Birding program, walk scheduled for May 12
 

Birding program, walk scheduled for May 12

A bird walk and program led by N.C. Audobon’s Curtis Smalling and international birding enthusiast Romney Bathurst will be held…
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WCU professor wins biodiversity educator of the year award
 

WCU professor wins biodiversity educator of the year award

James T. Costa, Western Carolina University professor and director of Highlands Biological Station, is the recipient of the 2012 Outstanding…
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The Plott Hound focus of upcoming program
 

The Plott Hound focus of upcoming program

Author Bob Plott will discuss Western North Carolina’s unique Plott Hound at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at the Bethea…
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Following a supermoon
 

Following a supermoon

Last night (May 5) was the unveiling of this year’s supermoon. Astronomer Richard Nolle coined the term supermoon in 1979…
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The N.C. Arboretum to participate in National Public Gardens Day
 

The N.C. Arboretum to participate in National Public Gardens Day

The North Carolina Arboretum will participate in National Public Gardens Day on Friday, May 11, waiving the parking fee for…
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Connected to the land: An early passion borne from goats and Radio Flyer wagon
 

Connected to the land: An early passion borne from goats and Radio Flyer wagon

David Burnette and his wife Diane do things the old way. “One thing just led to another,” David said of…
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HCC ranked No. 1 in state in RecycleMania
 

HCC ranked No. 1 in state in RecycleMania

Haywood Community College won the N.C. RecycleMania competition again this year. HCC beat out UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University.…
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WCU named one of top ‘green’ colleges in US
 

WCU named one of top ‘green’ colleges in US

For the second year in a row, Western Carolina University is included among The Princeton Review’s list of the most…
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Fishing surveys are in the mail for some
 

Fishing surveys are in the mail for some

Anglers in North Carolina soon will be randomly selected to receive a state fishing survey designed to determine anglers’ view…
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Adventure Travel Film Festival at NOC
 

Adventure Travel Film Festival at NOC

Get set for three days and 16 films at Nantahala Outdoor Center during the Adventure Travel Film Festival May 4…
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5K trail race up to benefit conservation
 

5K trail race up to benefit conservation

If you are looking for a tough but short trail race, the Bearwallow Beast 5K might be just the ticket.…
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Free golfing  for tribe members
 

Free golfing for tribe members

Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can take advantage of enrolled member day at Sequoyah National Golf Club…
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Endurance mountain bike race set for Tsali
 

Endurance mountain bike race set for Tsali

One of the southeast’s premier endurance mountain bike races, 12 Hours of Tsali, returns to the Tsali Recreation Area from…
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‘Wicked Plants’ exhibit opens at arboretum
 

‘Wicked Plants’ exhibit opens at arboretum

A new 4,000-square-foot exhibit at the North Carolina Arboretum opening Saturday, May 5, will introduce visitors to the evildoers lurking…
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Community garden looking for volunteers
 

Community garden looking for volunteers

New gardeners are being sought to participate in Waynesville’s community garden, located behind the Old Armory in Waynesville. This community…
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Beekeepers meet features master beekeeper
 

Beekeepers meet features master beekeeper

The Macon County Beekeepers Association will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service…
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Learn how to coexist with bears
 

Learn how to coexist with bears

If you want to learn how to coexist with black bears, attend the Bear Education and Resources (B.E.A.R.) program at…
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Artful birding
 

Artful birding

I had to take my shoes off to get there, but I believe last Saturday (April 28) was the 13th…
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Adopt-a-Stream Volunteers needed in Haywood
 

Adopt-a-Stream Volunteers needed in Haywood

Haywood Waterways is looking for individuals and groups to adopt a section of stream and help remove litter. Groups are…
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Tuckasegee River revival: Demolition of Dillsboro  dam restores aquatic life
 

Tuckasegee River revival: Demolition of Dillsboro dam restores aquatic life

In the two years since the Dillsboro Dam was torn down, the Tuckasegee River has become home to a growing…
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Cradle of Forestry to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day
 

Cradle of Forestry to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day

A day of events to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 12, at the Cradle of…
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Smokies invites kids to earn their Junior Ranger badge Saturday
 

Smokies invites kids to earn their Junior Ranger badge Saturday

Children and their families can help the Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrate National Junior Ranger Day from 10 a.m.…
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Volunteer to work on the Appalachian Trail this season
 

Volunteer to work on the Appalachian Trail this season

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is currently searching for volunteers to help maintain the Appalachian Trail through the Smokies Wilderness Elite…
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Birding opportunities abound in Highlands
 

Birding opportunities abound in Highlands

Weekly Saturday bird walks will be held by the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society starting in May. The first Saturday of…
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Learn to bird by ear
 

Learn to bird by ear

Two birding events in the region, sponsored by the Great Smoky Mountains Audubon Society, are on the horizon. The first…
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Cashiers bike race just around the corner
 

