From a century-old school to generational farms, from environmental sustainability to clean energy efforts, the mountains are going strong.
Nicholas Moore
The Friends group for West Virginia’s Blackwater Canyon is dedicated to keeping the 10,000-acre “crown jewel” natural and diverse.
All across the Southern Appalachians, people and organizations are making efforts to live and work more at peace—more green—with the beautiful region we live in. We highlight just a few of those efforts.
West Virginia
Friends of Blackwater. Going green for this organization means staying green! Specifically, their efforts “promote natural beauty, diverse creatures, unique heritage and the outdoor recreation economy” of the state’s “Scenic Crown Jewel”—Blackwater Canyon. This water-carved gorge is surrounded by 10,000 acres of protected wilderness that supports diverse populations of flora and fauna native to the mountains. Visitors of the human variety come for the exceptional whitewater, stunning views and a 12-mile trail that was once a railroad.
Combining a team of professionals with citizen advocacy, the work of this particular Friends group includes a number of conservation and sustainability projects.
Several endeavors reflect a statewide vision such as advocacy for state parks and forests; watershed restoration; and trail development and maintenance. Others focus on the human contributions of local communities via virtual tours and historic signage. Also, ongoing projects address more global challenges like climate change and its effects on “the cool, high-mountain ecology and economy of the [Allegheny] Highlands,” endangered species and land usage issues. saveblackwater.org
Virginia
Courtesy of Farmer Focus
Virginia’s six-generation Farmer Focus brand is “100% organic and humane certified” chicken.
Shenandoah Valley Organic. For six generations the founders of this company have raised chickens. As farming evolved, so did this family’s business. They are “the only 100% organic and humane-certified chicken company with a mission to protect and promote generational family farms.” Their partnerships with 70 family farms to responsibly raise organic chicken creates a sustainable livelihood for folks in “the largest sector of the Commonwealth’s largest private industry—agriculture.”
The company has also re-evaluated and re-engineered its daily farming practices around environmental goals. For example, there are recycling projects, wastewater treatment and eco-friendly products in use that have received accolades from the state’s Department of Environmental Quality. Also, composting, water conservation and many other strategies to lessen the impacts of raising and processing recently earned this innovative organization a place in the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program.
The Farmer Focus brand is available at over 2,500 stores. On each package is a “4-letter source Farm ID that links that product to the exact farm and farmer who raised it.” farmerfocus.com
Kentucky
Courtesy of Pine Mountain Settlement
Kentucky’s Pine Mountain Settlement School offers “place-based” enviromental education in Harlan County.
Pine Mountain Settlement School. Woven into the fabric of the Appalachian Mountains on 800 acres is this singular and exceptional campus. Beginning in 1913, students and the coal country community of Harlan County came for “place-based education” that could “enrich and enhance” their lives. Today this mission continues with world-class environmental education, community development, and an emphasis on culture, heritage and broader outreach.
Specifically, the school welcomes over 3,000 students per year who learn about and participate in environmental lessons and projects in the surrounding woodlands. The community program includes farm-fresh breakfasts and lunches for children. And the Farm Institute program offers no-cost workshops, organic seeds and supplies to assist over 80 participants per year with traditional and sustainable farming practices.
There are 26 buildings constructed by local folks using rock and wood from the area at this National Register of Historic Places campus. For the public, lodging and food as well as meeting spaces are available for an immersive visit to this pristine forested location with a mountain history that runs generations deep. pinemountainsettlementschool.com
AppHarvest Greenhouse. Agriculture in Kentucky has embraced technology, infrastructure and clean, efficient growing practices in a new 60-acre greenhouse complex—the largest in the country. Rows and rows of hydroponic tanks with tomato vines supported upward to the glass ceiling fill this 2.8-million-square-foot facility.
A combination of LED (40% more efficient than traditional bulbs; and, the largest installation in the world) with HPS lighting creates the perfect spectrum (and temperature options) for growing. This system requires 90% less water, which is gathered from rain and contained in a closed-loop recycled system. No herbicides are used; and the crop yields are 30 times higher per square foot than outdoor tomato fields.
