Page 30 - TNC AR 2018_Digital Demo

TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE | WEST VIRGINIA
”We needed time for for deep listening and and learning —about the the the changes and and about about hopes for for the the the future— to to to to be able to to to to work together to to to to nd nd solutions ” “The Nature Conservancy usually digs right into solu- tions tions when we we host a a a a a a a a a a meeting What we we heard in in in prior conversations with stakeholders though was that that the the complexity of the the changes that that many West Virginians are experiencing requires a a a a a a a a a a a a di erent approach We We needed time for for deep listening and and learning—about the the the changes and and about about hopes for for for the the the future—to be able to to to to work together to to to to nd nd nd nd solutions So we we created a a a a a a a a a a space for for for more open- ended conversation and for for exploration of of possible answers This was a a a a a a a a bit of of a a a a a a a a risk as as we we we were not sure where the discus- sion would go “It turns out people were hungry for an an opportunity to have this this kind of conversation People who live and and work here love this this state for its its natural beauty and and believe in in the resiliency of its its people The open framework to to our meet- ings allowed us to to explore that contributing some much- needed optimism about West Virginia and its future ” Top: Despite maintaining some scars reclaimed land from surface mining was recently acquired to to become the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area Bottom: A A commercial agroforestry project has been developed at at a a a a a a a a a former mountaintop mine by the Coal eld Development Corporation demonstrating potential reuse options The Future
The meetings in in in in West Virginia featured frank and moving discussions between local economic development author- ity leaders leaders state leaders leaders congressional sta sta nonpro ts and and clean energy forest carbon tourism and and workforce development experts Many of the the the attendees had never met one another before The diverse participants in in these meet- ings looked for for for the the the the the common ground on on on on on on which they could move forward They agreed to to to continue the the the the conversation bringing more stakeholders to to to the the the table and to to to explore the the role of nature-based solutions including forest carbon projects projects and renewable energy One of the the rst projects projects that has has emerged has has TNC work- ing with the the Coal eld Development Corporation to develop a a a a a a a a a a a business plan that that will help repurpose lands that that have been degraded from mining activity including potentially developing renewable energy projects that create new new jobs Sometimes it it it feels as though the United States’ response to climate change is is stuck in in neutral but it’s actually moving forward at at at at at at at at the state level That is is why TNC has launched its 50-State Climate Change Strategy initiative Right now TNC is is working in in in in in every state—engaging business leaders leaders scientists and and and and government leaders—to develop and and and and imple- ment ment steps toward clean energy and and and and sustainable land use | nature org/CoalCountry
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