Highlands Biological invests in undergrad field work program
 

Highlands Biological invests in undergrad field work program

Since 2021, the Highlands Biological Foundation has invested $300,000 in its University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Highlands Field…
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Polish up the Pigeon

Pick up the Pigeon River during a cleanup 9-10 a.m. Saturday, May 13, in Canton.
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Environmental Assessment for Laurel Falls plan out for comment

An Environmental Assessment examining the impact of proposed changes associated with the Laurel Falls Trail Management Plan is out for…
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Active search stops for missing man

After an extensive 11-day search, on May 6 the Great Smoky Mountains National Park halted its active field search for…
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Protecting the plateau

Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust welcomes new director  For the first time in its 114-year history, the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust is saying…
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Wildlife Commission, DOT, pledge to work together on wildlife crossings

A recently signed memorandum of understanding between the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the N.C. Department of Transportation signals the…
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WCU professor named Smokies writer in residence

Brian Railsback, an English professor at Western Carolina University, has received the 2023 Steve Kemp Writers’ Residency from the Great…
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Lightning responsible for Linville Gorge fire

Lightning ignited a wildfire in the Linville Gorge Wilderness last week, but humid conditions and rainfall allowed firefighters to take…
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Part of Greenbrier Road reopens

Some areas of the Greenbrier area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are now open for the first time…
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Stretch out on Waterrock

Take a leisurely hike to the Waterrock Knob overlook for sunset yoga with Tara Scarborough at 7:15 p.m., Tuesday, May…
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DLiA turns 25
 

DLiA turns 25

Discover Life in America, a nonprofit dedicated to learning as much as possible about the diverse species in the Great…
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Trilliums, Trilliums, Trilliums

Trilliums are some of the most beautiful and iconic wildflowers in the world, and the Southern Appalachian Mountains are a…
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Help fill the West Fork of the Pigeon with trout

Volunteers are wanted to help the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission stock trout into the West Fork Pigeon River in Haywood…
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Report armadillo sightings

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wants to know about any armadillo sightings in North Carolina as biologists continue to study…
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An ounce of comfort: A.T. hikers share the extras they take on trail

II I don’t own a bathroom scale, which means I had no way of measuring the exact weight of the…
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Word from the Smokies: A salamander’s glow could shed light on a biological mystery

Three years ago, researchers from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota captured the attention of biologists around the world with…
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World-class floral display coming to N.C. Arboretum

Immerse yourself among tens of thousands of flowers during “Bloom with a View,” running May 1-14 at the N.C. Arboretum…
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Franklin A.T. Council welcomes new supporter

Gracious Plates Restaurant in Franklin is the newest A.T. Supporter in Franklin, recognized by the Franklin Appalachian Trail Community Council.…
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Pick your plants at Lake Junaluska

The Lake Junaluska Annual Plant Sale and the Corneille Bryan Native Garden plant sale will be held together 8 a.m.…
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Cherokee Heritage Apple Orchard opens in Franklin

A grand opening celebration for the Barbara McRae Cherokee Heritage Apple Orchard will be held 4-6 p.m. Friday, April 28,…
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Planning for plants: Botanical survey complete for Pinnacle Park

Sylva has received the results of an in-depth botanical survey of Pinnacle Park revealing that the property is a bonanza…
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Celebrate Arbor Day with Mainspring

Mainspring Conservation Trust will celebrate Arbor Day weekend with a slate of events ranging from a foraging walk to a…
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Parkway conservation project earns national recognition

The Blue Ridge Parkway has received the 2023 Byway Organization Award for Viewshed Improvement from the National Scenic Byway Foundation…
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Deer, elk disease spreads to more N.C. counties

New detections of Chronic Wasting Disease, a fatal ailment affecting cervids like deer and elk, have been reported in Cumberland…
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New book teaches kids how to be BearWise

As days lengthen and temperatures rise, black bears begin to move around in the woods searching for insects, nuts and…
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Up Moses Creek: Beauty and the beast

Birds were little more than nondescript flitting things to me that afternoon in January 1973, when I lay down on…
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Forest Service grant funds wildfire planning

The U.S. Forest Service will invest nearly $1.4 million in wildfire protection projects across the state as part of the…
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New 5K steps off in Waynesville
 

New 5K steps off in Waynesville

Run the first ever Farm Fresh 5K at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 29, in Waynesville, supporting Haywood Christian Ministry.
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New N.C. Science Trail launches
 

New N.C. Science Trail launches

The N.C. Science Trail, a year-round digital guidebook to North Carolina’s science adventures, launched this month.
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Fire Mountain Inferno draws near

Spots are still available in the fifth annual Fire Mountain Inferno mountain biking event in Cherokee on April 22-23.
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Celebrate spring at NOC

Nantahala Outdoor Center will kick off its 2023 season with the annual Spring Fling Celebration Saturday, April 22, at the…
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Immerse yourself in Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Highlands Nature Center in Highlands.
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Cooper to visit Canton

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will return to Canton on April 6 to discuss the forthcoming closure of Pactiv Evergreen’s…
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Heed the Call

Within hours of birth, fur seal mothers and pups can recognize each other’s voices.
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Dialing down the risk: Haywood Waterways hopes to reduce future flood risk with grant

OO Over the next two years, Haywood Waterways Association will implement a $2 million grant aimed at protecting Canton, Clyde…
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In brief
 

In brief

Go birding Join birding expert Howard Browers at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, April 6, on the Waynesville Greenway to look for…
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Professor publishes book celebrating Alfred Russel Wallace

A new book by Jim Costa, executive director of Western Carolina University’s Highlands Biological Station, showcases the life of a…
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Forage with the Museum of the Cherokee Indian
 

Forage with the Museum of the Cherokee Indian

A lecture series focusing on foraging will extend through May at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee.
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Linville Gorge camping permits move online
 

Linville Gorge camping permits move online

Due to increased demand leading to frequent busy signals and long hold times, overnight permits for the Linville Gorge Wilderness…
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Explore Panthertown
 

Explore Panthertown

Friends of Panthertown is hosting a series of trail work days and guided hikes this month.
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Clean up the Tuck

The annual Tuck River Cleanup will commence on Saturday, April 15, inviting hundreds of volunteers to raft or walk 20…
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Become a lifelong gardener
 

Become a lifelong gardener

Learn how to indulge your love of gardening despite age or mobility level during a two-hour program at 1 p.m.…
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House bill seeks $5 million for wildlife crossings

The N.C. House of Representatives has filed a budget bill that includes $5 million for infrastructure to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions…
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Mainspring celebrates land purchases

Mainspring Conservation Trust has purchased two new properties that will add to ongoing conservation projects in Macon and Jackson counties.
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Race into strawberry season

The Strawberry Jam Half Marathon/5K will return for its second year Saturday, May 20, in Bryson City. The half marathon…
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Group size limited at Whiteoak Sink during wildflower season

During the wildflower season at Whiteoak Sink in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which extends through Sunday, May 7,…
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Unravel the secrets of soil
 

Unravel the secrets of soil

Learn about soils and composting at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 8, at Bicentennial Park in Sylva.
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It’s in our blood

Each spring I am struck by the beauty and encouraged by the support given by bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) as it…
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Hike the classics

The 2022 Classic Hikes of the Smokies Series has begun. 
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