With a new year comes new programs, facility improvements and projects to improve our community. Here’s a look ahead at Asheville City government initiatives in 2019. Red Pandas exhibit to open Two cute red pandas will take up residence at the WNC Nature Center this year. The new red panda exhibit will open to the public on [...]
ART bus service suspended on Thanksgiving Day as well Asheville City government offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 24, and Friday, Nov. 25, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Here is a roundup of City service holiday schedules. Bus service ART bus service will be suspended Nov. 24, in observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Thanksgiving is one [...]
In Asheville, we share our community with some pretty incredible critters. Our most iconic, the black bear, not only shares your love of the mountains – but they can be pretty fond of human food and festivity leftovers as well. So our friends at The NC Wildlife Resources Commission have some tips for you on how [...]
Does your child's favorite plush critter seem to have a cold? Have you ever wondered what happens at the WNC Nature Center at night? Or behind the scenes? Check out these events coming soon at the WNC Nature Center!
With a new year comes new programs, facility improvements and projects to improve our community. Here’s a look ahead at Asheville City government initiatives in 2018. We couldn’t get the list down to 10 items so here are a dozen to look for in the coming year. New, more diverse City Council Asheville City Council 2018: Standing, left to right, are Keith Young, [...]
ART bus service suspended on Dec. 25, to operate on holiday schedule Jan. 1 Asheville City government offices will be closed Dec. 23, 26 and 27 and Jan. 2 in observance of the winter holiday break and New Year’s Day. The following is a roundup of services affected by holiday closures. ART transit service City bus service will be [...]
ART bus service suspended on Dec. 25, to operate on new holiday schedule Jan. 1 Asheville City government offices will be closed Dec. 22, 25 and 26 and Jan. 1 in observance of the winter holiday break and New Year’s Day. The following is a roundup of services affected by holiday closures. ART bus service City bus service will be suspended starting [...]
The City of Asheville is pleased to announce projects that have received funding from the BCTDA Tourism Product Development Fund. Funding was announced at the Tourism Development Authority Board meeting on October 26. All four of the city’s applications received funding, with the top three priorities receiving funding at 100% of the requested amount. [...]
ART bus service suspended on Thanksgiving Day as well Asheville City government offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 22, and Friday, Nov. 23, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Here is a roundup of City service holiday schedules. ART bus service ART bus service will be suspended Nov. 22, in observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Thanksgiving is one [...]
In observance of the Labor Day Holiday, City of Asheville offices will be closed September 5, 2022. Here is a look at how City services will be affected. ART bus services The City of Asheville ART service routes and facilities will operate on a holiday schedule Monday, Sept. 5, which is the same as the Sunday bus [...]
ART bus service suspended on Thanksgiving Day as well Asheville City government offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 23, and Friday, Nov. 24, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Here is a roundup of City service holiday schedules. ART bus service ART bus service will be suspended Nov. 23, in observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Thanksgiving is one [...]
With summer over it’s time for a little fall cleaning! The WNC Nature Center has partnered with AmeriCorps to celebrate Take A Child Outside Week, which runs from September 24 through September 30. In honor of this program, we’re hosting a service event from 9:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 24 (Saturday). Kids in grades K-8 are [...]
The word everyone was waiting for came out of the WNC Nature Center on Wednesday afternoon, as Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy and Nibbles the Groundhog had a Groundhog’s Day conference to predict the coming of Spring. The media event fell on the same day as the nationally-followed prediction by Punxsutawney Phil, but as Education naturalist Eli [...]
World Environmental Education Day was conceived in 1972 to celebrate, learn, and help the planet that supports us. At the WNC Nature Center, we aim to reach these goals all year. The Nature Center is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). As AZA members, we adhere [...]
From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. October 7, the WNC Nature Center will host its 41st annual Hey Day fall festival. The event includes fun for the whole family: live performances, music, games, crafts, special animal education moments, food vendors and more! Attendees will be entertained by the Mountain Thunder Cloggers, a science demonstration with the Asheville Museum [...]
