IN THE BEGINNING: Reputed to be the third oldest river in the world, the French Broad has gone from a polluted industrial dumping ground to a key cog in Western North Carolina’s outdoor and tourism industries. This renaissance is a result of government, nonprofit, and individual efforts to improve water quality throughout the watershed. Photo by Mike Belleme; courtesy of Transylvania Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Development Authority

Communities along Upper French Broad work to restore water quality

Posted on August 17, 2017August 17, 2017 by Max Hunt

In this two-part series, Xpress invites you on a guided a trip down the river as we examine the work of various communities to write the next chapter in the French Broad’s history, beginning with Transylvania and Henderson counties.

Open borers

Posted on August 14, 2017August 13, 2017 by Brent Brown

Asheville N.C.

Smokies Chronicle details 40 of author Ben Anderson's favorite local hikes. Photo courtesy of John F. Blair, Publisher

Great Smokies author recommends two hikes for eclipse viewing

Posted on August 9, 2017August 9, 2017 by Xpress Contributor

Ben Anderson, author of Smokies Chronicle, recommends two hikes that offer exceptional vantage points within the path of the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21.

IT'S EVERYWHERE: A view of Chimney Rock surrounded by kudzu. Photo courtesy of Chimney Rock State Park

Krazy with Kudzu looks at good and bad of invasive vine

Posted on August 7, 2017August 12, 2017 by Kari Barrows

While pretty much everyone agrees kudzu is a big problem across the South, there seem to be as many philosophies for dealing with it as there are leaves on the vines. At Chimney Rock State Park’s Krazy with Kudzu event on Aug. 12, park visitors can learn about a variety of approaches to living with — or destroying — the pervasive plant.

ALL THE THINGS: From surfing the whitewater play wave to fishing to riding the rails, there will be a little something for everyone on the Woodfin Greenway and Blueway. Illustration by Brent Brown

Can the Woodfin Greenway & Blueway beat the odds?

Posted on August 4, 2017August 4, 2017 by Virginia Daffron

While other planned greenways have bogged down in the face of rising costs — leaving the timeline for their construction in doubt — a flurry of fundraising, planning and design activity surrounds the planned Woodfin Greenway & Blueway. What does that project have going for it that other greenways don’t?

LIVING THE DREAM: “It’s a wonderful thing to wake up and stand in your underwear overlooking the mountains,” says van-lifer “Mr. Wolf,” embracing the great outdoors beside his van on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Photo by Hokey Pokey

Van life: What happens when the road leads to Asheville?

Posted on July 28, 2017July 25, 2017 by Hokey Pokey, aka David Schick

Rising housing costs, a longing for travel, the opportunity to leverage technology to work remotely: It’s not any one trend alone that’s driving a resurgence of interest in life on the road. Our correspondent looks at the van life phenomenon through the lens of its connections to Asheville and Western North Carolina.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME: John Stevenson has been hand-crafting his Penobscot 14 sailboat named "Sweet Dreams" since 2005. He's seen here, nearly two and a half years ago, celebrating the point of construction in which he rolls the boat over--a rollover is a major milestone in the life of a wooden boat, as they're typically built upside down. Photo courtesy of John Stevenson

Setting sail: Launch of hand-crafted sailboat to follow 11-year build

Posted on July 24, 2017July 26, 2017 by Nick Wilson

The launch ceremony for John Stevenson’s hand-built wooden sailboat will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 29, at the Asheville Sailing Club at Lake Julian Park, 406 Overlook Road Extension, Arden. The ceremony is free, open to the public and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. Stevenson recommends coming early to inspect the boat pre-launch and staying later for an opportunity to sail.

FROM THE GROUND UP: Julia Grigg, current Farm Beginnings participant, with growing garlic at Full Sun Farm. Photo by Amelie Fletcher

Growing the next generation of farmers

Posted on July 23, 2017July 14, 2017 by Maggie Cramer

The application period for the Farm Beginnings program of the Organic Growers School is open through Sept. 1. New farmers participating in the program receive more than 200 hours of training time. For the first time this year, the training will include at least 15 hours of one-on-one mentorship from an experienced farmer.

MOUNTAIN HIGH: The Shining Rock Wilderness is located in the North Slope geographical area, one of 12 regions designated by the U.S. Forest Service in the Nantahala and Pisgah national forests management plan revision. Photo courtesy of National Forests in North Carolina

Forest plan revision highlights conflicting interests

Posted on July 22, 2017July 14, 2017 by Jeremy Morrison

For the first time in 23 years, the U.S. Forest Service is revising its management plan for the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, and some participants in the long, drawn-out process say it could be going better.

HARDWORKING HIKER: Local author Ben Anderson is all smiles during a hike to Purchase Knob — one of 40 hikes he completed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo by Ashley Miller

Local author chronicles a year of hiking in the Smokies

Posted on June 30, 2017June 22, 2017 by Molly Horak

In 2016, local writer Ben Anderson decided to examine the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a fresh perspective. To mark the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service, he completed 40 day hikes, which he documented in his first book,
Smokies Chronicle: A Year of Hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

OH WOW POWWOW: “This action-packed weekend includes colorful regalia, jaw-dropping dances and music made to move you,” says a press release for the 42nd annual Fourth of July Powwow, held in Cherokee. Tribal foods and crafts are also part of the three-day celebration.

