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Wildlife Agency Offers Guidance as Animal Encounters Increase in Spring

March 18, 2024 This Tuesday, March 19, we officially welcome back spring. Some familiar (and not-so-familiar) critters begin emerging from their winter slumbers and start producing offspring. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) offers helpful guidance when encountering various wildlife as they become more visible this time of year.Black Bears emerge from their dens in spring and become more active. BearWise offers springtime tips to help people prevent conflicts with bears. Humans may come across cubs that are alone – most likely waiting for their mothers to return from foraging. However, if you suspect a cub has been orphaned, do not handle, feed or remove it, as this puts you and the cub at risk.

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Educator Workshops Return to Grandfather Mountain; Courses for Individuals Seeking Certification as an N.C. environmental Educator

March 18, 2024 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is excited to announce its lineup of four educator workshops, free to attendees, for the 2024 season. These workshops, provided specifically to environmental educators in various professions, offer opportunities for career growth and professional development by using the wonders of Grandfather Mountain to further participants’ expertise.

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Blue Ridge Parkway Specialty License Plate Sales Top $570,000 in 2023 to Help the Roadway

March 15, 2024 North Carolina drivers raised $574,461 to enhance the Blue Ridge Parkway by purchasing or renewing the national park specialty license plate in 2023. It is the largest amount raised for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s work through the tag program in more than a decade. The specialty plate fee is $30, of which $20 helps fund key improvements along the Parkway, including repairs at trails, campgrounds, and picnic areas. Proceeds also support projects such as wildlife studies, historic preservation, and educational programs

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Grandfather Mountain Announces An Inspiring Slate of Special Events for the Upcoming Year 

March 14, 2024 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has lined up an inspiring slate of events for the coming months. This year’s calendar kicks off with an event for the upcoming solar eclipse and also features a list of favorite annual happenings on the mountain – with some exciting updates. “Our event season is just around the corner,” said John Caveny, director of conservation and education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “We continue to try to cultivate and offer an event lineup that satisfies and intrigues a variety of guests and ties into our mission to inspire conservation.”

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Downtown Boone Hellbender Call for Submissions for Mural Project Slated for Downtown Boone

March 13, 2024 The Downtown Boone Development Association (DBDA), in partnership with the Centers for Biological Diversity and the Watauga Arts Council is excited to announce a very important mural project slated for downtown Boone. A call is being put out to local and regional artists who have an interest in joining in the celebration of the Hellbender Salamander, a local endangered species. Artist are being asked to collaborate with representatives from the Center for Biological Diversity, as well as the DBDA to illustrate the hellbender and its habitat in our region. The mural will be installed at 140 S. Depot Street.

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Research Underway on an Elusive Mountain Rabbit That May Be Impacted by a Deadly Disease

March 12, 2024 It’s rare to spot an Appalachian cottontail rabbit in the wild. They live in the high elevations and steep topography of the western North Carolina mountains and are easily confused with their slightly larger close cousin, the Eastern cottontail rabbit.And it’s currently unknown whether a highly infectious and fast-spreading virus (RHDV2) may  be impacting the population.That’s why NCWRC has recently contracted with the research group, Tangled Bank Conservation, to perform a study of Appalachian cottontails. The goal is to determine impacts to this species that may pose threats to their survival. NCWRC will use this information to develop a management plan to protect them.

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“Dollar Days” set to begin April 1 at Grandfather Mountain; April brings a Mile-High Slate of Programs, Activities and More

March 11, 2024 Grandfather Mountain will open its gates to High Country residents, employees and their guests for only $5 each during the month of April, as the park’s “Dollar Days” promotion returns in time for spring. The promotion allows anyone who lives or works in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell (added this year), Mitchell, Watauga or Wilkes counties — along with their guests traveling in the same vehicle — to visit at the discounted rate (per person). It is important to note, Dollar Days guests must book their visit online at www.grandfather.com. To take advantage of the reduced rate, guests should choose the Dollar Days admission calendar and rate when reserving their tickets.

