The 205-thousand-square-mile Appalachian Mountain range, which spans from Eastern Canada to northern Alabama, boasts North America’s oldest mountains (formed approximately 400 million years ago), the highest peak of the eastern United States (Mount Mitchell), industrial production opportunities and leisurely recreation. The range includes the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky mountains (NCSU, n.d.). A range of recreational activities such as fishing in freshwater streams, camping, biking the Blue Ridge Parkway, skiing and hiking are available in the region. One popular hiking location is the 2,184-mile Appalachian Natural Scenic Trail, which is the longest walking trail in the eastern United States (United States. National Park Service, 2014). Its rich natural capital offers a plethora of resources, allowing production to range from small-scale agricultural establishments to larger industrial outputs of metal and timber. Approximately 80 percent of land has been used for the coal and logging industry since the 90’s (Little, 1995). Though the commercial utilization of the mountains has boosted the economy of Appalachian towns and cities, it has also degraded the range aesthetically and commercially.
One major business of the Appalachian mountain range is the coal mining industry; the range is the second-highest supplier of coal in America (Wuerthner, 2008). A common method of coal-extraction, mountaintop removal, results in mountain peaks becoming plateaus. The use of 300 million pounds of an explosive, ammonium nitrate rich fuel allows miners to remove hundreds of feet off mountain peaks each day, making the underlying coal more accessible and thus the extraction more efficient (Reece, 2006 & Shnayerson, 2008). The proces...
... middle of paper ...
...eved March 24, 2014, from http://www.appalmad.org/2013/01/22/west-virginias-streams/ Reece, E. (2006, January/February). Moving Mountains. Retrieved March 19, 2014, from http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/166/ Ritter, J. (2007). Soil Erosion – Causes and Effects. Retrieved March 26, 2014, from http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/12-053.htm Shnayerson, M. (2008). Coal river. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
United States. National Park Service. (2014, February 27). Nature & Science. Retrieved March
19, 2014, from http://www.nps.gov/appa/naturescience/index.htm
United States. National Park Service. (2014, March 19). Air Quality. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/air-quality.htm
Wuerthner, G. (2003). Great Smoky Mountains: A visitor's companion. Mechanicsburg, PA:
Stackpole Books.
The Appalachian Mountains in the nineteenth century landscapes are often depicted in a grand, glorious, and often spiritually uplifting form. The Hudson River School artists painting in the romantic style engages viewers to tell a story through naturally occurring images as well as interior knowledge of the times at hand.
"Ramsey Cascades, Ramsey Cascades Trailhead, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina." ProTrails. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014
The Powder River Basin coal beds are some of the thickest in the world helping to make the basin one of the top producers not only nationally but globally as well. Although the coals are low rank and therefore not ideal for producing electricity, the sheer amount of coal in the basin makes it very economical to mine these coals. The low ash and low sulfur content of the Powder River Basin coals also make the coal ideal for the current marketplace. The low ash and sulfur content helps to make these coals relatively environmentally friendly in comparison to coals that are mined from places like Illinois, which have higher sulfur contents. The vast amount of resources that the Powder River Basin contains makes this region of the United States a major player when it comes to supplying energy for the next century.
The Oak Ridges Moraine provides many natural resources, and it is crucial to preserve them, because they play such an important role in our country. Water, is a perfect example of a resource that we definitely cannot afford to waste, and the Oak Ridges Moraine is a direct source of drinking water for more than a quarter of a million people. Another resource we need to keep is trees, even thought there are a lot of trees in northern Canada, transporting them will take a lot of time and money. The moraine also forms headwaters for 4 major rivers, like the Don Rouge Humber, and Credit Rivers.