For the labor force, this climate-controlled environment ameliorates the need for seasonal moves, dangerous chemical exposure and the back-breaking “stoop” to harvest. Workers have year-round employment at competitive wages—with benefits. This visionary model of greenhouse agriculture is already expanding in eastern Kentucky with a comparably sized structure for more tomatoes near Richmond and a fifteen-acre facility to grow fresh greens in Berea. appharvest.com
North Carolina
Courtesy of GSMNP Library
The North Carolina-based American Chestnut Foundation is dedicated to restoring the once-mighty chestnut tree, like the old specimen shown here in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The American Chestnut Foundation. Dedicated to the broad vision of “a robust eastern forest restored to its splendor,” this Asheville-based nonprofit is laser focused on a single tree species—the American chestnut. These trees produce superior food for wildlife and livestock as well as humans who traditionally harvested the sweet fruits as a cash crop in rural areas. Additionally, the straight-grained, rot-resistant wood was historically used in construction, furniture, crafts and even musical instruments.
This mighty denizen once occupied more than 200 million acres from Maine to Alabama. An estimated four billion trees thrived for centuries until a fungal blight all but decimated the species during the first half of the 20th century. There is, however, hope for this tree. Through advanced biotechnology and traditional breeding, this organization is well on the way to biodiverse restoration of one of “the largest, tallest and fastest-growing trees in our forests.”
The foundation has developed blight-resistant varieties, and partners with groups like the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to return this native tree species to the land. Their work is grounded in science, watered with patience and nourished with optimism for a future that includes the magnificent American chestnut tree. acf.org
E-bikes. There’s a growing “movement” in the Asheville area—and it’s quiet and clean. E-bikes. While cycling is a popular recreational pastime along the greenways, the increasing availability of electric-powered bicycles is widening the scope of travel in this western North Carolina landscape. With increasing emphasis on (and the accompanying funding of) nonautomotive infrastructure, this city is poised to offer substantive “go green” alternatives for local transportation.
In addition to significantly reduced CO2 emissions (gasoline vehicles—381 grams/mile; electric cars—123 grams/mile; e-bikes—5 grams/mile), advances in technology continue to improve the benefits of e-bike ownership. Smaller, more affordable options are certainly forthcoming, for example. Also, folks are leaving the car in the driveway and “gettin’ around” for errands or commuting to work on e-bikes.
For those of us who might hesitate because physical fitness seems to be a distant memory, worry not. E-bikes level the hills!
At publication, there are nine retailers in the area who have e-bike options (purchase and/or rental) in their inventory.
Tennessee
Gatlinburg. For more than four decades this small town (pop. 4,000), whose next-door neighbor is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has worked tirelessly on green initiatives. Officially starting in 1979 with a proper refuse collection program for residential and commercial waste, they’ve consistently added sustainability projects through the years.
Recycling, wastewater management and vehicle emission solutions have been addressed via multiple efforts. For the latter, alternative fuel government vehicles and free public transit hybrid trolleys lead the way. Also, the city has focused on using energy efficient lighting across all public facilities since 2012. This includes upgrading to LED for indoor and outdoor uses—and there are lots and lots of lights in this 10 square-mile town.
Gatlinburg has received many accolades for their sustainability and environmental successes in the past. Yet, they still have an eye toward the future with plans for more green initiatives. Ideas for a solar farm on the roof of the Convention Center, adding to the six electric vehicle public charging stations and an electric co-gen system for the wastewater treatment plant keep this small mountain town firmly on the green track. gatlinburg.com
South Carolina
Courtesy of Roper Mountain Science Center
South Carolina’s Roper Mountain Science Center is dedicated to biodiversity and the stewardship of natural resources.
Roper Mountain Science Center. The students of today will be the innovators of tomorrow for environmental challenges that exist and may arise. To equip the young folks with the tools for these tasks, this science center opened a new 30,000-square-foot building in 2021 to teach “the importance of water, ecology, biodiversity and the stewardship of natural resources.”
Named The Environmental Science and Sustainability Center, its purpose is to “demonstrate how our personal and collective actions influence the future of our community and the world.” There are seven classrooms and themed exhibits titled Our Water Story, Sustainable Future, Nature Exchange and Habitat Walkthrough.
Opened in 1985 as part of Greenville County Schools, the Roper Mountain facility is a testament to successful public-private-corporate-volunteer collaboration. The center currently welcomes a combined 80,000 students per year from 45 districts and 23 counties in the state through its “hands-on, standards-based science learning labs” and outreach programs. Additionally, there are public events and professional development programs in sustainability and environmental science for teachers. ropermountain.org
Georgia
Mountain Conservation Trust. Born three decades ago from a deep concern for the southern tip of the Appalachian Mountains, this organization is “dedicated to the permanent conservation of the natural resources and scenic beauty of the North Georgia foothills and mountains.” Management practices at the time were contrary to the health of ecosystems in the Appalachians – some of the oldest and most diverse mountains on the planet.
