Mosquitoes in WNC can infect community

Mosquitoes are one of the most common pests in Western North Carolina, but they bring a greater risk than itchy bites. Western Carolina University environmental health professor and public health biologist Brian Byrd has a passion for insects, particularly mosquitoes.   Though he has also worked with tics and mites, Byrd specializes in mosquito-borne diseases […]

Marine and plant farming merge in aquaponics

Randy Reinke is a new graduate of Western Carolina University with a bachelor of science degree in natural resource conservation and management. He spent his senior year developing a fully functional aquaponic farming system in the WCU campus greenhouse. What is aquaponics? It is a hybrid of two different farming techniques. The cultivation of plant […]

Local trees dying under insect-spread disease

Western North Carolina is home to multiple national forests, which see thousands of visitors every year.  The forests are popular destinations for students looking to hike, camp or just enjoy the views the mountains have to offer.  Over the years, some of our most beloved trees in these forests have begun to die under the […]