Forest thinning proposed near Tellico Gap

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 goldenwinged warbler.

The acres are scattered across 14 stands on slopes containing the headwaters of Queens Creek and Partridge Creek, in Macon County north of Tellico Gap, and they include spots along the Appalachian Trail. The area around the stands to be harvested includes hundreds of acres of mature forest stands adjacent to 72 acres of young forest that grew following a 2008-2011 clearcut and 123 acres of 31-year-old trees resulting from a 1991 clearcut. The Old Growth Network approved in the new Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Management Plan surrounds the A.T. in this area, but none of the stands to be harvested fall within the network.

The project proposal follows a 2016 wildfire that burned through the recently harvested area with mixed severity, resetting forest succession in a mosaic pattern. In 2017, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission found golden-winged warbler nesting sites in the area.

“An opportunity exists to apply variable density thinning that will simultaneously improve hard mast producing species composition and forest composition for the golden-winged warbler,” the scoping letter states.

The project would involve cutting small openings of about a quarter-acre to temporarily enhance existing openings where cuttings occur along natural or recently burned openings. Additionally, individual oak and hickory trees would be selected 25 feet apart, with adjacent trees competing with them for sunlight thinned out using chainsaws. About 12% of the proposed thinning would occur in the forest’s Appalachian

Adaptive Adventures’ coming to the Smokies

A trio of programs aimed at allowing people with disabilities to explore the outdoors will be held in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this summer, starting with an event Saturday, July 22, at Deep Creek Trail near Bryson City. The others are scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 27, at Forge Creek Road in Caves Cove and Saturday, Sept. 9, at Little River Trail.

Rangers and volunteers will lead hiking programs July 22 and Sept. 9 using off-road wheelchairs and a biking program Aug. 27 with adaptive mountain bikes. Time slots for the July 22 program are offered 9-11 a.m. and noon to 2 p.m. After the scheduled hiking and biking programs, two GRIT Freedom Chairs, a type of off-road wheelchair, will be available for visitors to check out and use on park trails evaluated for the equipment.

The programs are a partnership between the park, Knox County, Catalyst Sports and Friends of the Smokies. Volunteers are needed to make it work, and a volunteer training session is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 15, at the Oconaluftee Visitor Training Room near Cherokee. Each piece of adaptive equipment requires assistance from two volunteers.

To register as a volunteer, contact Katherine Corrigan at katherine_corrigan@nps.gov. To participate in one of the programs, registration is required with Catalyst Sports at catalystsports.org/special-events/smokey-mountains-hiking-days.

Get started with mountain biking

Take a ride with experienced rider Alex Kirby 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 5 at Chestnut Mountain Bike Park in Canton .

Youth and adults who are new to mountain biking will be able to pick up skills and confidence on the trails during this free program. Loaner bikes and helmets will be available. Registration required with Haywood County Recreation and Parks at bit.ly/haywoodrec.

Trail Management Area, while 12% would occur in the Matrix Management Area.

To learn more, visit fs.usda.gov/project/nfsnc/?project=64473. Submit comments by the close of business Aug. 11 to

Brandon Stephens at brandon.l.stephens@usda.gov or Brandon L. Stephens, District Silviculturist, Nantahala Ranger District, 90 Sloan Rd., Franklin, NC 28734.

GSMA plans Members Weekend

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.

Additionally, GSMA is partnering with Discover Life in America to host a BioBlitz in celebration of DLiA’s 25th anniversary, during which GSMA members will help document as many species as possible in the Cosby area of the park.

Full-weekend and single-day passes are available. The event is open to GSMA members only, with memberships available starting at $35. Learn more at smokiesinformation.org/members-weekend.

Go snorkeling

Break in the new snorkeling site at Queen Branch in Macon County during an event 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2.

The site is one of 10 stops spread across Western North Carolina’s new Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail. During the event, Mainspring Conservation Trust will unveil new educational signage on the land it has previously conserved and then get attendees in the river exploring their underwater backyard. Creatures like tangerine darters and spotfin chubs are common at the site, as are many types of fish, salamanders, mussels, crayfish and more.

Free, with loaner snorkels available. Registration is required at mainspringconserves.org/events. The event is weatherdependent. In case of heavy rain leading up to Aug. 2, the water will be cloudy and the event will be rescheduled.