On Saturday, October 27 the WNC Nature Center will host their annual Howl-O-Ween event from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The event features games, crafts, special animal education moments, food vendors and two costume contests. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed in costume and to take part in one of the two [...]
ASHEVILLE — The WNC Nature Center welcomed guests into its new front entrance Sept. 12. Have you been out there to see it yet? “We’re excited to offer this enhanced guest experience to our visitors,” said Chris Gentile, Director of the WNC Nature Center. “The new front entrance will allow us to better serve our growing number [...]
Though they roam the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, their close ancestors used to call the Southern Appalachians home. And now they’re returning! Red pandas will come to the WNC Nature Center this fall. At their April 24 meeting, Asheville City Council approved a $184,820 appropriation for the construction of the Red Panda [...]
ASHEVILLE – It is with sadness that the WNC Nature Center announces the passing of one of its most senior residents. Artemis, the Barred Owl, has passed away as a result of advanced age. A member of the Center’s Education Ambassador Animal Team for almost 20 years, Art came to the Nature Center in December of [...]
ASHEVILLE – It is with great sadness that the WNC Nature Center announces the passing of one of its most well-known and cherished residents. Pisgah, an 8-year-old Western cougar, passed away on Thursday morning (Sept. 27) after a period of declining health. Diagnosed with kidney failure several years ago, the disease had recently progressed and was [...]
It is with great sadness that the WNC Nature Center announces the passing of one of its most well-known and cherished residents. Beloved coyote Barney passed away July 22. He had been struggling with health issues over the past few months and was not responding to medical treatment. One of the older residents of the Nature [...]
The WNC Nature Center is excited to announce that they have been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Fewer than 10% of all zoos and aquariums in the world meet the standards to earn accreditation from the AZA and the WNC Nature Center is one of only eight facilities [...]
The City of Asheville is excited to announce that the WNC Nature Center’s new red panda exhibit will open to the public on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2019 and includes the introduction of our new resident pandas, Leafa (pictured above) and Phoenix. The red pandas arrived at the Nature Center in November, have passed the [...]
2019 was an exciting year for the WNC Nature Center! In February, a ribbon cutting highlighted a new exhibit and the introduction of two new residents — red pandas named Leafa and Phoenix, who stole the hearts of everyone who attended the event on Valentine’s Day. They are the first species to be introduced as part [...]
The WNC Nature Center welcomes the public to a short dedication event for the Center’s new front entrance, completed in September. The dedication will take place at noon Nov. 1 (Thursday). Representatives from the City of Asheville, Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, WNC Nature Center, and Friends of the WNC Nature Center will [...]
Celebrate fall with the 40th annual Hey Day fall family festival at the WNC Nature Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. October 8. Hey Day is the largest WNC Nature Center event of the year and celebrates the wildlife, culture and community of Western North Carolina. This year’s festival will feature games, arts and crafts, educational [...]
Pre-opening for members only begins Sept. 28 The City of Asheville Parks & Recreation department is very pleased to announce the reopening of the WNC Nature Center to the general public on Oct. 5. Visitors will notice a few changes since their last visit. To ensure the safety of the public, staff, and the resident animals that [...]
Welcome to your new home, Samson and Bonita! The two red foxes will be joining the other residents of the WNC Nature Center and are coming to us from Izzie’s Pond Sanctuary in Liberty, S.C. Samson and Bonita have something more in common than their new home. They are both less than a year old and [...]
The WNC Nature Center is pleased to announce that their Young Naturalist program has been selected for a Significant Achievement Education Award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Young Naturalist teen (ages 13-17) volunteer program creates opportunities for staff and teens to build meaningful relationships [...]
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) announced that the Western North Carolina Nature Center has been recognized with AZA’s 2018 Education Award for significant achievement in the “Expanding Impact through Targeted Low Income Outreach Education” program. The WNC Nature Center received this national award during AZA’s September [...]
With temperatures hovering around the 30’s and occasional snow flurries blowing around the city, it may be up to Nibbles the Groundhog to give Asheville the good news it needs. The piliferous prognosticator has been predicting the arrival (or delay) of spring in Asheville for the past eight years. From her home at the WNC Nature [...]