2025 — Summer Archives < Appalachian Voices

Continuity of Connection: Museum Exhibition Features Contemporary Native Artwork About Indigenous Mounds

By Abby Hassler | August 4, 2025 |

John Henry Gloynes "Birthright A vision into the plight of Southeastern indigenous culture through the eyes of Guernica."

A new exhibition, “Homelands: Connecting to Mounds through Native Art,” at the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, features contemporary art from four of the 11 Native nations with ancestral ties to UT land.

Appalachia’s Funkiest Fungi

By Contributing Writers | July 25, 2025 |

Bleeding Tooth Fungus - Holger Krisp via Wikimedia Commons

Don’t miss 10 of Appalachia’s funkiest fungi! From Bleeding Tooth Fungus to Dead Man’s Fingers, we’ve selected the weirdest of the weird fungi. Hopefully you can find and appreciate some of these beautiful and fascinating local residents in your neck of the woods.

Protected Paths: Trails Through Public Lands

By Contributing Writers | July 24, 2025 |

This series features lesser-known trails in Appalachia’s public lands. They show the beauty and significance of hiking on public lands.

The Long Trail Back: Public Lands Recovery After Hurricane Helene

By Abby Hassler | July 24, 2025 |

Wild South’s chainsaw team (left to right: Ben Shaw, Nick Massey and Taylor Hilgeman) lend a hand rerouting a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail near Table Rock in response to Hurricane Helene. This section was next to, but outside of, the Linville Gorge Wilderness, so chainsaw use was permitted. Photo by Jonathan Massey, Wild South

Hurricane Helene devastated many of Appalachia’s most beloved natural areas. Thanks to federal, state and local partners and volunteers, many of these outdoor spaces have reopened. But full recovery is far from over. Current and looming federal budget cuts and policy changes have made already challenging land restoration work even more arduous.

People vs. Pipelines

By Contributing Writers | July 24, 2025 |

Patricia Smarsh and Jeffrey Gilliam stand in front of their crepe myrtles. Photo by Abby Hassler

Patricia Smarsh and Jeffrey Gilliam’s land is threatened by the Ridgeline Pipeline, a proposed methane gas project from Enbridge Inc.

A Call to Protect the Hellbender, Appalachia’s Largest Salamander

By Contributing Writers | July 24, 2025 |

Hellbenders require clean water to survive. Photo by Jacob Loyacano/Shutterstock.com

The Eastern hellbender is eligible to receive federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. In December 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a proposal to classify the hellbender as endangered.

Facing a Funding Fight

By Contributing Writers | July 24, 2025 |

Graphic of the capitol building on a white background

We take a look at some of Trump’s federal funding proposals for Fiscal Year 2026 that have a disproportionate impact on the air, land, water and local economies of Appalachia.