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Riverfest 2024!

Riverfest 2024!

The Transylvania French Broad Stewards, the Town of Rosman, Conserving Carolina, and Headwaters Outfitters are joining up again to put on the ninth annual Upper French Broad Riverfest and invite residents and visitors to come spend a fun day celebrating the river! Join us at Champion Park in Rosman, NC for a free, family-friendly festival with live local music, hands-on educational activities from many local businesses, and interactive displays about the French Broad River! There will be free tubing for everyone, food trucks (Local Harvester, Travelin Dough, and Jenny’s Minis Donut Bus!), and more (and don’t forget your swimsuit!)! This event also coincides with the annual Headwaters Outfitters Hellbender 20-Miler Relay Canoe Race! Cut off for race registration is May 18th, so sign up today! Exhibitors include: Headwaters Outfitters, Pisgah River Rangers, Oxbow R Snorkeling, Mills River Partnership, Transylvania Bird Club, Brevard Clay, North Carolina Cooperative Extension – Transylvania County Center, Transylvania County Library, North Carolina Forest Service, FIND Outdoors, Conserving Carolina, Asheville Greenworks, MountainTrue, Transylvania County Solid Waste, Friends of DuPont Forest, Audubon Society, League of Women Voters, NC Arboretum, Citizen Climate Lobby, Brevard Dog Park, NC Leave No Trace, Pisgah Chapter Trout Unlimited, Earthshine Nature Programs, and more! This event is sponsored by the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority and Davidson River... Read More
French Broad River Series: LEARN! – Salamanders of Western NC

French Broad River Series: LEARN! – Salamanders of Western NC

Conserving Carolina and the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Transylvania County Center are offering a series of lectures, April – July, to better acquaint the public with the French Broad River, considered one of the oldest rivers in the world. Join us for a presentation by naturalist and educator, Tim Lee, and learn about the salamanders of Western North Carolina! North Carolina is home to 67 (known) species of salamander, more than any other place on earth. The presentation will highlight North Carolina’s salamander diversity, highlighting many of the species found in the area and then center on the Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis), listed in North Carolina as species of special concern. A native South Carolinian, Tim has studied and taught as a naturalist and biologist throughout the southeast for more than 32 years. For the past 23 years he has been the Interpretive Ranger/Naturalist for South Carolina State Park Service’s Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area where he conducts research and provides educational programs for children and adults. He is the South Carolina Park Services coordinator with the South Carolina Master Naturalist Program and is an Educational Leadership Partner for the South Carolina Aquarium. Tim is a member of the National Association of Interpreters, and an honorary SC Statewide Master... Read More
French Broad River Series: LEARN! – An Overview of Native Brook Trout Conservation in North Carolina

French Broad River Series: LEARN! – An Overview of Native Brook Trout Conservation in North Carolina

Date: April 4, 2024 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Transylvania County Public Library Speakers: Jacob Rash, Coldwater Research Coordinator for the NC Wildlife Resources Commission Conserving Carolina and the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Transylvania County Center are offering a series of lectures, April – July, to better acquaint the public with the French Broad River, considered one of the oldest rivers in the world. Join us for a presentation by Jacob Rash, Coldwater Research Coordinator for the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and learn about efforts to help conserve North Carolina’s native Brook Trout. Jacob Rash is Coldwater Research Coordinator for the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, where he assists with the coordination of applied research and management of the State’s trout resources. He received his B.S. in Zoology from NC State University and M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Virginia Tech. After graduate school, he worked with freshwater mussels as a Research Specialist at Virginia Tech until he joined the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. Jacob has co-authored numerous publications throughout his career, and in 2023, he began serving as Chair of the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture’s Steering Committee. Although he spends his days at work thinking about fish, he enjoys spending his free time trying to find them as an avid angler. For more information and to register, visit... Read More
Museum Debuts New Exhibits March 1

Museum Debuts New Exhibits March 1

The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas will unveil new exhibits during its 2024 opening, Friday, March 1 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The new or updated galleries, exhibits, and artifacts are: – War on Terror Gallery – History of the U.S. Air Force Gallery – Library and Research Center:1000+ volumes of military history and biographies – Cold War Exhibit – Models of historic airplanes, ships, submarines and tanks – WWII German Army uniforms Museum volunteers, many of them veterans (or those who have veteran family members), came up with the ideas, planned, designed, and put these new features all together. So the museum is now truly a veterans’ museum; it has always been about veterans, and for veterans, and with this renovation has become very much BY veterans. Even if you have visited the museum before, you will find new and revamped exhibits, easier traffic flow for your tour, and the surprises of the special exhibits space. You may visit rooms that have not been open to the public before. Open hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Admission is free. Please visit www.theveteransmuseum.org or call 828-884-2141 for more... Read More
Archery & Tomahawk Throwing

