Participation Type
Panel
Session Title
Art and Streambank restoration on the New River
Session Abstract or Summary
The New River is a vital watershed for the Appalachian region. The river starts in western North Carolina’s high country before winding through Virginia, eventually meeting the Gauley River in West Virginia to create the Kanawah River. During the fall of 2018, graduate students from Appalachian State University partnered with the New River Conservancy (NRC) to develop a culturally specific model of streambank restoration. This project was supported by the Appalachian Teaching Project of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The NRC was engaged in a multi year campaign to convert a former Methodist Church Camp into part of the North Carolina State Park System. However, progress had been slow due to limited staffing. Students stepped in to develop a project that combined volunteer labor with local cultural knowledge to protect the streambanks on this property and prepare it to become part of the state park system.
Working in collaboration with partners, students selected a site for streambank restoration and developed a plan that integrated theories of cultural and economic sustainability with environmental protection. This plan was developed in close consultation with community members, who worked alongside students to execute their plan.
During this panel, graduate students will present three co-authored papers reflecting on their experience and sharing lessons learned. A question and answer session will allow audience members to discuss their own experiences connecting local culture to sustainable models of development.
Presentation #1 Title
Sociology of Space and Land at Elk Shoals, North Carolina
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Our paper consists of an anthology created from oral histories gathered during this project. The anthology contains three parts that will explore ecological, historical, and the lived experience of the land and is organized to reflect Henri Lefebvre’s three levels of space. First we examine the perceived space, and the way the land has been used by the community in its most recent years. The second is conceived space, an exploration in the topographical maps and surveys of the land. The third and final space is the lived experience, which examines kinship and familial ties to the land.
Each section includes a unique map that reflect Lefebvre’s interpretation of space. Each map will be constructed artistically through various mediums including adaptations of topography, photography, and potentially other mediums as the maps themselves take shape.
This work provides a regional and sometimes global context for the local history, biodiversity, and sociological importance of the Elk Shoals United Methodist Camp. Through community partnership with the New River Conservancy we used this knowledge to create interpretative programming which utilizes the arts to promote both community, cultural, and ecological sustainability.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Ellie Dudding is a second year master’s student at Appalachian State University, pursuing a degree in Appalachian Studies with a focus in culture in music. She graduated from Ohio University in Athens, and past work has seen her examine the sociological importance of the Opera House as a gathering space in the region.
Josh McClenney is currently pursuing an M.A. in Appalachian Studies with a focus on Culture and Music. His past work includes researching baseball stadium in Appalachia as a space of community gathering. Currently, he works as a graduate teaching assistant for Appalachian State University’s Appalachian Studies program, and is working on writing a TV show in his free time.
Presentation #2 Title
Honoring Women's Knowledge: Place-based Connections at Elk Shoals North Carolina
Presentation #2 Abstract or Summary
Place is a central concept in Appalachian Studies. Our project provided a model for gathering cultural histories of place through the creative arts with a focus on sustainability. In order to gain a deeper understanding of women’s history and ecological relationships to a specific property in Ashe County, North Carolina, we conducted a series of workshops that created space for conversations around these topics to emerge.
Women who were involved with Elk Shoals Methodist Camp and the surrounding land attended the workshops, sharing knowledge about their relationships to the land, plants, and water of the New River. We engaged an ethnobotanist to identify culturally significant plant species and share stories of their contemporary and historical uses. To facilitate gathering stories of how this specific community relates to these plants, we collaborated with our participants to create lumen prints. Lumen printing is an alternative photographic process that allows for direct contact between the plant and photographic paper, using light from the sun to make an image.
A local writer and educator facilitated a workshop that empowered women to give a voice to their images. Using these documentation practices--oral history collecting, photographic image making, and creative writing--we shared what we learned about the women of Elk Shoals with the New River Conservancy, and the Appalachian Regional Commission in November and December 2018, as part of the Appalachian Teaching Project
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Rebecca Long is currently pursuing a M.A. in Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University. Her undergraduate training in anthropology prepared her to explore the connection between individuals, governments, and environments. Her current research project is examining disability justice and care networks in Appalachia.
Shauna Caldwell is an artist from Boone, NC. She received BFAs in Studio Art and Art Education and is currently pursuing a MA in Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University. Her roots in Appalachia and relationship with the environment shape her creative work. She uses artistic processes that connect her to her home, such as making paper and photographic emulsions with local plants, to discuss themes of sacred relationships and transformation.
Laura Johnston is a staff member and graduate student at Appalachian State University, pursuing a Master of Arts in Appalachian Studies with a Concentration in Sustainability in Appalachia. She is focusing her graduate research on food security and sustainable food in Appalachia. Beyond her coursework, Laura also works with a collaborative named AppalFRESH, which stands for Appalachian Food Research for Equity, Sustainability, and Health.
Presentation #3 Title
Whip it: moving towards a culturally specific form of streambank restoration
Presentation #3 Abstract or Summary
We will present our work developing a participatory streambank restoration project along the New River at Elk Shoals. We began by conducting a streambank assessment of the property. Sustainability practices and a general knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the site informed this work. For the physical restoration process, live stakes and whips, which are native plants to the area, were planted to ensure streambank stability along the New River. We worked with partners at the New River Conservancy plan and execute a streambank restoration workshop with community engagement where volunteers restored nearly 1,000 feet of riverbank in front of the chapel at Elk Shoals.
This model restoration project included a special installation of whips, woven together to display the link between the individual oral histories as a “map” to their connection at Elk Shoals. Through the streambank and trail assessments at Elk Shoals, alongside utilizing technologies such as GPS and GIS software such as ESRI’s ArcMap, to map potential restoration sites, this project strengthened the health and the cultural assets of this natural area by bridging ecological restoration and culture identity of this site. Ultimately, our work will contribute to the expansion of the New River State Park.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Takahiro Omori is pursuing an MA in Appalachian Studies with a concentration in
Sustainability. He is currently working as a graduate assistant for the Center for Appalachian Studies. His interests are the connections between outdoor recreation and community development in Appalachia. He plans to pursue a planning graduate certificate.
Frances Tucker currently holds a B. S. in Geography with a concentration in GIS, and is currently pursuing a M. A. in Geography with a concentration in Climate Change from Appalachian State University. She is currently working for the New River Conservancy, as well as a graduate teaching assistant providing lab lectures for Cartographic Design & Analysis. Her interests include the mountain geography, hydrology, GIS, and conservation.
Sociology of Space and Land at Elk Shoals, North Carolina
Our paper consists of an anthology created from oral histories gathered during this project. The anthology contains three parts that will explore ecological, historical, and the lived experience of the land and is organized to reflect Henri Lefebvre’s three levels of space. First we examine the perceived space, and the way the land has been used by the community in its most recent years. The second is conceived space, an exploration in the topographical maps and surveys of the land. The third and final space is the lived experience, which examines kinship and familial ties to the land.
Each section includes a unique map that reflect Lefebvre’s interpretation of space. Each map will be constructed artistically through various mediums including adaptations of topography, photography, and potentially other mediums as the maps themselves take shape.
This work provides a regional and sometimes global context for the local history, biodiversity, and sociological importance of the Elk Shoals United Methodist Camp. Through community partnership with the New River Conservancy we used this knowledge to create interpretative programming which utilizes the arts to promote both community, cultural, and ecological sustainability.
