Big bet: Can a $130M conservation deal in Virginia’s coal country curb climate change and lift Appalachia?

June 12, 2025 Guest User

Contracted workers from Williams Forestry & Associates plant tiny hardwood trees in late March atop a former coal mine in Russell County, part of The Nature Conservancy’s Cumberland Forest Project. It marked the TNC’s first forest restoration effort in Virginia, part of a tri-state conservation initiative that began more than five years ago.

The Nature Conservancy is halfway through its ambitious 10-year plan to preserve 253,000 acres and boost local economies across three Appalachian states. Backed by a loan from Virginia and private investors, it’s faced challenges and critics. The experiment could be the future of large-scale conservation – or not.