Happenings Around the Mountain

Events

August 4: Responding While Recovering — Storm Recovery Futures Amid Ongoing Disaster— Remote at 2 p.m. EST

• Across Appalachia, many states are navigating the difficult reality of recovering from disasters while preparing for the next one. Increasingly frequent and severe storms are straining local capacity and highlighting the urgent need for stronger disaster recovery frameworks, improved flood mitigation strategies, and state-led funding pathways. Join this presentation for a discussion on challenges, translating data into political action, and more. Register HERE.

WV Rivers Coalition has scheduled community meetings to help combat PFAS around the state. Join a meeting near you in August:

• New Haven: Tuesday, August 11, 6-8 pm | New Haven Community Building
• Harrisville: Wednesday, August 12, 6-8 pm | Harrisville Town Building
• St. Marys: Thursday, August 13, 6-8 pm | Jim Spence Center
• Hurricane: Monday, August 17, 6-8 pm | Valley Park
• Walton: Tuesday, August 25, 6-8 pm | Walton Community Building
• Moorefield: Thursday, August 27, 6-8 pm | Main Street Gallery and Art Center
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August 8: Black History in the Highlands — Moorefield at 4 p.m.

• Friends of Blackwater’s J. R. Clifford Project is pleased to present a free, family-friendly, public historical program — “The African American Experience of Struggle and Achievement in West Virginia’s Allegheny Highlands.” 
• Hear speakers Dr. Cicero M. Fain and Dr. Tamara Denmark-Bailey speak at the South Branch Inn. RSVP and learn more HERE.

August 9: C&O Canal Towpath Bike Ride – Gift Road parking lot at 10 a.m.

• Meet with others from the West Virginia Sierra Club for an easy 8.5-mile group bike road. Enjoy the outdoors and learn about the history of the area along the way. This is part of a series of easy Sunday bike outings. Learn more about this free event HERE. Find other outings with the WV Sierra Club HERE.

 

August 9: Journey’s End Grand Finale at the Gaines Estate — Fayetteville from 3 to 6 p.m.

• The New River Conservancy is hosting an opportunity to meet the New River Expedition Crew, who just finished their journey along most of the New River! Come learn more about the project and the adventures along the way. For more information and to buy tickets, click HERE.

August 19: Morgantown Annual Corn Roast — Morgantown from 6-9 p.m.

• Join the West Virginia Sierra Club for their annual corn roast event at Krepps Park in Morgantown. Grab some local roasted corn at the Upper Pavillion.

Opportunities

West Virginians for Energy Freedom is seeking a new Coalition Manager! Do you have what it takes to help communities across the state fight for fair, clean energy? Take a look at the job description and apply today! 

If you’re looking for remote or other environmental work, take a gander at the Green Jobs Board.

AmeriCorps has a variety of service opportunities around the state:

• Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area
• Cockayne Farmstead – Preserve WV AmeriCorps
• Common Waters WVU VISTA
• Conservation Legacy – Crew Member
• Conservation Legacy Assistant Crew Leader
• Conservation Legacy Individual Placement

WV Department of Environmental Protection has quite a few open positions. See those HERE.

Actions

200 million acres of public lands are under threat. The federal government is coming for America’s Wilderness, but there’s still time to fight back! The Department of the Interior is reviewing policies that help ensure our wild public lands are protected now and forever. This review could clear the way for industrial development, resource extraction, unsustainable motorized vehicle use, privatization, and other activities that threaten the wild character of these landscapes.

Sierra Club is gathering public comments from folks like us to discourage the government from stripping these protections. Take action by August 14th HERE!

Interested in taking it a step further? Consider joining the Wild About Wilderness Photo and Video Campaign. Show the federal government how Americans use and enjoy public lands. (The following was taken from a media toolkit created by Sierra Club)

STEP 1: TAKE A PHOTO OR VIDEO

Before you go: Consider making a sign to bring along. Some sign ideas:

• I’m wild about wilderness
• Defend America’s wilderness
• Don’t sell out our wilderness
• Protect wilderness for future generations

Visit public lands: Go to a trailhead, boat put-in, iconic viewpoint, or other place in a Wilderness Area, Wilderness Study Area, or other wilderness-quality lands (see map to find a place near you). 

Take your photo or video: Stand next to a trail or wilderness sign, or at a viewpoint or geologic feature. Use our tips for capturing and creating social media content. 

STEP 2: POST YOUR PHOTO OR VIDEO 

1. SHARE a story or relevant experience in your post text (people resonate most with real life examples or expertise you have).

For example, “As an avid hiker I want wilderness protected because…”, “When I visited [insert area] I saw…”, “I want my children to be able to experience wilderness because…”

2. Include a link to take action: sc.org/wilderness

You can also replace the above Step 1 and 2 with this toolkit link which provides sample posts.

3. MENTION or TAG the Interior Department and your members of Congress:

Find your Congress members’ social media accounts by searching on a specific platform or Google searching “Representative [name] + [social media platform]” or “Senator [name] + [social media platform].”

Interior Department:

Facebook and Instagram: @USInterior

X/Twitter: @Interior 

4. TAG @sierraclub and we can help share your posts! On Instagram, you can also tag our campaign account: @polluterlands. 

STEP 3: SHARE your photo or video with us to use in Sierra Club social media posts!

Submit your photo or video here.