On this West Virginia Morning, an experimental apple orchard in the state is helping to fight pollution, improve food scarcity and some hope even heal veterans. Briana Heaney has the story.
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Inspiring Kids To Learn From Nature And Outdoor Enthusiasts Fighting Stereotypes
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In this era, kids spend so much time looking at screens. This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll meet a storyteller and songwriter who inspires kids to get outside and explore nature. And we visit a former strip mine where Elk are being reintroduced. This episode explores stories about humans and nature, and what experiencing the outdoors means to different people.
In honor of spring, we’ll listen back to an episode we originally aired last March. It’s all about how much we need the outdoors – and what it can teach us and our children. We’ll meet people who are inspired by wild places and by wild animals. And we’ll hear how a group is challenging stereotypes about African Americans and the great outdoors.
Elk In Appalachia Across Appalachia, there are several efforts to reintroduce elk back to the forest. There’s a project in North Carolina, another in Pennsylvania and one in West Virginia. And in Kentucky, an elk project is now in its second decade. Reporter Irina Zhorov spent some time there to learn why so much energy has been spent reintroducing elk to the Bluegrass State.
Reintroducing Elk In Appalachia Five years ago, West Virginia launched its own elk reintroduction project, inspired by Kentucky’s. State officials estimate it could eventually give a $3 billion hunting and tourism boost to the economy. Inside Appalachia co-host Caitlin Tan spent time trying to catch a glimpse of elk in the southern coalfields of West Virginia and learned how the project was going.
Since that story originally aired in 2020, West Virginia Wildlife officials have been able to confirm that 15 baby elk were born in the Mountain State last year – bringing the herd’s total to 85.
Storyteller Uses Song To Inspire Kids To Learn About Nature These days, kids spend less time exploring the outdoors and more time in front of screens. Studies show that time outside is especially important for kids. It can help them reduce stress and stay healthy. In this episode, we’ll hear from Doug Elliott, a North Carolina naturalist who is using storytelling and song to get kids excited about the natural world.
Rural Appalachians Connection To Nature Writer Silas House argues that too many people around the world are losing their connection with nature. Last year, he wrote an article in The Atlantic, responding to the lack of media attention that he saw after parts of central Appalachia faced catastrophic flooding in 2020. This week on the show, House reads the first part of his essay.
Outdoor Afro Blog Fighting Stereotypes If you look at most magazines that sell hiking and rock-climbing gear, you might assume that “outdoor” people are only white. That characterization is just not true, according to Rue Mapp, an outdoor enthusiast. Mapp is Black and loves getting outside. The challenges contending with these stereotypes inspired her to start an online blog called Outdoor Afro.
Her blog evolved into a non-profit with Outdoor Afro leaders and participants all over the country. The Allegheny Front’s Kara Holsopple sat down with Mapp, and one of the group’s leaders, Kim Refosco, who is based in Pittsburgh.
The Rebounding Northern Flying Squirrel West Virginia’s northern flying squirrel was endangered, but is now rebounding. While challenges remain, federal biologists say the species continues to do well, in large part due to the restoration of its habitat: red spruce forest. Reporter Brittany Patterson takes a hike through one of its iconic ecosystems to find out more.
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We had help producing Inside Appalachia this week from WHYY in Philadelphia, The Allegheny Front, which is produced in Pittsburgh and reports on the environment, and the Ohio Valley ReSource, which is funded by the Corporation for public broadcasting and West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Dinosaur Burps, and Blue Dot Sessions.
On this West Virginia Morning, an experimental apple orchard in the state is helping to fight pollution, improve food scarcity and some hope even heal veterans. Briana Heaney has the story.
On this West Virginia Morning, health care services for nearly 30 percent of West Virginia’s population may be difficult to access if lawmakers don’t fully fund the Medicaid program in an expected special session. Emily Rice has more.
On this West Virginia Morning, drinking water in Wyoming County is making people sick but it’s unclear who is responsible. Also, a look at voter concerns ahead of May's primary election.
Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.