The Appalachian Voice
River Watchdogs Raise Awareness of Bacteria Levels at Popular Swim Spots
Cool water, river swim spots and… bacteria? River advocates want to see more water testing and better water quality notification systems.
Read MoreTicks: Get to Know Them, and Then Avoid Them
Climate change has led to an increase in the population and range of these tiny, disease-spreading bloodsuckers.
Read MoreStriking Alabama Miners Are Done Playing Nice
Hundreds of UMWA miners remain on the picket line at the Warrior Met Coal mine.
Read MoreTVA Considers Replacing Coal with Another Fossil Fuel
The Tennessee Valley Authority is deciding whether to replace its coal-fired power plants with gas or with renewable resources. Advocates are calling on the Senate to confirm four new TVA board nominees.
Read MoreVirginia Outlaws Box Turtles as Pets
The new regulation, which took effect in July, aims to reduce poaching and mitigate turtle population decline from habitat loss.
Read MorePurple Martins: The Neighbors We Didn’t Know We Wanted
The migratory purple martin is almost entirely dependent on human-made housing while it lives in Eastern North America during the warmer months.
Read MoreRemoval of Historic Dam Aims to Restore Watauga River
On May 16, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Ward Mill Dam in an effort to reconnect streams across the Watauga River watershed. The B.O. Ward House and Mill Complex was preserved and added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Read MoreFive Trails in Appalachia Designated National Recreation Trails
In June, the U.S. Department of the Interior celebrated National Trails Day by designating 10 trails as National Recreation Trails, including five in Appalachia.
Read MoreThe Tale of Gray’s Lily
Two enthusiastic botanists tracking the rare Gray’s lily at Tater Hill Plant Preserve in North Carolina help the writer search for signs of the elusive flower at a nearby parcel of land.
Read MoreSouthwest Virginians Share Solar Experiences
Two people and one organization based in Southwest Virginia tell their solar stories.
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