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Groundbreaking Lawsuit Takes Aim at U.S. Forest Service’s “Timber Targets” on Public Lands

February 27, 2024 A new lawsuit alleges the U.S. Forest Service’s practice of setting ‘timber targets’ puts the climate at risk, undermines the Biden administration’s important climate goals, and violates federal law. The case centers around the Forest Service’s failure to properly study the massive environmental and climate impacts of its timber targets and the logging projects it designs to fulfill them. Each year, the Forest Service and Department of Agriculture set timber targets, which the Forest Service is required to meet through logging on public lands. In recent years, the national target has been set as high as 4 billion board feet – or enough lumber to circle the globe more than 30 times. The already high target is expected to increase in the coming years.

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Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina Permanently Protects the Johns River Headwaters and Iconic Viewshed in Blowing Rock

February 19, 2024 Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina announces the purchase and permanent protection of a 326-acre parcel of land in Blowing Rock, NC, that contains the headwaters of the Johns River and is part of an iconic view seen from The Blowing Rock attraction, U.S. 321 and other locations within the town limits of Blowing Rock.The property is positioned on the Blue Ridge escarpment, partially located in both the Blowing Rock and Globe communities of Caldwell County, and is part of the viewshed corridor of the sweeping and magnificent mountainous panorama.

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Closed Harvest Season for Striped Bass on Roanoke River in 2024 

February 13, 2024 RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 9, 2024) – N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Executive Director Cameron Ingram recently signed a proclamation that closes the 2024 striped bass harvest season in the Roanoke River Management Area. The Roanoke River Management Area includes the Roanoke River and tributaries from the Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam downstream to the Albemarle Sound, including the Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers.

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Blue Ridge Conservancy Purchases Acreage on The Peak for Northern Peaks State Trail

January 31, 2024  Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) recently purchased 48 acres on The Peak in Ashe County for use as part of the Northern Peaks State Trail (NPST). This land is key to constructing the trail in a sustainable manner to avoid the ecologically significant rock outcroppings of The Peak. Located in the Long Hope Valley/Elk Knob/The Peak Natural Area as identified by the NC Natural Heritage Program, the acreage has an “Overall Rating” of Excellent, the highest designation. Funding for this project came from the NC Complete the Trails Program.

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Blue Ridge Conservancy Transfers Paddy Mountain to the Town of West Jefferson

December 18, 2023 West Jefferson, NC – In a ceremony at Town Hall, Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) transferred ownership of 152 acres of land on Paddy Mountain to the town of West Jefferson. The land, acquired in 2021 through a massive collaborative effort between BRC and the West Jefferson community, will be protected as a public park and serve as a trailhead for the Northern Peaks State Trail. Part of the ecologically rich Amphibolite Mountains, this land adjoins 445 acres of protected land managed by the NC Plant Conservation Program.“This transfer of Paddy Mountain to the town of West Jefferson is a conservation win nine years in the making,” says Eric Hiegl, BRC’s Director of Land Protection. “The community and the Conservancy came together to protect Paddy Mountain from development and instead have it protected forever as a space for public recreation.”

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A Clean Wilson Creek Fall Fundraiser 2023 Online Auction

October 30, 2023 Boone, NC – A Clean Wilson Creek, a 501C(3) nonprofit, will be holding its Fall Fundraiser, an online auction, from Nov 1 thru Nov 15. Over 112 donations valued at over $18,000 of auction items from Boone, Blowing Rock, Morganton, Asheville, Burnsville, Maggie Valley and other places in Western NC. Dining gift certificates, vacation getaways, brewery and winery items, museums, outdoor adventures, and photography tours are just a few of the many items you can bid on! Proceeds from the online auction will be used to support the mission of A Clean Wilson Creek: protecting this North Carolina National Wild and Scenic River in its natural state for future generations, as well as conducting conservation education opportunities for Wilson Creek visitors and recreational users. New auction items are being added daily throughout October!

