The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), The Wilderness Society (TWS), the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS), the USDA Forest Service and the National Park Service have established the “Wilderness Skills Institute”, a two-week training course to be held on May 21 to June 1, 2012 at the Cradle of Forestry near Brevard, NC. The Institute is designed to provide information about the history of designated Wilderness, the skills necessary to work effectively in wilderness and the certifications required to implement those skills.

Environmental and public health groups announced their intent to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in federal court to force the release of long awaited public health safeguards against toxic coal ash. The EPA has delayed the first-ever federal protections for coal ash for nearly two years despite more evidence of leaking ponds, poisoned groundwater supplies and threats to public health.

Earthjustice, on behalf of Western North Carolina Alliance, French Broad Riverkeeper Appalachian Voices (NC), Chesapeake Climate Action Network (MD), Environmental Integrity Project, (NC), Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KY), Montana Environmental Information center (MT), Physicians for Social Responsibility, Prairie Rivers Network (IL), Sierra Club and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (TN), sent the EPA a notice of intent to sue the agency under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

A light dusting of snow covered the area in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The snow, combined with frigid temperatures,
created an icy winter wonderland along the Cullasaja River between Franklin and Highlands.

Photo by Erin Morgan

Biologists recently confirmed the presence of a pair of whooping cranes outside Hayesville, North Carolina, marking the first time the birds have been documented wintering in Western North Carolina.

Whooping cranes are one of the rarest species in the world, with a current estimated global population between 525-550 individuals, which is divided into four main groups. All wild whooping cranes are part of a western population that migrates between Canada and coastal Texas and now numbers approximately 300.