Independence Day events around WNC

Posted on June 28, 2017June 23, 2017 by Molly Horak

Whether you favor pig pickin’ or watermelon, live music or a dramatic reading of the “Declaration of Independence,” there’s something for everyone this holiday, and Xpress has all your pie-flavored, freedom-filled needs covered.

LUNCHEON ON THE GRASS: Short Street Cakes owner Olga Perez, center, shares enchiladas, flan, cupcakes and watermelon agua fresca with daughters Valerie, Amy and Brenda at Carrier Park. Perez, who is originally from Hidalgo, Mexico, says these dishes are typical of the fare she and her extended family members often bring to their outdoor potluck gatherings at local parks.

Take it outside: Asheville gets creative about eating outdoors

Posted on June 28, 2017June 26, 2017 by Gina Smith

Local authors, chefs and bakers dish up ideas for imaginative open-air feasts.

Watchers in the woods

Posted on June 26, 2017June 26, 2017 by Brent Brown

Asheville, NC

HAPPY AS A PIG IN DIRT: Visitors to Madison County's Dry Ridge Farm will see pastured pigs as part of ASAP's annual farm tour, held this year June 24 and 25. Photo by Sarah Jones

Get down on the farm with ASAP’s annual tour

Posted on June 21, 2017June 21, 2017 by Maggie Cramer

Pack up your car with friends and family this Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, and head out on Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s annual Farm Tour, an opportunity to get up close and personal with more than 20 WNC farms and the farmers growing your food and fiber.

BEE HERE NOW: At the Project Genesis' West Asheville bee yard, Carl Chesick shows volunteers what to look for and how to record data from their observations. Photo by Jack Sorokin

Project Genesis enters sixth year tracking honeybee cycles

Posted on June 10, 2017June 5, 2017 by Maggie Cramer

Project Genesis is a pioneering longitudinal study that is mobilizing more than 150 volunteers to study and collect data on the health of 20 research bee hives in West Asheville. Project founder Carl Chesick hopes to gain insight into the factors that are endangering the survival of honeybee colonies.

FOOD OR FAMINE: In the event of a natural disaster that disrupts commercial food supplies, Western North Carolina will need to develop alternative ways to grow nutritious and diverse crops, such as community gardens or neighborhood greenhouses. Photo by Cindy Kunst

Local food resilience programs plan for future disasters

Posted on June 3, 2017May 31, 2017 by Molly Horak

A coalition of local food activists, resilience planners and city of Asheville staffers are asking a hard question: In the event of a major disaster that disrupts the food supply for more than a few days, what will people in Western North Carolina eat? A recent workshop looked for answers to that question and brainstormed strategies for collaborative solutions for securing the region’s food supply in hard times.

Following the official opening of the Bare Dark Sky Observatory, visitors can use the "Sam Scope," the largest telescope in the southeast, to look at the night sky. Photo courtesy of Mayland Community College

Dark Sky Observatory holds grand opening celebration June 1

Posted on June 1, 2017June 1, 2017 by Molly Horak

The Bare Dark Sky Observatory at Mayland Community College near Burnsville will hold its grand opening on Thursday, June 1 beginning at 4 p.m. The observatory is the only International Dark Sky Association-certified dark sky park in the southeastern U.S., and it features the region’s largest telescope dedicated to research and recreation.

Scrutiny on the bounty

Posted on May 26, 2017May 25, 2017 by Brent Brown

Asheville, NC

FROM THE TOP: While geocachers are usually looking for small containers stashed in precise locations, this group of local geocachers scoured an area above the Beaucatcher Cut to remove trash from the area a few years ago. The photographer, geocacher Graeme McGufficke, notes that the area is no longer accessible by foot. Photo by Graeme McGufficke

Geocaching community finds its way to Waynesville

Posted on May 25, 2017May 19, 2017 by John Piper Watters

Less than 20 years old, geocaching is a new sport that’s gained a lot of ground in its short existence. Western North Carolina is prime territory for geocachers, who use GPS devices to find and hide containers stashed in precise locations around the world. The Haywood County Fairgrounds will host one of the country’s premier geocaching events on Saturday, May 27.

The half-mile-long French Broad River West Greenway opened this year. Photo by Cindy Kunst

Greenway boosters look to other cities for ideas and inspiration

Posted on May 25, 2017May 26, 2017 by Laurie Crosswell

At a May 19 workshop, the greenway advocacy organization Friends of Connect Buncombe hosted a national expert, along with several local bright lights, to discuss strategies for supercharging greenway development.

BLOCK PARTY: Around 175,000 people flock to downtown Hendersonville every Memorial Day weekend for Garden Jubilee, and this holiday will be no exception. Be a part of the crowd for plants, garden accoutrements, and growing workshops. Photo by Karen Baker courtesy of Henderson County Tourism Development Authority

Hendersonville festival focuses on outdoor fixes

Posted on May 24, 2017May 19, 2017 by Maggie Cramer

The 2017 Garden Jubilee in downtown Hendersonville May 27 and 28 will feature more than 250 regional vendors along Main Street, offering their gardening tips and tricks along with their plants. Expect to see thousands of annuals, perennials, vegetables and herbs, including rare selections, along with outdoor furniture and decor.

Outdoors