News – Page 15

Asheville Citizen-Times: Land trust conserves key property in Macon County, provides public access to Bartram Trail

July 12, 2018

By Karen Chávez
July 11, 2018

FRANKLIN – Since the first miles of earth were dug 40 years ago to create the 78-mile Bartram Trail, the long-distance path has provided a stunning showcase of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as it rides the high ridges through the lush Nantahala National Forest.

But being in the very remote reaches of Macon and Swain County, without many road access points or the notoriety of its 2,200-mile cousin, the Appalachian Trail, Bartram is often referred to as “the trail less traveled,” said Walter Wingfield, president of the nonprofit Bartram Trail Society, based in Highlands.

“It is a beautiful trail that is not anywhere near as traveled as the Appalachian Trail. It gives hikers the opportunity to hike the whole trail in a week, instead of taking six months,” Wingfield said.

Click here to read the full story on the Citizen-Times website.

BPR News: How The Little Tennessee River Was Saved 25 Years Ago

July 3, 2018

By: Lilly Knoepp

July 2, 2018

Twenty-five years ago, representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority, the League of Women Voters, the National Rifle Association and many more came together at the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin NC.

What brought this diverse group together?

The conservation of the Little Tennessee River watershed. The watershed includes all streams and creeks that flow into the river starting in Rabun County, Georgia and flowing up through Macon and Swain Counties in North Carolina. The 27 miles of free flowing river between Lake Emory in Franklin and Lake Fontana near Bryson City supports one of the most diverse ecosystems of plants and animals in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

View or listen to the rest of the story here.

Public News Service: Rock and a Hard Place: Experts Urge Care When Exploring NC Waterways

June 14, 2018

FRANKLIN, N.C. – There’s no shortage of creeks and streams in North Carolina to enjoy this weekend, but while

exploring, experts advise outdoor enthusiasts to take care before moving rocks and changing habitat.

The rocks and area surrounding them provide natural homes for insects, frogs and salamanders, and Jason Meader, aquatics program manager with Mainspring Conservation Trust, says innocent disturbances from curious explorers have an impact.

“When you move those rocks, when you disturb those to a large extent, you dislodge the insects, they drift downstream and, over time, with enough impact, you could probably notice a degradation in that area,” he explains.

Read or listen to the rest of the store here