AppalachianThe April/May 2016 VOICE From the Ground UP Climbers Build Community, Opportunity in the Region RECLAIMING Appalachia Abandoned mine funds could fuel an economic revival ALSO Natural Gas Dance of the Co-ops Help INSIDE: Pipelines Timberdoodle Put Solar { Cut Deep on Homes } The ss A AppalachianVOICE A note from the executive director cro ppalachia A publication of A Environmental News From Around the Region AppalachianVoices There’s more than wildflowers budding in Appalachia this spring. Efforts to revitalize local economies are proliferating as the coal industry declines, and an The Butterfly Highway: Creating a Pollinator Pathway Pine Mountain One Step Closer to Full Protection increasingly broad range of residents and stakeholders are joining the conversation. Appalachian NC: 171 Grand Blvd., Boone, NC 28607 • 828-262-1500 By Charlotte Wray The project has expanded from its By Dylan Turner tor Hugh Archer called the tract of land Voices is working at the intersection of these endeavors in partnership with local citizens, civic VA: 812 East High Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902 • 434-293-6373 origin in Charlotte, N.C., into western “the single largest addition and most Other Regional Offices: Knoxville, TN • Norton, VA • Chapel Hill, NC leaders and other organizations. Butterfly populations and other In March, the Kentucky Natural North Carolina, with new habitats and expensive investment in the Wildlands We are advocating for the passage of the RECLAIM Act, a bipartisan federal bill that would North American pollinator species, such Lands Trust announced that it had AppalachianVoices.org | [email protected] gardens forming in Asheville, Brevard, project in KNLT’s 20 year history.” expedite the release of $1 billion to reclaim abandoned mine lands in places where these environ- as bees and moths, began to decline sev- acquired 2,050 acres of Pine Mountain Hendersonville, Banner Elk and Boone. In recent months, Kentucky Gover- EDITOR ...................................................... JAMIE GOODMAN mental cleanup projects would also promote economic development opportunities. eral decades ago. As the decline became in order to preserve the area’s natural MANAGING EDITOR .........................................MOLLY MOORE Pollinators are vital to both the bal- nor Matt Bevin has proposed cutting $10 This bill has the support of key coal-state legislators, and it is a crucial step toward ensuring more rapid in the 2000s, Angel Hjard- habitats. The environmental conserva- ASSOCIATE EDITOR .................................ELIZABETH E. PAYNE ance of ecosystems and the agricultural million from the budget of the Heritage CONTRIBUTING EDITOR .................................... BRIAN SEWELL that the health and sustainability of Appalachia’s economy is a national priority. ing, director of pollinators at the North tion organization’s purchase will add to economy, since over 70 percent of crops Land Conservation Fund, a state board CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ................................... ELIZA LAUBACH More than two dozen local government bodies have unanimously passed resolutions calling Carolina Wildlife Federation, decided the Pine Mountain Wildlands Corridor require or yield higher production be- DISTRIBUTION MANAGER .................................LAUREN ESSICK for federal investment in regional economic development. This reflects the enthusiastic support to take matters into her own hands and project, which plans to protect a portion that provides funding for the conserva- EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ..................................CHARLOTTE WRAY cause of pollination. tion and preservation of natural areas. GRAPHIC DESIGNER .................................MAGGIE SHERWOOD of engaged citizens and community leaders that is the essential driving force behind this effort. formed the Butterfly Highway project in of land stretching the entire 125-mile The decrease in pollinator popula- Though the newly protected section of GRAPHIC DESIGNER .......................................HALEY ROGERS For its part, the Obama administration has directed substantial funding to communities hard- February 2016. length of the mountain from Virginia to ARKETING SSISTANT YLAN URNER tions, especially the monarch butterfly, M A ................................... D T hit by coal’s decline to help with workforce training and other economic programs through the Hjarding’s campaign aims to create Tennessee. The land will also be incor- Pine Mountain was purchased with pri- is due in part to increased urbanization, vate funds, the Pine Mountain Wildlands DISTRIBUTION VOLUNTEERS: Alison Auciello, Karen Austin-Clayton, Debbie POWER Initiative. Read about both federal efforts on page 18. a “highway” of native, flowering nectar porated into the existing Great Eastern pesticides, agricultural practices and Bahr, Heather Baker, Becky Barlow, Aaron Barr, Shawn Becker, Bob Belton, As we advocate for passage of the RECLAIM Act, we continue to build on a series of com- plants, specifically milkweed, for the Trail, a hiking path that stretches 1,800 Corridor could still be affected. “Cuts Blue Smoke Coffee, Charlie Bowles, Lynn Brammer, Ben Bristoll, Steve Brooks, “limited floral resources,” Hjarding says. munity forums we co-hosted in southwest Virginia last year, where local residents shared their monarch butterfly. These “pit stops” miles through the Appalachian moun- to the heritage program could impede Teri Crawford Brown, Derek Burke, Patricia Cales, Sarah Smith Caskey, Charlie visions of new economies for their communities. We are now expanding that outreach to an open Since the launch of the project, inclusion of this new reserve into the Chakales, Kim and Shay Clanton, Patty Clemens, Carly Crickenberger, Darlene will be both large-scale and residential, tains from Alabama to New York. online forum where we hope hundreds more local citizens will contribute their ideas. And we’re about 250 habitats have been planted or state parks system,” says KNLT Assis- Cunningham, Sister Beth Davies, Deborah Deatherage, Bill Elliott, Jakob Elliott, with community, residential and busi- In a press release, Executive Direc- Nels Erickson, Lara Foster, Frank Frey, Charles Garratt, Dave Gilliam, Scott taking a hard look at ways to bring major community investments in solar ness gardens, and the project will also planned across North Carolina. tant Director Greg Abernathy. power to the area. Goebel, Lisa Goodpaster, Bruce Gould, Gary Greer, Jed Grubbs, Bill Harris, Paul partner with organizations to ensure For more information, visit: Hays, Susan Hazlewood, Sharon Helt, Tim Huntley, Pamela Johnston, Mary K., Connect to Sustainable Living at Whippoorwill Fest With so much promise this spring, we’re excited to see our collective work long-term garden sustainability. butterflyhighway.org/bh-info Denny Keeney, Allison Keith, Rose Koontz, Frances Lamberts, Susan Lewis, bear fruit this year and beyond. The importance of your support for these Have you ever wanted to learn onsite camping, people can Loy Lilley, Debra Locher, Joy Lourie, Diane Lucas, Gail Marney, Mast General how to start a fire by friction? Or how participate in workshops on efforts can’t be overstated. Store, Kate McClory, Kim McClure, Rich McDonough, Mike McKinney, Steve Middle School Student Influences State Reptile Selection to make bark into a basket? You can medicinal plants, birds, sustain- Moeller, Nick Mullins, Catherine Murray, Don O’Dell, Rob Osborne, Eva Perkins, For the mountains, Thanks to the help of 11-year-old Aiden title. After he detailed this to State Delegate learn these skills and more at the able agriculture and survival Patti Phelps, Rick Phelps, Bronwyn Reece, Martin Richards, Carol Rollman, Coleman, Virginia’s official state reptile may Brenda L. Pogge, she drafted a bill to honor sixth annual Whippoorwill Festival skills. The gathering also hon- Kristin Rouse, Jenny Rytel, Debbie Samuels, Steve Scarborough, Gerry and Joe soon be the eastern garter snake. The snake, the snake. The bill slithered its way through in eastern Kentucky this July. ors Appalachian culture with Scardo, Frank Schaller, Kathy Selvage, Brenda Sigmon, Lucy Spencer, Jennifer Tom Cormons, Executive Director though fearful and notoriously smelly, is harm- the general assembly with minimal opposition The festival’s goal is to promote a workshop on ballads and by Stertzer, Jim Stockwell, Robert Thompson, Derrick Von Kundra, Bill Wasserman, less to humans and known to be excellent at and was approved at the end of February. A sustainable living through sharing offering nightly entertainment Dean Whitworth, Amy Wickham, Barbara Williamson, Diana Withen, Gabrielle pest control. Coleman believes these factors, decision from Gov. Terry McAuliffe will finalize and practicing earth-based skills. from regional musicians and Zeiger, Ray Zimmerman among others, make it deserving of the state the designation. –Dylan Turner The event also seeks to preserve Photo by Jameson Pfeil jam sessions around the fire. ways of life that have fallen out of — Eliza Laubach See more at appvoices.org/calendar 17-year Cicada Brood Appalachian Trail practice since modernity and manufactur- When: July 7-10 Where: Lago Linda GET INVOLVED environmental & cultural events ing have changed the way humans interact Hideaway in Beattyville, Ky. Cost: $35 - to Emerge This Spring Interns Wanted with nature. At Whippoorwill, in addition to $125. Visit: whippoorwillfest.com Six Faiths, Six Voices, One Earth Natural Gas Infrastructure Webinar SWVA