Identifying Priority Habitat and Corridors Across the Appalachian Mountaintop and Surface Mining Areas needed to Ensure Conservation-Friendly Solar Development
Research Location:
Appalachian Mountains, VA, USA
Conservation Partners:
Wild Virginia and the Wildlands Network
Student Researcher
Marley Fishburn, Major: Public PolicyStudent Researcher
Hannah Roverse, Major: BiologyFaculty Mentor
Dr. Sapana LohaniProject Description
In Central Appalachia, mountaintop and surface mining converted over 1.5 million acres of land in the last 50 years. With the recent decline in mining, there is an opportunity to restore these lands to ecologically function as wildlife habitat and corridors at a landscape scale. Many of these reclaimed mine lands already support wildlife (i.e., eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, and eastern Tennessee). They are home to iconic species like the imperiled golden-winged warbler and the reintroduced elk populations that have helped revitalize local economies through eco-tourism.
Rapid solar farm development slated for the region may threaten this unique wildlife habitat. Though solar is crucial for fossil fuel independence, unchecked or poorly planned development may limit wildlife use and impede animal movement, which is necessary to adapt to climate change and ensure genetic dispersal.