Archery & Tomahawk Throwing

Enjoy a short hike through the Earthshine Lodge 76-acre property and learn the basics of shooting and throwing. Our instructor(s) will show you the basics, give you some pointers, and maintain a safe archery and tomahawk throwing range. Equipment is provided, available to ages 5+. Please remember to wear comfortable clothes and closed toe... Read More
Archery & Tomahawk Throwing

Archery & Tomahawk Throwing

Enjoy a short hike through the Earthshine Lodge 76-acre property and learn the basics of shooting and throwing. Our instructor(s) will show you the basics, give you some pointers, and maintain a safe archery and tomahawk throwing range. Equipment is provided, available to ages 5+. Please remember to wear comfortable clothes and closed toe... Read More
Archery & Tomahawk Throwing

Archery & Tomahawk Throwing

Enjoy a short hike through the Earthshine Lodge 76-acre property and learn the basics of shooting and throwing. Our instructor(s) will show you the basics, give you some pointers, and maintain a safe archery and tomahawk throwing range. Equipment is provided, available to ages 5+. Please remember to wear comfortable clothes and closed toe... Read More
Archery & Tomahawk Throwing

Archery & Tomahawk Throwing

Enjoy a short hike through the Earthshine Lodge 76-acre property and learn the basics of shooting and throwing. Our instructor(s) will show you the basics, give you some pointers, and maintain a safe archery and tomahawk throwing range. Equipment is provided, available to ages 5+. Please remember to wear comfortable clothes and closed toe... Read More
Red Spruce & Carolina Flying Squirrel

Red Spruce & Carolina Flying Squirrel

Red Spruce & Carolina Flying Squirrel A 78-Foot Red Spruce from Pisgah Travels to DC as the US Capitol Christmas Tree The assortment of fir trees and evergreens that thrive in the higher elevations of Brevard and Transylvania County is one of the area’s most scenic and treasured signs of life in our mountains.  Among these, the red spruce stands tall and is particularly important not just to our area but to the region beyond. Known as the “Redwoods of the East,” North Carolina’s red spruce is the largest conifer indigenous to the Southern Appalachians. Its spindly, high-reaching branches rise up like an island in the sky over the high tops of the Blue Ridge, providing color and texture to the landscape and a critical pocket ecosystem for flora and fauna, among them Carolina Northern Flying Squirrels, which are listed as federally endangered. These delightful, furry aviators enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the red spruce via a particular underground fungus. These fungi provide water and nutrients for the trees and receive sugars in return. The squirrels then spread the spores through the forest, which helps the red spruce. Many decades of logging and wildfires led to a precipitous decline in the Appalachian red spruce by the middle of the 20th century. In 2013, Transylvania County’s Southern Highlands Reserve (SHR), a nonprofit, high-elevation native plant garden and research center, undertook a partnership with the Nature Conservancy to restore red spruce trees to the Southern Appalachians. Two years later, in 2015,... Read More
Be Waterfall Wise

Be Waterfall Wise

Be Waterfall Wise Waterfalls are part of the identity of Brevard and Transylvania County. There are more than 250 cascades scattered throughout the county, earning us the nickname “Land of Waterfalls.” While we encourage visitors and residents alike to enjoy these natural wonders, we also want to remind everyone to Be Waterfall Wise when you are in their proximity. Every year, people are seriously injured and even die around waterfalls. Over the past several years, the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority has worked closely with our forest and park managers and a variety of public safety organizations to raise awareness about the dangers of waterfalls by creating a campaign to promote safe practices around waterfalls. As a result, the number of injuries and fatalities has been dramatically reduced. But accidents still happen, and we’re committed to sharing our safety messaging to keep you and your loved ones safe. If you’re planning a trip to Brevard – or anywhere near waterfalls – please familiarize yourself with these seven simple waterfall safety tips: OBSERVE all posted signs leading to waterfall areas. DO NOT swim or wade upstream near a waterfall. STAY on marked trails and observation areas. WATCH for slick rocks around waterfalls. DO NOT jump off waterfalls or dive into pools. WATCH your children and pets at all times. DO NOT climb on rocks above waist height. Follow @explorebrevardnc on Instagram and @explorebrevard on Facebook to stay abreast of current conditions and the latest waterfall advisories. You’ll also find helpful... Read More