Serving Virginia Parks

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is launching the inaugural year of its Virginia Service and Conservation Corps program. Participants will maintain trails and improve natural habitats at Pocahontas, Leesylvania or Hungry Mother State Park.

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Five Schools Switch to Landfill Gas Power

By Carvan Craft Five colleges are putting the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” into practice with their initiative to use landfill gas for light and power. Hollins University, Emory & Henry College, Lynchburg College, Randolph College and Sweet Briar College are the first institutions in Virginia on track to meet all of…

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Southwest Virginia is for (Outdoor) Lovers

By Amber Ellis On Sept. 13-14 in Abingdon, Va., the Appalachian Spring Initiative will host a regional expo to highlight southwest Virginia’s outdoor recreational opportunities. The initiative, which focuses on community development, has identified eight attractions as pillars of ecotourism in southwestern Virginia, including the New River, High Knob Recreation Area and the Daniel Boone…

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New Law Helps Cyclists in Virginia

Bicyclists in Virginia can breathe easier now that the minimum distance for passing motorists has increased from two to three feet. At the time of the law’s passage, Virginia was number 18 on the annual ranking of bicycle friendly states by the League of American Bicyclists.

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Community Impacts of Controversial Coalfields Expressway Project 
in Va. to Receive Thorough Review

Agency letters Federal Highway Administration, May 22, 2014 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sept. 11, 2012 Environmental Protection Agency, Sept. 7, 2012 Corps of Engineers, Sept. 7, 2012 Contact: 
 Jane Branham, Southern Appalachia Mountain Stewards, [email protected], (276) 565-6167 
 Deborah Murray, Southern Environmental Law Center, [email protected], (434) 977-4090 
 Marley Green, Sierra Club, [email protected],…

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Groups Seek Protection of Virginia Waterways from Mining Pollution

Red River Coal Co. Violating “Last Line of Defense” Clean Water Act Protections Contact: Eric Chance, Appalachian Voices, 828-262-1500 [email protected] Sean Sarah, Sierra Club, 202-548-4589 [email protected] Matt Hepler, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards, 540-871-1564 [email protected] Big Stone Gap, VA –Citizen and environmental groups today filed suit in federal court over illegal water pollution from four mines…

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Clinch Water Revival: Ecotourism on the River

By Kimber Ray No one could fail to notice Clinch River Adventures. Just off the banks of the Clinch River, this tubing, canoeing and kayaking outfitter is housed in a bright red caboose with the town’s name, St. Paul, painted on the side. But the colorful building is far from the most prominent attribute people…

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More Than a Market

By Megan Northcote Shopping for fresh, locally grown foods at farmers markets is always a refreshing way to find healthy foods while supporting the community. But in recent years, some farmers markets have transformed from grocery store alternatives to tourist destinations, featuring cooking and artisan demonstrations, hands-on healthy living activities for children, and food and…

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Progress for Tennessee Wilderness

By Molly Moore Efforts to preserve wild lands in East Tennessee took a step forward this spring when a bill to designate nearly 20,000 acres in the Cherokee National Forest as wilderness passed the Senate Agriculture Committee. First introduced by Tennessee Republican Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker in 2010, the Tennessee Wilderness Act would…

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Streamside Technology in the Clinch River Valley

By Kimber Ray Although visitors are unlikely to stumble upon Saint Paul, Va., by chance, those who do might be surprised to learn that this small, rural town hosts some of the most novel trails in the country. Located along the crystal-clear waters of the Clinch River in Russell and Wise Counties, Saint Paul boasts…

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