General News

Photos chronicling the restoration of a stream through the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP). This project, flowing into the Uwharrie River in southern Randolph County, allows water to flow in a slow, meandering path from a breeched pond to the river. The project replaces compromised streams and ditches that had caused silting and water […]

Ask an outdoor enthusiast to name a special natural area in the state and he might mention mountain bogs, Carolina bays or longleaf pine savannas. If pressed to identify one in the piedmont, he might squint and scratch his head and stammer. The piedmont is often described as fragmented, cultivated and compromised. The gentle hills […]

It’s no secret that the Charlotte region has been rapidly growing more urban over the past few decades. Yet despite the record expansion of the urbanized area experienced during economic boom times, private landowners cling to over two million acres of undeveloped land in the Charlotte metropolitan region. Why do these remnants of green persist? […]

Mecklenburg County, N.C., is home to the state’s largest city, Charlotte. Most people living in Mecklenburg County today were born outside of North Carolina. U.S. Census Bureau data estimates from 2009, released earlier this fall, put that number at just over 58%. The new diversity of the county has some interesting twists. For instance, more […]

During our recent hike in the Birkheads, I noticed more than ever one of the most significant aspects of being in the woods this time of year – and that is just how quiet it is. Other than the occasional loud sounds of crunching leaves under our feet, most of the normal sounds of the […]

Charlotte is once more at a crossroads: future challenges abound—in education, environmental sustainability, and social equity to name only three. Even more important is the question of transportation infrastructure, and I make no apologies for returning to one of my favorite topics because of its primary importance to the economic growth and prosperity for our […]

A few weeks ago, UNC Charlotte hosted the ninth annual Charlotte Biotechnology Conference. The original idea for this event was that it serve as a barometer of the “life science cluster” in the Charlotte region. Sensing increased activity in patents and start-ups ten years ago, UNC Charlotte’s Office of Technology Transfer and the regional Small […]

This region is home to a variety of native species that are both important naturally and historically occurring species, and also important game species. White-tailed deer, gray squirrel, and wild turkey are just a few of the more commonly encountered ones that fall into this category. For a number of these, certainly for the turkey […]

Four years ago, my sister, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatment – six rounds of chemo, two surgeries and 33 sessions of radiation – took a toll on her right shoulder. Her surgeon suggested some basic exercises for strength and mobility. She also started swimming laps. She liked being buoyant in the warm […]

As a guide to the literary trivia of the Piedmont, Georgann Eubanks’ new book, Literary Trails of the North Carolina Piedmont (UNC Press), is a gem. The book will be treasured by those who love literature and the rich tradition of homegrown and imported talent that has not only celebrated this region in words, but […]