Renew Appalachia:
Transforming Old Mine Lands into New Opportunities
Gwen Akers
The Ashland Beacon
Mine land makes up over 1.5 million acres of the Appalachian region, and working on restoring that mine land is the name of the game for Lauren Traitz and Richard Shmikler, who work for Renew Appalachia. Renew Appalachia’s mission is to create a framework for repurposing Appalachia’s reclaimed surface mines toward sustainable uses that support the surrounding communities. Founded in Martin County, Kentucky and partnering with individuals, nonprofits and local businesses, they hope to keep working toward improving and renewing the beautiful land we call home.
“What we're looking to do is to introduce and model ventures and different types of operations that provide an economic stimulus to create job opportunities that benefit the community as well as [something that is] environmentally sustainable,” expressed Shmikler, the Managing Director of the project.
Starting here, in the heart of Eastern Kentucky, the folks of Renew Appalachia have been surveying and working reclaimed mine land which is often left with severely compacted soil. This soil, in this compacted state, is not fit for farming or agricultural uses until it has been restored – a process that Traitz and Smikler are working to perfect. This includes a research project with Kentucky State University, researching soil makeup and how this makeup changes overtime.
“We're not the only ones who are starting to see the value here.” Explained Traitz, Director of Community for Renew Appalachia. Other organizations such as The Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands, which is currently in its preliminary planning stages for a project that will address problems caused by historic coal mining in the Ashland Kentucky area, is also starting to see the value of addressing problems caused by earlier mining and the importance of the land to its natural and sustainable state. “What we're interested in is being able to develop things alongside the local community that helps and supports the folks of this region to get ahead of that curve, and to create things that not only bring them financial, but environmental benefits,” detailed Traitz. Invasive species – including plants and animals – often also move into the land and need to be relocated to promote local plants and animal species to return to the landscape.
The team of Renew Appalachia work to create job opportunities, promote biodiversity and habitat construction through several lines including forest farming and invasive species work. Forest farming, one of the primary solutions Renew Appalachia is experimenting with, concerns cultivating high-value crops under the protection of a managed tree canopy. So far, they have also utilized ecological conservation practices and removed invasive species from around 300 acres of land. They hope to also lay the groundwork (and seeds!) for a future forest, which will continue to help cultivate the land.
Besides restoring the land through our own hands, Renew Appalachia has also been researching ways to use this land as farmland and grazing land for sheep and goats during this transition or renewal period. This begins with understanding smart grazing practices and choosing the correct grazing livestock to combat and “graze” invasive species at the same time. The hope is that not only will this provide possible farmland for farmers, but also help the land return to its natural state.
“Part of what we value is that we see the natural beauty and the wildness of Eastern Kentucky to be one of its most incredible assets, as well as Appalachian culture,” explained Traitz. “The hope is that this project becomes this inspiration model for the rest of those 1.5 million acres.”
The goal is that by returning this land to a natural and sustainable state, the culture of Appalachia can continue to grow and flourish just as it always has. Renew Appalachia is community focused and community driven – and it is the people of Appalachia that help make their work possible.
“We want everyone, but particularly young folks, to be able to make a really good living doing stuff that's good for their mountains and really honors the culture that you know they come from,” continued Traitz. For more information about Renew Appalachia’s restoration initiatives and to get involved, you can check out their website at About – Renew Appalachia and find them on Facebook. Until then, keep loving the beautiful mountains and scenery that makes our home so unique!
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