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Blue Ridge Conservancy Receives Land Acquisition Grants from the Complete the Trail Fund for the Northern Peaks State Trail

September 5, 2023 Raleigh, NC – The NC Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR) recently awarded $3,025,636 in grants for 13 land acquisition projects through the Complete the Trails Program Fund (CTF). These grants will leverage more than $13 million in matching funds to help local nonprofit partners acquire land for state trails projects in nine North Carolina counties. Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) was awarded two land acquisition grants, for $125,000 and $144,000 respectively, to expand the corridor for the Northern Peaks State Trail (NPST).

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Tickets are on sale for Grandfather Mountain’s Creatures of the Night & Bonfire Delight

August 31, 2023 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will once again host its Creatures of the Night & Bonfire Delight event this fall. The after-hours program allows guests to embrace their nocturnal side and enjoy rare after-dark tours, fireside tales and a chance to meet the park’s nighttime residents.

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Blowing Rock Historical Society: Preserving the Past

May 22, 2023 With its majestic scenery and charming, quaint downtown, the Village of Blowing Rock has a storied history of captivating people from all over. The Blowing Rock Historical Society (BRHS) plays a vital role in protecting and documenting the town’s historic character. Founded in 1985 by local residents, the foundation’s mission is to preserve and protect the historical character and charm of the village. By Kris Testori

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Alair Homes Announces Environmental Stewardship Commitment with Watauga Riverkeeper; Kicks Off with Planting Native Trees in Floodplains

April 25, 2023 Alair Homes announced a five-year environmental stewardship commitment with the Watauga Riverkeeper Thursday. To celebrate the launch, teams from both organizations worked together, planting native trees and live stakes in the wetlands on The Middle Fork Greenway. The Greenway, a multi-use recreational trail, is being developed to connect Blowing Rock to Boone.   “We have a unique opportunity to use our collective voices to influence others to create a cleaner, more sustainable environment,” said Whitney Brown of Alair Homes Carolinas. “This positive environmental impact, while seemingly small in scale, would be the first step to fostering better habits and, in turn, influencing others to live better. Change starts with us, as individuals, working together with local partners like the Watauga Riverkeeper.”

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TONIGHT: Stop by the Avery Museum to Celebrate 40 Years of Preserving Local History

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Oct. 5, 2016. Since 1976, the Avery Museum has been supplying the community with a unique look into the county’s heritage of railroads. Join the museum on Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. for birthday cake, punch, and coffee to celebrate this milestone! The museum’s 40th birthday is a great time to get to know the people behind and the projects they’re working on right now. By Emily Willis.

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Sierra Club Gets Free Admission to Grandfather Mountain Sept. 25 on John Muir Day

Sept. 16, 2016. “John Muir visited Grandfather Mountain in late September of 1898,” said Mickey Shortt, director of education and natural resources for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Linville nature preserve and travel attraction. “While here, he seemed most impressed by the diversity of trees in the deciduous forest around Grandfather and the endless ridges that came into view from the peaks.”

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Guided Walks at Grandfather Mountain Celebrate the Blooming Rhododendron

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May 24, 2016. “This set of shrubs in the heath family are the gems of the mountain,” said Mickey Shortt, Director of Education and Natural Resources for the GM Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Linville attraction. “They are the showiest, the brightest, the ones that we turn our heads to look at.”

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Great Backyard Bird Count Feb. 12-15: Contribute to Research, Have Fun at Home

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Feb. 11, 2016. This interactive citizen science experience will guide you through watching and counting the birds you see in your own backyard. You and other participating birdwatchers will go online to birdcount.org anytime between Friday and Monday, Feb. 12-15, to record the number of birds you see. By Jessica Isaacs. Photos from Audubon.org.

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