Special report: The state’s black bear population was in trouble 50 years ago, but research and conservation measures put in place in the decades since — with hunters’ “direct cooperation” — have enabled the species to recover, although not everyone is happy.
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Gear up the night before or get left out, leftovers tomorrow
Don’t be that angler who waits until the last moment to rig up their equipment and then misses the action — procure and prepare in advance.
Warming oceans intensified hurricanes’ strength: Studies
Human-caused climate change has pumped up peak, pre-landfall Atlantic hurricane wind speeds by an average of 13 to 18 mph in recent years, according to the authors of two companion research papers published Wednesday.
Planning association awards Duck for its shoreline project
Duck, in Dare County, recently received national recognition for its work incorporating sustainability and resilience principles in flood prevention, habitat restoration and N.C. Highway 12 improvements along Currituck Sound.
Wildlife officials push back on straw bales for sand fencing
Wildlife Resources Commission officials are calling for thorough research on how wheat straw bales might affect oceanfront habitat before the state allows them to be used as an alternative to sand fencing.
Waste discharge agreement moves toward becoming rule
The Environmental Management Commission has advanced proposed changes that would codify an existing, long-term agreement with an association of wastewater dischargers into the Tar-Pamlico River Basin.
Superintendent’s warning to coastal commission rings true
Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Dave Hallac had told the Coastal Resources Commission last week that Rodanthe homes were apt to fall this weekend. It took fewer than 48 hours for the first to collapse.
G. Albert Lyon made millions but loved Gooseville Gun Club
A 1957 Sports Illustrated profile would dub him “The Commodore of Bimini,” but that was after the prolific inventor and successful businessman had enjoyed the simple pleasures of a sportsman’s life on the Outer Banks and his Gooseville Gun Club in Hatteras Village.
Witch hazel: Useful native species adds pop of winter color
If you’ve ever been in the woods this time of year and noticed a sweet fragrance but couldn’t pinpoint it, you’re not having olfactory hallucinations — this aromatic wonder grows right here in North Carolina.
Topsail Island towns team to eradicate harmful beach vitex
Topsail Island towns are banding together in an attempt to reduce the presence of the invasive plant that chokes out native vegetation on oceanfront dunes.
Capturing moments: Make the most of memorable catches
A few simple tips can turn that image of your once-in-a-lifetime experience on the water from stinker to a potential treasured family heirloom.
Whales that use echolocation mistake plastic for prey: study
A Duke University doctoral candidate in a new study found that deep-diving whales that rely on sound to forage for food are mistaking plastic for prey.
Ocracoke a beacon of maritime history, quiet attraction
Accessible only by water or small aircraft, the barrier island and its villagers see the population swell each summer as visitors flock to its history, restaurants, nature and beaches.
Buxton folk relieved at Corps action, ask why not sooner?
Corps of Engineers officials told Hatteras Island residents this week that work is ongoing and a formal advisory board on cleanup at the petroleum-contaminated National Park Service beach could help information flow, but some here wonder, why did it take so long?
Report uses new tools to address Wright Monument leakage
The recently released “Wright Brothers Monument and Powerhouse Historic Structure Report,” employs advanced tools to diagnose the interior of the monument’s stubborn excessive moisture and water intrusion.
Rules eased as red-cockaded woodpeckers’ status improves
Wildlife officials say the recent downlisting from endangered to threatened is a success story, but opponents say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s reclassification is premature.
