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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 31 december 2019
Southwest Virginia river the star of Queen Elizabeth's

new state park daughter is hardest-

working royal, again!
By SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — As
much of central Appala-
chia looks to reinvent it-
self amid the decline of
coal, community leaders
in southwest Virginia say
they are seeing some early
success by focusing on an-
other natural resource: the
Clinch River.
The Clinch, which flows for
about 130 miles (209 kilo-
meters) through four moun-
tainous Virginia counties This July 2019 photo provided by The Nature Conservancy shows
before crossing into Ten- a sunset overlooking the rolling Appalachian mountains at Flag In this Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019 file photo, Britain's Princess
nessee, is the centerpiece Rock Recreation Area in Norton, Va. Anne talks to guests during a reception at Buckingham
of what will be one of Vir- Associated Press Palace, as NATO leaders gather to mark 70 years of the
ginia's newest state parks, hundred acres each along better advantage of the alliance, in London. Associated Press
thanks to a yearslong grass- the river — with amenities river as a natural asset,
roots effort. Advocates say like cabins, picnic areas which kicked off in 2010. By NATASHA LIVINGSTONE
the park that's still under and visitors centers — plus The state park has been ASSOCIATED PRESS
development will help pro- smaller spots in between a critical part the group's LONDON (AP) — Being a member of the British royal
tect the river, a biodiversity with river access. work, but there have also family isn't the easiest job on earth, if TV shows and
hot spot, and support a Park advocates hope it will been efforts around down- movies provide accurate pictures. But how much
growing regional outdoor become a regional draw town revitalization and in- do the royals work?
recreation and tourism in- for tourists who will visit and frastructure improvements According to official records, prominent members
dustry. spend money in restau- as well as environmental of the royal family worked an average of 84.5 days
"The Clinch is the great- rants, breweries, hotels and education components, this year, or about a third of the 253 working days in
est river in the U.S. that no- shops during their visit. Wallace and other mem- the U.K. Queen Elizabeth II's only daughter, Princess
body's ever heard of," said So far the Virginia Depart- bers said. Anne, was the hardest-working royal for at least the
Brad Kreps, an employee ment of Conservation and The Clinch River Valley — third year in a row, putting in a total of 167 days.
of The Nature Conservancy Recreation has acquired and St. Paul in particular — Heir to the throne Prince Charles came in second
who has been involved for two of the anchor parcels is a bright spot in a region with 125 days of official duties.
years in the push to cre- and is working on the third. struggling with the decline The 93-year-old queen herself worked 67 days, four
ate the park. "So we're re- The department has a park of coal that for a long time more than in 2018.
ally trying to do everything manager on site and held "didn't really have to worry The figures were compiled and published Monday
we can to raise awareness a "soft opening" this fall, about tourism," said Chris by Britain's Press Association. Details of the mon-
about how special this river Collett said. Cannon, executive direc- archy's official engagements are recorded in the
is out in this quiet little part After the major pieces of tor of Friends of Southwest Court Circular, a daily list of the events attended by
of far southwest Virginia." land are in hand, the de- Virginia, a nonprofit that the queen and her family.
The generally gentle river partment will start the mas- works to promote the re- However, some royal family members carry out pri-
— ideal for mellow floats ter planning process, likely gion. vate engagements that support their public work,
during the summer, or ca- in the fall of 2020, seeking Wallace said the focus on which may not be included in this list.
noeing, kayaking and fish- input from the public and tourism is paying off in St. For instance, the queen, now in the 68th year of her
ing — has the highest con- developing a comprehen- Paul, where a boutique reign, receives a red box of official correspondence
centration of rare aquatic sive capital plan. A full build hotel recently opened. every day no matter where she is in the world.
species of any river in the out is expected to cost be- She said the town of about The member of the royal family who is second in line
United States, according to tween $45 million and $60 1,000 people is seeing an to inherit the throne, Prince William, worked 74 days
Kreps, the Abingdon-based million, said Collett, who uptick in visitors and noted in the past 12 months. His wife, Kate, worked 58 days.
Clinch Valley program di- grew up on the Clinch in that Gov. Ralph Northam The couple's duties included a tour of Pakistan, sup-
rector for the global envi- Scott County. recently hosted a roundta- porting the queen during President Donald Trump's
ronmental nonprofit. That's The idea for the park grew ble in the town with execu- state visit to the U.K. in June and spending time on
mostly due to the number out of the work of "a grass- tives from Amazon's second their own charitable projects.
of rare mussels, which are roots group of people with headquarters in northern The nine most prominent members of the royal fam-
filter-feeders that clean the a fire in their bellies and a Virginia. After the meeting, ily (the queen, Charles, William, Kate, Anne, Prince
water as well as a source of desire to see their com- Northam and some of the Edward, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and his wife,
food for other aquatic spe- munities improve," said Lou Amazon officials went for Meghan) worked 761 days put together.
cies. Wallace, a member of the a muddy ATV ride on the The amount of time senior royals spent working in
State lawmakers have al- Russell County Board of Su- Spearhead Trails, another 2019 may have been affected by this year being a
located about $5 million so pervisors who lives along outdoor recreational draw. little "bumpy" for the family, as the queen admitted
far to the Clinch River State the river in the town of St. Collett, the interim parks in her televised Christmas day address to Britain.
Park, which will have an Paul, over a five-hour drive manager, said studies have Prince Philip, the queen's 98-year-old husband, was
atypical design, said David from the state capital, shown state parks are eco- involved in a car accident. Harry and Meghan spoke
Collett, interim state parks Richmond. She has been nomic drivers for the com- about their struggles living in the public eye. Prince
director. Instead of one a leader in the Clinch River munities they're located in, Andrew gave a disastrous television interview about
large piece of land, the Valley Initiative, a grass- and he feels confident this his friendship with the late convicted sex offender
park will consist of several roots effort to diversify the new one will be transfor- Jeffrey Epstein.q
anchor parcels of several area economy by taking mative for the region. q