So, the group formed partnerships, promoted education and established a land trust to protect areas throughout the region. The reasons and goals for a land trust are varied. Some include conserving habitat, human history, water and air quality, addressing climate change, outdoor recreation and supporting local communities amongst other purposes.
To date this nonprofit has worked with public and private landowners on 19 distinct projects and successfully protected over 7,500 acres of land. With an eye toward future land uses, individuals can participate directly in conservation efforts via easements, donations and/or sale of land, inclusion of intentions in estate planning or land trades. mctga.org
Courtesy of Rock City
Georgia’s Rock City is home to a new solar-powered garden arbor.
Rock City. “Sustainability in action” greets visitors at the entrance plaza of this famous destination. A new solar-powered garden arbor, constructed of “sustainably harvested rough-sawn cypress,” offers shade and features many plant species from the gardens. Installed on the roof is an array of solar panels that “generates 16,800 kWh of renewable energy per year to power the plaza.” (That amount of electricity will run 40 refrigerators or 3,200 cell phones annually.)
“The solar garden arbor was built in partnership with Seven States Power Corporation and EPB…and supported by the sun,” says Meagan Jolley, PR manager for Rock City. “Alongside environmental responsibility, innovation and partnerships in the community such as these, our guest experience is enhanced when sustainable projects can be completed that tie in to the natural and enchanted history of the gardens.”
This “national treasure of botanical, geological and entrepreneurial significance” atop Lookout Mountain has welcomed visitors since 1932. And, this latest clean energy addition continues Rock City’s Green Way Forward mission of responsible stewardship for its natural wonders. seerockcity.com
The Roots of Arbor Day and When to Celebrate it in 2022
A little Arbor Day history: When one J. Sterling Morton moved into the Nebraska Territory in the mid-1800s, he and his wife noticed the sparseness of trees and began planting them along with shrubs and flowers.
On January 4, 1872 he proposed a “tree planting holiday,” which he called Arbor Day. The day was officially proclaimed by the State of Nebraska in April 1874, and within a year named a legal holiday on Morton’s birthday of April 22. Other states followed with other dates adjusted to coincide with the best planting weather.
The Arbor Day Foundation (arborday.org)—also founded in Nebraska—celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2022, and since that 1972 onset has planted more than 350 million trees. The organization offers many programs and initiatives, including Tree City USA, co-sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters and the United States Forest Service.
Scores of communities in the Blue Ridge region have achieved Tree City status, with many having held the distinction for decades. To find out if your community is a Tree City or to find out how to work to make it one: arborday.org/programs/treecityusa/
In the Blue Ridge region many state goverment agencies, local planners, organizations and landowners contribute work toward tree health and planting. A glimpse at each state’s Arbor Day, state tree and contacts for more information:
VIRGINIA
State tree: Flowering dogwood
State Forester: Rob Farrell, Dept of Forestry
Arbor Day: Last Friday in April - April 29, 2022
NORTH CAROLINA
State tree: Pine
State Forester: David Lane, NC State Forest Service
Arbor Day: First Friday following March 15 - March 18, 2022
TENNESSEE
State tree: Tulip poplar (also known as Tulip tree)
State Forester: David Arnold
Arbor Day: First Friday in March - March 4, 2022
WEST VIRGINIA
State tree: Sugar maple
State Forester: Tom Cover
Arbor Day: Second Friday in April - April 8, 2022
KENTUCKY
State tree: Tulip tree
State Forester: Brandon Howard
eec.ky.gov/Natural-Resources/Forestry
Arbor Day: Last Friday in April - April 29, 2022
SOUTH CAROLINA
State tree: Palmetto
State Forester: Scott Phillips
Arbor Day: First Friday in December - December 2, 2022.
GEORGIA
State tree: Southern live oak
State Forester: Tim Lowrimore
Arbor Day: Third Friday in February - February 17, 2023
—Joan Wenner
The story above first appeared in our March / April 2022 issue. For more like it subscribe today or log in with your active BRC+ Membership. Thank you for your support!