in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park over the coming weeks. 
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Smokies chief ranger retires

After 35 years of service — 30 of them in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Chief Ranger Steve…
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Glenville no wake zone request denied
 

Glenville no wake zone request denied

Jackson County’s request for a no wake zone on Lake Glenville has been denied following an April 26 vote from…
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HCC students take fifth at national competition
 

HCC students take fifth at national competition

The Haywood Community College student chapter of The Wildlife Society finished fifth place overall against 24 other schools at the…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Puc Puggy’s digs

One of Western North Carolina’s most celebrated visitors acquired his love of — and curiosity about — nature at his…
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Hanging Dog Campground closed
 

Hanging Dog Campground closed

Hanging Dog Campground, located in the Nantahala National Forest near Murphy, will not re-open following a decision from the U.S.…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Testing the early spring winds

I had the great pleasure of leading an early spring birding trip for Alarka Expeditions this past weekend, April 21-22.…
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WNC tackles cross-state run and cancer simultaneously

Black Mountain resident Kenny Capps is in the midst of a cross-state run that he’s undertaking while also battling an…
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Bethel student wins state poster contest
 

Bethel student wins state poster contest

Bethel Elementary School third-grader Jade Cody has been named the state winner in a poster contest sponsored by the N.C.…
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Backyard trails: Local mountain bike trails surge in popularity

In 2013, Western Carolina University cut the ribbon on 7-mile trail system zig-zagging an otherwise unbuildable piece of university property.…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Not quite a wrap

The starting date for my annual bird survey for the U.S. Forest Service is May 1. All of our nesting…
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Smokies starts spring openings
 

Smokies starts spring openings

Spring is coming to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with many seasonally closed facilities reopening for warmer weather.
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Outdoor 76 to join Motion Makers in Cherokee

Franklin-based outfitter Outdoor 76 has announced that it will open a second store, joining Motion Makers Bicycle Shop at a…
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