The Forest’s Bread and Butter

By Chris Samoray Bring down the mast. But hold on seafarers, leave the sails flying. In the forests of Appalachia, this lingo doesn’t refer to sailing. Instead, it’s used by outdoor folk to describe the fruits of plants and trees, with blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, hickory nuts, walnuts and beechnuts constituting just a few. Although these…

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Partnerships Protect Western North Carolina’s Rare Aquatic Ecosystems

By Brian Sewell Public and private groups working together to protect land in Western North Carolina are making sure that the region’s aquatic ecosystems and the rare plants and animals found in them are also preserved. The Box Creek Wilderness, a newly designated state Significant Natural Heritage Area, encompasses 3,300 acres along the McDowell-Rutherford county…

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