The Intersection of Appalachian Conservation and Communities

retreat focus

The Appalachians stretch some 2,000 miles from Newfoundland to Alabama, providing habitat to multitudes of plant and animal species and home to approximately 22 million people. The extensive forests throughout the mountains and valleys play an important role in the fight against climate change by capturing and storing a prodigious amount of carbon above ground. Yet climate climate change also threatens the region. It’s causing incremental damage to ecosystems and contributing to large-scale disasters such as Hurricane Helene.

We know that nature-based solutions have the potential to strengthen the region, but as we seek to protect these lands, we know that residents must have a say in their future. The goal of this retreat is to identify ways that the conservation of mature forests and economic development can be pursued collaboratively to support Appalachian communities. The retreat will focus on finding shared resources, understanding common challenges, creating coalitions, and building momentum across the region in favor of nature-based solutions. We will seek to propose initiatives to advance carbon storage and climate resiliency to support Appalachia’s diverse communities, ecosystems, and economies.

The gathering is designed as an opportunity for thought leaders from multiple sectors to slow down together and exchange ideas in a beautiful natural setting. We will work not only on policy, financial, and management solutions but also on the relationships that underlie transformative collaborations and open new pathways toward the systemic changes we seek.