Conservation purchase protects Lake James watershed
The Lake James watershed near Morganton is now a little more protected following a 35-acre conservation purchase Dec. 23 along…
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Chimney Rock gets new resident
Chimney Rock State Park has a new animal ambassador — Oscar the opossum, who was born with no eyes.
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Youth racing starts soon at Cataloochee
Alley Cat Youth Racing will return to Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley this winter, with the first races scheduled…
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Tobacco Commission grants fund WNC ag efforts
The N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission awarded 23 grants worth more than $4 million for agricultural and economic initiatives across…
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Five ways public lands won big in 2021
For Western North Carolina’s outdoor enthusiasts, a toast to 2021 means a toast to the impressive slate of conservation successes…
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Walker Sisters Cabin closed due to safety concerns
The Walker Sisters Cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be closed over the coming months due to…
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Smokies project will require filling in small wetland
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park plans to build an annex to its existing headquarters building, and a comment period…
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Streambank project will cause GSMNP lane closure
A streambank stabilization project in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will cause a three-month lane closure along the Townsend…
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Expanded bear hunting proposed for WNC
UPDATE: Since this piece was originally published, the Wildlife Commission announced cancellation of the planned in-person hearings. The Wildlife Resources…
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Fire ant quarantine area expands
The state quarantine area for the imported fire ant has expanded once more to include all of Granville and portions…
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Franklin A.T. Council gets new member
A new hiker hostel has joined the Franklin Appalachian Trail Community Council as an A.T. Supporter.
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Music video advocates for wildlife crossings
A new music video featuring Asheville-based band The Fates aims to raise awareness for an ongoing effort to make wildlife…
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An A.T. alternative: Long-distance trail under construction for the western Appalachians
As the Appalachian wilderness trail Benton MacKaye dreamed up in 1921 becomes busier and busier, a geographically scattered group of…
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N.C. now under burn ban
Open burning is banned in North Carolina until further notice as a wildfire rages at Pilot Mountain State Park near…
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Flat Top Manor renovation complete
A $2.4 million rehabilitation is complete at the iconic Flat Top Manor, located at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park on…
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Drought persists in N.C.
Despite widespread rains last week, the drought situation in North Carolina hasn’t changed much, according to a map published Dec.…
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N.C. mussel added to threatened species list
A freshwater mussel known as the Atlantic pigtoe has been added as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act…
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Sherpa rice returns to NOC
River’s End Restaurant at Nantahala Outdoor Center is once more serving its legendary Sherpa rice dish after locals and visitors…
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Pigeon River Fund awards grants
Nine grants totaling $326,348 will help environmental groups support area waterways in a variety of ways following the announcement of…
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New MST director named
Brent Laurenz, deputy director for the voting rights nonprofit Common Cause in North Carolina, will be the next leader of…
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‘More than a road’: New superintendent discusses her vision for the Blue Ridge Parkway
Growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, Tracy Swartout made some of her favorite childhood memories traveling the 469-mile ridge road…
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Pisgah Center will not reopen after flood damage
The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard won’t reopen following extensive damage from Tropical Storm Fred, the N.C. Wildlife…
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Burn ban partially lifted as drought conditions persist
The statewide burn ban enacted Nov. 29 was lifted for 67 counties as of noon Wednesday, Dec. 8, due to…
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Red wolf arrives in Asheville
A 1982 Piper Saratoga airplane flew into the Asheville Regional Airport Nov. 20 to deliver an endangered red wolf and…
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Habitat management project proposed for Nantahala forest
A diverse set of management activities proposed for the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest would include timber…
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Archeology students dig into Cherokee history
By Molly Phillips • Contributing writer | Over the summer, 16 students from Western Carolina University — led by Dr.…
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Lifetime sportsman licenses now cheaper for older residents
North Carolinians ages 50 and older can now purchase lifetime hunting and fishing licenses for half price, following implementation of…
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Budgeting for conservation: State budget amplifies funding for trails, parks and conservation
Western North Carolina will see a new state park, rail trail efforts and miles of backcountry paths following Gov. Roy…
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New trails coming to Old Fort
A grant from Dogwood Health Trust will fund the first 6 of 42 planned miles of new, accessible trails in…
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State budget funds more trails, parks and conservation
Western North Carolina will see a new state park, rail trail and miles of backcountry paths following Gov. Roy Cooper’s…
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Haywood students spread pollution awareness
Storm drains at Haywood Community College now sport stencils reminding people to help keep the waterways clean, thanks to a…
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Senate confirms first-ever Native American NPS head
The U.S. Senate confirmed Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III as director of the National Park Service on Thursday, Nov. 18,…
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Leadership change coming to local food organization
After more than two decades serving farmers and the local food community, Charlie Jackson will retire as executive director of…
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A.T. gets 1.2 miles longer
When Appalachian Trail season starts next year, the trek will be 1.2 miles longer thanks to three significant trail relocations…
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Road closed for powerline installation
Winding Stair Road in Macon County will be closed through late March to install an overhead powerline replacing the existing…
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Yancey Ridge Trail relocation complete
A years-long effort to restore and relocate the Yancey Ridge Trail in Avery County is now complete, including a 1.2-mile…
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Woman dies following Smokies car crash
A Sevierville woman is dead following a single-vehicle crash on the southbound Spur between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Wednesday, Nov.…
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Winter begins on the Parkway
Winter has started on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with some seasonal closures in effect and the first round of snow-related…
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Residents, Wildlife Commission save distressed bear cub
Wildlife biologists at the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are praising Asheville residents for helping them locate a distressed female bear…
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Fontana cleanups remove 3,500 pounds of litter
Cleanup efforts at informal campsites along Fontana Lake removed 3,500 pounds of trash this year, thanks to more than 30…
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Water testing yields mixed results in Hiwassee Watershed
Lakes in the Hiwassee River Watershed tested extremely low for E. coli and other pathogens this summer, according to data…
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Harmon Den bridge will feature animal underpass
A bridge replacement project underway in the Pigeon River Gorge will temporarily close a section of Interstate 40, but once…
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Fish and Wildlife Service ditches controversial red wolf rule
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last week that it would withdraw its 2018 proposed red wolf management rule…
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Winter hours begin at N.C. Arboretum
The days are getting shorter, and so are the hours at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville.
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Waterrock Knob gets new interactive exhibits
New interactive exhibits are now up at Waterrock Knob Visitor Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, highlighting elements of the…
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‘Stronger than I thought’: Wheelchair-bound tribal member takes cycle trip along Trail of Tears route
As the September start date for Maranda Bradley’s long-planned bicycle ride along the Trail of Tears approached, its carefully woven…
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Wildlife Commission heightens monitoring for chronic wasting disease
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is increasing its monitoring efforts for chronic wasting disease this deer season after a deer…
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Dillsboro resident wins big in Senior Games
Dillsboro resident Phil Woody took home 10 medals in this year’s North Carolina Senior Games.
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Canton’s catalyst: Chestnut Mountain aims for April open
Seth Alvo makes defying gravity look easy. Pushing off on his mountain bike, he gathers speed on a rolling portion…
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New NPS agreement to amp up collaboration with tribal nations
The National Park Service and the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association recently finalized a new five-year agreement that aims…
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