SMN staff
Catch a doubleheader in mountain education with a pair of programs offered through the University of Tennessee Smoky Mountain Field School Saturday, Aug. 19.
A one-hour, one-person show, a production of “Every Brilliant Thing” by Duncan MacMillan will be held at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4-5, 11-12, 17-19 and 2 p.m. Aug. 6, 13 and 20 on the Fangmeyer Stage at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
The Haywood 4 Good community wellness program announced that registration is open for the fall 2023 program.
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) has established a charitable fund to support nonprofit organizations and municipalities impacted by the Pactiv Evergreen closure in Canton.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to list the green floater, a freshwater mussel found in North Carolina, as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided not to pursue listing the Venus flytrap as a threatened or endangered species after an evaluation determined that, due to current protections and active management, populations are likely to remain stable into the future.
The last Zahner Conservation Lecture of the year will focus on the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area of neighboring South Carolina at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at the Highlands Nature Center in Highlands.
Break in the new snorkeling site at East LaPorte Park in Cullowhee during an event 2-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8.
Take a hike through the old-growth forest at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest near Robbinsville at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, with Creation Care Alliance and MountainTrue.
Learn to fly fish this month with lessons offered by Haywood County Recreation.
Explore the trails of Haywood County with a series of hikes offered this month from Haywood County Recreation and Parks.
It’s time to start entering exhibits in the 2023 N.C. Mountain State Fair, coming Sept. 8-17 at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher.
The National Park Service issued a decision and a “Finding of No Significant Impact” for the Gatlinburg Spur Improvements Environmental Assessment.
The Town of Waynesville is looking for members to serve on its new Environmental Sustainability Board.
Learn how to live safely with black bears during a program at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.
A program to assist those who have lost health insurance due to the closure of Pactiv Evergreen is underway thanks to a joint effort between Mountain Projects, United Way of Haywood County and Haywood County government.
Mountain Projects, one of 52 regional human service organizations working on North Carolina’s groundbreaking Healthy Opportunities Pilot program (HOP), under the auspices of Impact Health, has been recognized by Mission Health Partners with its 2022 Community Partner Award.
Gain insight into the cultural heritage of the Cherokee and their historical, sacred landscapes during a lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at the Highlands Nature Center.
The U.S. Forest Service has proposed a plan to cut trees on 195 acres in the Nantahala National Forest. The goal is to boost nut production from trees like oak and hickory and improve habitat for the golden-winged warbler.
A free screening of the critically acclaimed documentary “The River Runs On” will display the mesmerizing beauty and profound significance of the Southern Appalachian region at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4, at the Highlands Nature Center.
In May, 327 two-year-old red spruce trees grown by the Southern Highlands Reserve in Lake Toxaway traveled to the Black Mountains for planting in Mount Mitchell State Park.
Three new species of spiders have been discovered in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, bringing the total number of new-to-science species found in the park through Discover Life in America’s All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory project to 1,079 since the project launched in 1998.
Richmond County resident Monty R. Crump has been elected for another term as chairman of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Board after leading the body for the past two years.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has launched a new, custom licensing system and mobile app that both residents and non-residents can use to buy licenses, register vessels, apply for permits and shop for merchandise.
Registration is open through July 31 to take part in the guided hikes, science classes, birding and live music that will mark the Great Smoky Mountains Association’s annual Members Weekend in Gatlinburg Sept. 15-16.
The 22nd annual Talking Trees Trout Derby will invite children from across the area to fish in Cherokee Aug. 4-5.
In the latest in a long line of efforts by the Southwestern Commission to help those affected by the Evergreen closure, the U.S. Department of Labor has announced an award of more than $2.5 million to support employment and training services for people in WNC affected by the closure of Pactiv Evergreen’s Canton paper mill and by the company’s reduction in operations at its Waynesville facility.
Champion Credit Union announced it has been named to the Great Employers to Work for in North Carolina 2023 list by Best Companies Group, a BridgeTower Media Company.
Hike through old growth forests, streams and past the historic Palmer house during a trip along the Boogerman Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Saturday, July 29.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is using nearly $19 million in funding from the Great American Outdoors Act to reconstruct Lakeview Drive in Bryson City and repair Heintooga Ridge Road on the Haywood/Swain county line this summer.
Author and biologist David George Haskell will delve into the captivating world of sonic communication and its profound impact on the planet’s evolution and cultural tapestry during a lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 27, at the Highlands Nature Center in Highlands.
The DuPont State Recreational Forest in Henderson and Transylvania counties is launching a master planning process, with an online survey and an upcoming drop-in session 2:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, July 24, at the Henderson County Public Library, planned to take public input.
The Cullowhee Native Plant Conference returns to Western Carolina University July 19-22, with the public invited to take part in programs offered Saturday, July 22, free of charge.
Western Carolina University biologist and best-selling author Jim Costa will discuss his newest book, “Radical by Nature,” during a special summer “Golden Hour” talk at 6 p.m. Friday, July 21, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville.
A pair of land trusts has worked together to permanently protect 1,125 acres spanning parts of Wilkes, Alexander and Iredell counties.
Learn how to stay found with a land navigation course offered 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at Allens Creek Park in Waynesville.
On the heels of an unseasonably cool May, based on the average statewide temperature of 71.1F, June finished up as North Carolina’s 13th coolest in 129 years.
On a recent mid-May morning, Kevin Sandefur spent five hours spreading gravel in the parking lot of the brand new BearWaters Brewing location on South Main Street in Waynesville.
For most people, the word “snorkeling” conjures images of blue Caribbean waters, pink coral reefs and a rainbow of tropical fish. But witnessing a world of aquatic beauty doesn’t require a flight to the Florida Keys.
When Cheryl Hillis started managing vacation rentals in Haywood County 15 years ago, Airbnb didn’t exist, reservations were made with phone calls and mailed checks, and she lived nowhere near Western North Carolina.
Showcased at the Chief Joyce Dugan Cultural Arts Center in Cherokee, a recent exhibition, “Behind the Mask: Cherokee Mask Makers and their Legacy,” aimed to reinforce the significance of Cherokee masks — their history and use, as well as their meaning and significance.
While studying English at the University of Mary Washington, Christina Bendo decided to, by chance, take an elective one semester — pottery.
Sliding into a booth at Meatballs Pizzeria in downtown Sylva, Crystal Pace and Santiago Guzzetti gaze out onto a bustling Main Street rushing by the front windows.
This past spring, guitarist Seth Taylor and his band, longtime bluegrass staple Mountain Heart, once again took the stage under the bright lights at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
Coffee shop becomes Canton staple Like many recent businesses opening in downtown Canton, it’s usually a story of someone deciding to take a chance on a quiet town — a community full of potential that many have either disregarded or overlooked.
Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Greg Wasik saw firsthand that trademark sense of community at neighborhood taverns around the Motor City.
In an effort to preserve and perpetuate the heritage arts and lore of the Great Smoky Mountains and greater Southern Appalachia, the Smoky Mountain Heritage Center has now come to fruition at the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley.
With a hot sun falling behind the mountains, rock legend Tommy Stinson strapped on his Gibson acoustic guitar and stood behind a microphone on the side lawn of Yonder Community Market in Franklin.
The series “Where We Live: History, Nature and Culture” will host the Women’s History Trail program “Voices from the Past” at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 17, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin.
The 8th annual Front Street Arts & Crafts Show will showcase some of the finest regional artisans from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 15, in downtown Dillsboro.