Kids fishing extravaganza returning to Cherokee

The 22nd annual Talking Trees Trout Derby will invite children from across the area to fish in Cherokee Aug. 4-5.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4, fishing, face painting, balloons and more will be available for participants at the Oconaluftee Islands Park. The fun will continue 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5. More than $20,000 in prizes will be awarded over the course of the weekend.

Open to ages 3 to 11. Entry is free, with pre-registration available at cherokeetroutderby.com. Contact Lisa Frady with questions at 828.359.6471 or travel@nc-cherokee.com.

Run for hours

Dip your toe in the world of ultra running with the Not A Sprint Weekend Sunday, Sept. 3, in Forest City.

Organized by the cancer support organization Throwing Bones and Glory Hound Events, the event features three-hour, six-hour and 12-hour racing options, as well as a golf tournament. The running will take place on the Thermal Belt Trail from Forest City to Spindale. Much of the trail is shaded, and all of it is paved.

Register at ultrasignup.com.

New species found in the Smokies

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.

The new species are all in the genus Nesticus and are types of cave cobweb spiders, with species names binfordae, cherokeensis and dykemanae.

Additionally, two species have recently been added to the list of those observed within park boundaries. DLiA Science and Research Director Will Kuhn found the ironweed plume moth, a “surprisingly common” caterpillar species, near the DLiA office at Twin Creeks in September 2022. In April 2022, iNaturalist user Jared Gorrell, who describes himself as “an Upland-South-based botanist, birder and herper, though I dabble in basically everything,” uploaded an observation of a soldier beetle, the first time that species had been found in the park.

Currently, 21,669 species have been found in the park, of which 10,894 had not been recorded there before. Learn more at dlia.org or download the iNaturalist app to start observing.

Wildlife Commission launches new system for license purchases

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has launched a new, custom licensing system and mobile app that both residents and nonresidents can use to buy licenses, register vessels, apply for permits and shop for merchandise.

Through the app, customers can upgrade their digital license(s) to a durable, hard card license with four design options to choose from that feature North Carolina game and fish. The app also offers a range of resources such as virtual maps, regulations, sunrise/sunset times and harvest report forms.

The Florida-based company Brandt developed the app. Through the partnership, Brandt also created a mobile app that allows wildlife law enforcement officers to scan license documents and hard card QR codes to confirm registration status in the field, with or without cell phone reception.

Learn more at gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com or download the “Go Outdoors North Carolina” app.

Crump re-elected as Wildlife Commission chairman

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. Greensboro resident Mark Craig will replace Thomas L. Fonville as vice chairman.

Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Crump to a six-year term as District 6 commissioner in 2017 and reappointed him to a new term in April. Craig is an at-large appointee of Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger and has been on the Commission since 2015.

The 19-member commission is responsible for establishing polices and regulations governing hunting, fishing, trapping, boating and lands management in North Carolina. Monty

Documentary grapples with forest management

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.

“The River Runs On,” directed by award-winning Asheville-based filmmaker Garrett Martin, follows conservationists throughout the region as they struggle to manage two of the nation’s most important national forest — the Pisgah and the Nantahala. The film revolves around the creation of the Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Management Plan, which the U.S. Forest Service will use to chart the course of these cherished national forests over the next two decades.

A Q&A session with Martin will follow the screening. Learn more about the film at theriverrunson.com.

Red spruce planted at Mount Mitchell

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.

The trees were grown through the Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative, a partnership between the reserve and various state, federal, nonprofit and university organizations. They were picked up by Sue Cameron, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist who is an expert in the endangered species that depend on red spruce for survival, along with her team. The trees will provide new habitat for the endangered Carolina northern flying squirrel, the spruce-fir moss spider — which is the world’s smallest tarantula — and many others.

There is currently a shortage of spruce-fir forest in the Southern Appalachians, the result of heavy logging in the late 1800s and early 1900s accompanied by construction of railroads through the rugged terrain, as well as hot-burning wildfires, torrential rain, mid-century air pollution and damage from the balsam wooly adelgid.

Community Events And Announcements

• The Jackson County Farmers Market meets every Saturday November through March 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and April through October 9 a.m. to noon at Bridge Park in Sylva, 110 Railroad St. Special events listed on Facebook and Instagram.

• The Jackson Arts Market takes place from 1-5 p.m. every Saturday at 533 West Main St. in Sylva with live music and an array of local artists.

• Cowee School Farmer’s Market is held Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m., at 51 Cowee School Drive in Franklin. The market has produce, plant starts, eggs, baked goods, flowers, food trucks and music. For more information or for an application, visit www.coweeschool.org or call 828.369.4080.

