During the month of August, nature-lovers across the country celebrated Smokey the Bear, and our local residents did the same.

On August 9 in honor of Smokey Bear’s 75^th birthday, the Friends of Panthertown hosted a LNT (leave no trac...

During the month of August, nature-lovers across the country celebrated Smokey the Bear, and our local residents did the same.

On August 9 in honor of Smokey Bear’s 75^th birthday, the Friends of Panthertown hosted a LNT (leave no trace) presentation and celebration for trail explorers of all ages. The program was designed to teach all the importance of showing special, natural places some love by leaving no trace that hikers were ever there. This coincides with many overall wildlife programs and practices of organizations dedicated to preserving and appreciating our natural wildlife.

Smokey the Bear, as many know, is the face of forest fire prevention. Though the story of Smokey originated in New Mexico, the effects against forest fires remain relevant everywhere as 89% of wildfires were caused by humans in 2018, according to the NIFC.

As the story goes, an operator at a fire tower in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico spotted not only a budding forest fire but a bear cub caught in its path. The fire blazed on despite efforts from local crews and the bear cub was forced up a tree to weather the fire. Suffering bad burns on his paws and hind legs, the cub was removed from the tree and taken to have his burns treated and bandaged. The little cub’s story spread quickly and earned bouts of sympathy from many. He earned the name Smokey due to coverage from major news outlets who shared his story. Smokey Bear, now a living advocate for wildfire prevention, made his home at the National Zoo in Washington D.C., until he returned home to be buried at the Smokey Bear Historical Park upon the end of his life.

His legacy lives on, however. His image remains a friendly face for kids and adults alike looking to learn more about camping and enjoying time in the forest. Smokey the Bear serves as a reminder to all that if we truly value wildlife, as we all should, there are steps we can take toward proper conservation.  

With the cooler fall weather around the corner, campfires become a must for campers and residents alike. Be sure to review these tips to keep your campfire from becoming a wildfire.

We’re so grateful to be able to call the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina our home. Our residents at The Divide are able to explore the natural rugged terrain and dive head first into all this landscape has to offer. We’re especially thankful for our

The world comes alive in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the summer months. Bees buzz, the green foliage deepens, and animals are at their most active. Among the most notable is the population of black bears that make their home in this region surrounding The Divide at Bald Rock. Wh...

The world comes alive in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the summer months. Bees buzz, the green foliage deepens, and animals are at their most active. Among the most notable is the population of black bears that make their home in this region surrounding The Divide at Bald Rock. While beautiful to behold, it is important to know the basics of black bear safety to ensure your time spent among the mountaintops is blissful and safe.  

There are roughly 240,000 black bears in the United States, and it’s important to note that our local population doesn’t fully hibernate, and therefore, is active year-round. Foraging for food is always a necessity, so bear sightings are common throughout both the region and calendar year. So, it’s extremely important to always be on the lookout for bears and their cubs.

Because black bears also call the Blue Ridge Mountains home, follow these steps to both respect their space and ensure your own safety:

1.       Be Aware. With such an active population, it’s important to simply always be aware of your surroundings. Avoid hiking at night, be cautious going to and from your car or exiting/entering your home, and never intentionally approach any wild animals, especially a bear.

2.       Respect their space. If you notice a bear nearby or find one to be frequenting certain areas, respect this space by avoiding it or packing up your belongings and making your way to a different area. Move quickly and quietly and try your best to not disturb their habitat.

3.       Back Away Slowly. If you unintentionally find yourself in close proximity with a black bear, back away slowly without making any sudden movements and put as much distance between you and the bear as possible.

4.       Make Noise & Get Big. If you’re confronted with a bear that seems to be either advancing or aggressive and backing away isn’t an option, make your big. Don’t charge the animal or inversely try to run away. Instead, wave your arms, yell, throw rocks, sticks, or any other available objects and stand your ground until the bear turns away.

Other black bear facts to note:

·         Bears are not typically aggressive by nature. Though they can learn from mistreatment, they are generally shy, secretive, and fearful of humans. Compared to grizzly bears who can be inherently more aggressive, black bears tend to mind their own business.

·         The black bear has extremely keen senses of smelling and hearing. This means they can pick up on and track scent trails from far away. Therefore, keep all garbage and scented products safely locked away. Which leads to…

·         Do not intentionally feed bears. As they are wild animals, it’s important that they do not become dependent on human handouts. Should a bear get accustomed to human food, it begins to associate food with humans and therefore become uncharacteristically aggressive.

If we keep these things in mind, we can enjoy sharing our home with the local black bear population; they are truly majestic creatures, breathtaking to see in their natural habitats.