Landscape as Our Legacy

Realizing Opportunities in Appalachian Wetlands

Wetlands Project Partnering Organizations

Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team

The Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team, an OSM/VISTA initiative, seeks to build the capacity of small, grassroots watershed organizations and their low-income communities in eight Appalachian states by fighting poverty and providing rural communities with the assistance they need to make their own coal mining communities cleaner, healthier and safer places to live and work.

It has always been our goal to support efforts that focus on alleviating the many effects of pre-regulatory coal mining by incorporating science-based research, local and regional community organizing, education and outreach, along with the celebration of a proud mining heritage found throughout Appalachia. The Wise Wetlands Project began as a place-based replication of a successful project in Vintondale, Pa., AMD&ART. What was once a 35-acre wasteland, remnants of the town’s coal mining legacy, is now a thoughtfully designed AMD passive treatment system as well as a functional community park.

The principle applied at AMD&ART seemed to be a natural fit on the campus of the University of Virginia's College at Wise: honor local heritage, enhance and capitalize upon regional partnerships, and provide a venue for education about watershed issues and recovery from the pollution that has scarred many communities in this region – all while bringing hope where little has existed.

Appalachian Math Science Partnership

The overall goals of AMSP are to eliminate the “achievement gap” in science and mathematics for preK-12 students in the Central Appalachian Region; and build an integrated preK-12 and higher education system in this underserved region which ensures the selection, development and career-long support of a diverse and high quality mathematics and science teacher workforce.

AMSP believes that no one institution, preK-12 school districts, institution of higher education or community organization can independently solve the many problems related to improving science and mathematics education in rural school environment.  AMSP’s effectiveness will be proportional to the extent that all of its partners contribute and the extent to which activities involve partner participation across components, are utilized to maximize the contributions of individuals and partners.

AMSP supports the Wetlands Project in building our partnership with UVa-Wise and the community.  We also want to help classroom teachers realize the importance of using a wetland habitat to enhance instruction in teaching the Science Standards of Learning.

Department of Conservation and Recreation

The Department of Conservation and Recreation works with Virginians to conserve, protect and enhance their lands and improve the quality of the Chesapeake Bay and our rivers and streams, promotes the stewardship and enjoyment of natural, cultural and outdoor recreational resources, and ensures the safety of Virginia's dams.

DCR, with the cooperation of partners and customers, is a leader in: providing tangible and lasting improvements to the quality of Virginia's resource lands and waters; serving as a trusted steward of the outdoor recreational and natural resources placed under its care; promoting the conservation and enjoyment of Virginia's diverse and unique environment and rich cultural legacy for future generation; protecting public safety through regulatory programs and conservation law enforcement; and recognizing the value of its dedicated and committed workforce.

”The UVa-Wise Wetland Project is multidimensional. It is a water-quality improvement project that focuses on a critical, regional water issue -- Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). It is a landscape design project where there is an emphasis on aesthetics. It is part of a college campus. It offers an ongoing location for educational activities. It is a testament to a diverse group of conservation partners working together as a team. As a legacy project, it honors the local history and promises future attention to respecting and improving very special local natural resources. It is itself a living resource that will undergo its own natural succession over time. It is a stimulus that will allow people to find many different meanings as they enjoy its presence. It is shallow, as wetlands by definition tend to be, but there is depth, too. It is and will be something to think about.” 

-Tony Pane, DCR Conservation District Coordinator

Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy

The Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy's mission is to enhance the development and conservation of energy and mineral resources in a safe and environmentally sound manner to support a more productive economy. To successfully accomplish that mission, the agency's Division of Mined Land Reclamation has established goals for community involvement and environmental restoration projects within the coalfields. The acid mine drainage remediation wetland on the campus of the University of Virginia's College at Wise is a wonderful example and the agency is fortunate to be counted as one of many project partners.

The Lonesome Pine Soil and Water Conservation District

LPSWCD's mission is to provide and promote leadership in the conservation of natural resources through stewardship and education. The  Lonesome Pine Soil and Water Conservation District as the lead organization will provide educational and technical assistance in natural resources conservation. Lonesome  Pine Soil and Water Conservation District will assist local government, landholders, schools, civic groups, and businesses to cooperate and communicate through positive motivation. Lonesome Pins Soil and Water Conservation District will provide all practical protection possible for air and water quality, available water source, soil productivity, forest management and energy conservation

The University of Virginia’s College at Wise NSTA Student Chapter

The student chapter of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is committed to furthering NSTA’s overall mission of promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. To achieve this goal, the chapter is led by NSTA’s guiding principles:

• Model excellence
• Embrace and model diversity through equity, respect, and opportunity for all
• Provide and expand professional development to support standards-based science education
• Serve as a voice for the excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning, curriculum and instruction, and assessment
• Promote interest and support for science education, collaboratively and proactively throughout society
• Exemplify a dynamic organization that values and practices self renewal

The chapter envisions serving as a liaison in science education between the College and local school districts. The chapter seeks to build collaborative partnerships where educational ideas can be exchanged and created to benefit students in the area. As part of this goal, the chapter has chosen to support the Wetlands Project at UVA-Wise. This project will permit unique opportunities to implement an environmental place-based education program that has great potential for teaching and learning by students in all grade levels.  It is the chapter's hope that the Wetlands Project can serve as a foundation for creating a number of future educational collaborative partnerships.

Office of Surface Mining

The Office of Surface Mining Clean Streams Program is a broad-based  citizen/industry/government program working to eliminate acid mine drainage from abandoned coal mines.

Using a combination of private and governmental resources, the Program facilitates and coordinates citizen groups, university researchers, the coal industry, corporations, the
environmental community, and local, state, and federal government
agencies that are involved in cleaning up streams polluted by acid
drainage.

OSM Clean Streams partnered with the UVa-Wise wetlands project first to
fund design development, then to fund the construction of the treatment
system portion of the project itself. In addition, we provided both OSMInterns and OSM/VISTA positions to develop the initial concept plan and later to create the campus base, regional partnerships and outreach initiative to create a sustainable and contributing UVS-Wise Legacy Wetlands Project. Throughout the project history, Dr. Allan Comp of the
Clean Streams Program served as a resource and guide to the project.

Powell River Project Mission

The Powell River Project is a cooperative program of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), other educational institutions serving southwestern Virginia's coalfield counties, and southwestern Virginia's natural resource industries. The Powell River Project conducts research and education programs to enhance restoration of mined lands and to benefit communities and businesses in southwestern Virginia's coalfield region.

Powell River Project research develops practical, cost-effective solutions to natural resource problems in central Appalachian coal mining areas. Topics addressed include mine reclamation and environmental protection practices by coal mining operations; use of reclaimed mined lands for forests, agriculture, and homes; and water and timber resources.

Powell River Project education programs disseminate the results of completed research, with the goal of putting research results into practice. A series of "how-to" publications, published by Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, describes practical results of completed research.

Powell River Project staff work with teachers and students to demonstrate scientific concepts in the field at the Powell River Project Education Center in Wise County, Virginia. This 1,100-acre center hosts active coal mining, gas and timber production, and former mines, as well as long-term research sites and field-based education programs that focus on coal mining and the environment.