Volunteers

• The Green Energy Park is seeking artists to demonstrate/ provide kid-friendly activities, as well as musicians to perform, for the Youth Art’s Festival slated to take place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park. If interested, contact Chelsea Seaman at chelseamiller@jacksonnc.org or call the office at 828.631.0271.

H Ealth And Wellness

• Mountain Area pregnancy Services and the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor work together to provide a casual support group for prenatal and breastfeeding individuals from 1-2 p.m. on Tuesdays at Mountain Area Pregnancy Services, 177 N Main St. Waynesville, NC. All are welcome, registration is recommended. For more information, please call 828.558.4550.

Authors And B Ooks

• Tremont Writers Conference, an intensive five-day retreat for writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry will take place Wednesday, Oct. 25-29. Applications to participate in the event may be submitted online now through April 30 at writers.gsmit.org.

K Ids And Families

• The Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will host a kids’ program about moon exploration on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. Randi Neff will lead these activities focused on NASA’s Artemis program, with aims to one day establish a base on the Moon. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. For more information call 828.586.2016.

• Creative Writing Club will take place at 3:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the Macon County Public Library. The writing club is intended for ages 8-12. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Move and Groove Storytime takes place 10:30-11 a.m. every Thursday, at the Canton branch of the Haywood County Public Library. Exciting, interactive music and movement story time ideal for children 2-6 years old. For more information contact Ashlyn at ashlyn.godleski@haywoodcountync.gov or at 828.356.2567.

• Mother Goose Storytime takes place 10:30-11 a.m. every Wednesday, at the Waynesville branch of the Haywood County Public Library. Ideal for children from birth to 2 years old. For more information, contact Lisa at lisa.hartzell@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2511.

• Wiggle Worms Storytime takes place 10:30-11 a.m. every Tuesday, at the Waynesville branch of the n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com

Haywood County Public Library. Ideal for children 2-6 years old. For more information contact Lisa at lisa.hartzell@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2511.

• Next Chapter Book Club Haywood is a fun, energetic and highly interactive book club, ideal for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The group meets every second and fourth Monday of the month. For more information, email Jennifer at jennifer.stuart@haywoodcountync.gov or call 828.356.2561.

• Storytime takes place at 10 a.m. every Tuesday at the Macon County Library. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Toddler’s Rock takes place at 10 a.m. every Monday at the Macon County Library. Get ready to rock with songs, books, rhymes and playing with instruments. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Culture Talk takes place at 2 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Macon County Public Library. Travel the world from inside your library. This event features guest speakers and food sampling from the location being discussed. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Art afternoon takes place at 3:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Macon County Public Library. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

A&E

• Givens Great Laurels Craft Show and Sale will take place 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, July 28, in the Community Room at Givens Great Laurels. Featuring pieces from five residents including jewelry, wreaths and photography. Cash only, limited parking, an attendant will be on site to assist.

• The 56th Annual Macon County Gemboree will take place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 28-29, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 30, at the Robert C Carpenter Community Building in Franklin. For more information visit visitfranklinnc.com or call 828.524.3161.

• The Summer Concerts at the Brasstown Community Center continue with a new band — The Gladson Family — at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 29. Admission is $10, doors open at 6 p.m., children under 12 are free. For more information call 828.361.3040 or go to www.brasstowncommunitycenter.org.

• Christmas in July, a fundraising concert for Children’s Grief Programs with Haywood Hospice will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 29, at the Wells Event Center. The concert will feature Darren Nicholson, as well as Gary Mehalick, Stephen Feron and Lizzy Ibarra. Ticket donations start at $60.

• The Harry Potter Birthday celebration will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 29, in downtown Sylva. There will be a costume contest at 11 a.m. at Hogwarts (the paper mill) followed by a costume sidewalk parade around noon. Kids activities at Platform 9 3/4 (Fusion Spa) will take place from 2-4 p.m.

• Folkmoot International Day will celebrate dance, music, crafts and food of many world cultures and

Appalachian mountains 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 29, in downtown Waynesville. For more information visit folkmoot.org.

• The 17th Annual Franklin Area Folk Festival will take place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center. The event is free. For more information call 828.369.4080.

• Trivia Night is hosted 6:30-8:30 p.m. every Thursday evening at the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley. For more information visit meadowlarkmotel.com.

• Paint and Sip at Waynesville Art School will be held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7-9:30 p.m. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit PaintAndSipWaynesville.com/upcoming-events. Registration is required, $45.