Cashiers bike race just around the corner

The Tour de Cashiers, one of the region’s most well-known bike races, will take place beginning at 9 a.m. on…
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Ruby Ride and Run to roll into Franklin
 

Ruby Ride and Run to roll into Franklin

The Ruby Ride and Run will take place in Franklin on May 12, offering various distance options to both bikers…
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Yellow ducks take to the Tuck in annual race for prizes
 

Yellow ducks take to the Tuck in annual race for prizes

The popular annual Ducks on the Tuck, with little yellow rubber ducks racing down the Tuckasegee River, will be held…
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Sustainability runs deep in community college curriculum
 

Sustainability runs deep in community college curriculum

Haywood Community College has been recognized for its cutting-edge work in promoting environmental sustainability by the American College and University…
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Lace up those running shoes for a good cause
 

Lace up those running shoes for a good cause

A Mothers Day Celebration 5K walk and run in Cherokee that also functions as a dialysis patient fundraiser will be…
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Scarlet tanagers, maroon trilliums and green toads
 

Scarlet tanagers, maroon trilliums and green toads

Threatening weather forecasts likely kept many who registered for last Saturday’s (April 21) 5th Annual Spring Hike in Waynesville’s Watershed…
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Future park might be in the cards for the Plott Balsams
 

Future park might be in the cards for the Plott Balsams

The recent acquisition of 720 acres of land in the Plott Balsams has helped set the table for the first…
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Rally to protest Smokies backcountry camping fee
 

Rally to protest Smokies backcountry camping fee

A backcountry fee rally will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 21, at the Sugarlands Visitor Center…
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Spring wildflower and bird pilgrimage
 

Spring wildflower and bird pilgrimage

The 40th annual Spring Wildflower and Bird Pilgrimage will be held April 27-29, with registration at 6:30 p.m., April 27,…
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5k race set for Sylva Greening Up
 

5k race set for Sylva Greening Up

The Greening up the Mountains 5k Run & Walk will be held in downtown Sylva at 9 a.m. on Saturday,…
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HCC to hold Earth Day celebration
 

HCC to hold Earth Day celebration

Haywood Community College’s fifth-annual Earth Day Celebration will focus on renewable energies, clean transportation and getting in touch with your…
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Biologist devotes her career to protecting flying squirrels
 

Biologist devotes her career to protecting flying squirrels

Christine Kelly of Asheville, a wildlife diversity biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, has been awarded the 2011 Recovery…
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WNC lab to check for botanical integrity in growing biotech field
 

WNC lab to check for botanical integrity in growing biotech field

There’s now a local outlet to authenticate and check the purity of botanical ingredients via the U.S. Botanical Safety Laboratory…
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Enjoy a night under the stars in the Smokies
 

Enjoy a night under the stars in the Smokies

Attend a stargazing event at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, at one of Haywood County’s clearest views of the…
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Learn about the Smokies’ best hikes
 

Learn about the Smokies’ best hikes

Discover the very best trails out of the 800 miles of them in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from…
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Hit the trail for wildflower hike in Highlands
 

Hit the trail for wildflower hike in Highlands

A guided spring wildflower hike will be held on the historic Kelsey Trail in Highlands on Friday, April 10, as…
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Hone your outdoor photography skills
 

Hone your outdoor photography skills

An outdoor photography workshop that includes field shoots and classroom critique sessions will be during the month of May in…
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Birds of Prey come to life
 

Birds of Prey come to life

A special program on Birds of Prey including live birds will be held on at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 26,…
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Haywood farmers produce coming soon to a school near you
 

Haywood farmers produce coming soon to a school near you

A $22,200 grant will fund a Farm to School program at five Haywood County Schools designed to address concerns about…
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Pisgah, Nantahala National forests get a new boss
 

Pisgah, Nantahala National forests get a new boss

A new forest supervisor, Kristin Bail, has been selected to head the national forests in North Carolina. Bail brings a…
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The “New” Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage
 

The “New” Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage

The 62nd Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be April 25 – 28. I…
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Born to paddle: More at home on the water than land,  Swain kayaker’s skill mix of instinct, physics
 

Born to paddle: More at home on the water than land, Swain kayaker’s skill mix of instinct, physics

As Tommy Yon carried his kayak up the side of a waterfall in Tennessee, he tried not to over-think the…
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WCU community launches initiative to bring lily back
 

WCU community launches initiative to bring lily back

The memories and lore surrounding a white flower with six petals — once so common in the Cullowhee valley that…
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Get your garden off to a good start
 

Get your garden off to a good start

A gardening basics 101 class for beginner gardeners or gardeners who are new to this region will take place from…
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Farmers markets open for season
 

Farmers markets open for season

Farmers markets in both Jackson and Haywood counties have opened for the regular growing season. The Jackson County Farmers Market…
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