Outdoors
More trails open across Appalachian Ranger District
The U.S. Forest Service has reopened more trails and roads throughout areas of the Pisgah National Forest’s Appalachian Ranger District in Haywood, Madison, Buncombe, Yancey, Mitchell and Avery counties following the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
State intends to spray Spongy Moth treatment over Haywood, Jackson
Residents of western Haywood County and eastern Jackson County will have the chance to learn about the Spongy Moth infestation that has hit several areas of the region, as well as what the N.C. Department of Agriculture plans on doing about the problem.
WNC Communities seeks nominations for Agricultural Hall of Fame
WNC Communities is now accepting nominations for the Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame.
This prestigious honor recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the agricultural sector, driving sustainability and growth in the region.
FIND Outdoors announces 2025 job opportunites
FIND Outdoors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting outdoor education, recreation and conservation, announced a variety of seasonal and full-time job opportunities for the 2025 season.
The Joyful Botanist: Back into the briar patch
I got stuck thinking about plants in the genus Smilax after writing about them last time out. It is such a great genus of plants, and as I discussed in my last column, most people only see them as a nuisance. I think they might be one rank below yellow jackets (Vespula spp.) and poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) as the most despised organisms in the woods.
Missing hiker found deceased in Smokies
Missing hiker Ann Houghton, 73, was found deceased in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Feb. 2 at approximately 1:53 p.m. She was found roughly a quarter mile off of Enloe Creek Trail.
WCU’s Gibbs earns grant for sicklefin redhorse research
Inside Keith Gibbs’ office hangs an imprint of a sicklefin redhorse, a sucker fish that the Western Carolina University assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resources takes great interest in.
Property owners reminded to take action at home, be prepared for wildfires
Now is the time for North Carolinians to act on wildfire mitigation practices and Firewise principles. By taking appropriate action, residents can help protect their homes and communities from wildfires by creating a defensible space while reducing risk.
Lake Junaluska Golf Course to host U.K.’s Proper Golfing Academy
Proper Golfing Academy, a senior golfers retreat based in the United Kingdom, is coming to Lake Junaluska Golf Course in April for its first appearance in the United States.