• Mountain Makers Craft Market will be held from noon to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at 308 North Haywood St. in Waynesville. Over two dozen artisans selling handmade and vintage goods. mountainmakersmarket.com.

Classes And Programs

• A four-week Feldenkrais class series begins at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Conference Room A1. Feldenkrais uses gentle movement and directed attention to promote reduction of pain, increase range of movement, improve flexibility and coordination. Cost $60 for the series, $20 per class for walk-ins. To register email Annallys at eetm2023@proton.me or call 505.438.9109.

• A glassblowing class, “Pumpkin or Paperweight” will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park. Ten spots are available, cost is $60, due at registration. To register for a class, contact the GEP at 828.631.0271.

• “Armor Construction: Gothic Gauntlet,” a class that teaches various techniques involved in constructing armor, will be offered 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, August 5-6, at the Green Energy Park in Jackson County. Cost is $550, space is limited, pre-registration required. For more information or to register, contact the GEP at 828.631.0271.

• Uptown Gallery, 30 East Main St. Franklin, will be offering Children’s Art Classes Wednesdays afternoons. Adult workshops in watercolor, acrylic paint pouring, encaustic and glass fusing are also offered. Free painting is available 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Monday in the classroom. A membership meeting takes place on the second Sunday of the month at 3 p.m. All are welcome. Call 828.349.4607 for more information.

Art Showings And Galleries

• “Thursday Painters” group will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays at The Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Free and open to the public. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Participants are responsible for their own project and a bag lunch. 828.349.4607 or pm14034@yahoo.com.

Outdoors

• Haywood County Recreation and Parks will lead a hike on Wednesday, July 26, from Lonesome Pine Overlook to Noland Divide in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Vickey and. Phyllis will lead the hike which has an elevation gain of 2.300 feet. Hike registration is $10. Sign up at haywoodcountync.gov/recreation.

n Complete listings of local music scene n Regional festivals n Art gallery events and openings n Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers n Civic and social club gatherings

• Actress Anne VanCuren will transform into “Grandma Gatewood,” the first woman to complete the Appalachian Trail during a dramatic re-enactment at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 27, at The Village Green in Cashiers. The event is organized as a fundraiser for Friends of Panthertown. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and $5 for kids under 12. Reserve a spot at panthertown.org/tickets.

• 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. Free for HWA members with a $5 donation suggested for nonmembers. No pets. Space is limited. RSVP to Christine O’Brien at christine@haywoodwaterways.org or 828.476.4667, ext. 1.

• Break in the new snorkeling site at Queen Branch in Macon County during an event 1-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2. The site is one of 10 stops spread across Western North Carolina’s new Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail. Free, with loaner snorkels available. Registration is required at mainspringconserves.org/events. The event is weather-dependent. In case of heavy rain leading up to Aug. 2, the water will be cloudy, and the event will be rescheduled.

• Jane Eastman and Brett Riggs, professors at Western Carolina University, will present “Archaeoastronomy in Southwestern North Carolina,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at the Highlands Nature Center. For more information visit highlandsbiological.org.

• 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. A Q&A session with filmmaker Garrett Martin will follow the screening. Learn more about the film at theriverrunson.com.

• The 22nd annual Talking Trees Trout Derby will take place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4, and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, in Cherokee at the Oconaluftee Islands Park. More than $20,000 in prizes will be awarded over the course of the weekend. Open to ages 3 to 11, entry is free with pre-registration available at cherokeetroutderby.com. For more information contact Lisa Frady with questions at 828.359.6471 or travel@nc-cherokee.com.

• Take a ride at Chestnut Mountain Bike Park in Canton 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 5, with experienced rider Alex Kirby. Youth and adults who are new to mountain biking will be able to pick up skills and confidence on the trails during this free program. Loaner bikes and helmets will be available. Registration required with Haywood County Recreation and Parks at bit.ly/haywoodrec.

• The annual Lake Logan Multisport Festival is just a month away, with three tri-sport events coming up in Haywood County Aug. 5-6. Learn more or sign up at www.gloryhoundevents.com/event/lake-logan-multisport-festival.

• ArborEvenings at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville take place 5:30-8 p.m. every Thursday and Friday evening through Sept. 22. Stroll through the gardens, purchase food and beverages, and listen to live music. Free with standard $20 parking fee, and free for Arboretum Society members. For information visit www.ncarboretum.org.