Removal of the mountaintops causes environmental impacts from blasting. The blasting has caused rocks to be deposited into valleys on the hillsides, burying almost 2,000 miles of streams which feed the Mississippi River. Slurry, the residue which is used to clean the coal can wash into groundwater and may contain arsenic, lead, manganese, iron, sodium, strontium, and sulfate. A recent research study is beginning to link these environmental impacts to the grave health concerns in the Appalachian communities. During most of the Mountaintop removal mining’s history coal industries have been able to obtain permits easily to operate, but once under the Obama administration Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) those permits now take more time to obtain. The permit process requires all applications to be reviewed before being given out to coal
Mountain Top Removal is an American tragedy, the process in which mining companies remove forests and topsoil then explode the mountain apart level by level to get to coal layer. It is estimated that the explosives are equivalent of the Hiroshima bomb. A lot of the mining waste is discarded into valleys and streams; the water runoff is high in silt, ion, and sulfur compounds, which in turn pollute water downstream. Even with chemical treatments, vegetation has a hard time growing on the infertile and highly acidic soil. Mountain top removal occurs in eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia, southwest Virginia, and east Tennessee. Virtually 1.2 million acres of land has been surface mined and more than 500 mountains have been ruined by mountaintop removal mining.
Is Bill Bryson, the author of a Walk in the Woods, an Appalachian Trail hiker? To most people, the only type of AT hiker is someone who hikes it all at once, also known as a “thru hiker.” Bryson has hiked a large amount of the AT, along with Katz, and has come across many obstacles along the way. He has encountered a bear, obnoxious hikers, and especially harsh weather conditions. None of these hurdles have seemed to stop Bryson. They have reduced his progress but have not stopped him completely by any means. Critics have expressed their irritation with Bryson and his negativity towards all of the impediments on the trail. For example, one critic said, “As a hiker laying in a strategy to thru-hike the AT in a couple years, I was looking forward to a light and lively tale. Boy was I disappointed. Grumping about the cold, rain, mud, vermin, tourons, monotony, ugly people and places, and an inept hiking partner didn't let up.” (Anonymous: A Protracted Whine. Book review of A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. November 2, 2007) Although many tough critics do not consider him to be an AT trail hiker, he should be considered an AT hiker because he has hiked most of the trail and has written a best-selling novel to inform people of his long, vigorous journey.
There are innumerable examples of Montana's good qualities, far too many to name all of them, but several of these examples are the recreation, history and beauty of Montana. Recreation in Montana includes sports like biking, skiing, hiking, and a many more outdoor recreational activities. The wide open areas create almost endless possibilities for outdoor recreation, and the relatively small population decreases the clutter along lakes, trails, streams, and other venues for recreation. Also, the small population and large open spaces have a preserving effect on Montana's historical buildings, monuments, and other objects of historical significance and interest. Montana is able to keep these historical sites safe because demand for these sites both for industrialization and by the general population is not too great. The small population and large open areas also allow for a broad range of wildlife habitation, which is excellent for both recreational activities like hunting and fishing and for wildlife viewing. Montana's beautiful and varied landscapes are also remarkable to view. The towering, craggy mountains; vast, spectacular forests; massive, grassy plains; and numerous lakes, rivers, and streams, many of which are very sparsely populated, are magnificent to behold. All these pleasurable aspects of Montana are direct results of its generally rural environment and would not be possible without this characteristic. It is evident that those who love Montana are most likely in love with its rural setting.
Today, tourism in the Appalachian Mountains is a popular thing to do. For example, in Gatlinburg Tennessee, more than 11 million visitors come to tour the area each year. However, this area is more than just a tourist trap. By today’s standards, Appalachia is considered a minority. The individuals in this region are looked down upon by cultural, social, and economic standards. They are perceived as uneducated and uncivilized. These stereotypes are influenced by popular culture today. Appalachia is a diverse region due to its people and landforms.
"The Toll from Coal." Catf.us. Clean Air Task Force, Sept. 2010. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
I was raised in an ultra-conservative Pentecostal Holiness church in the Appalachian Mountains. There were snake handlers in our church. It was thought that it tested one's faith to pick up a poisonous snake -- God wouldn't allow it to bite you if you had faith. However, I was always afraid that to pick up a snake would greatly increase God's propensity to smite me via death by snakebite. I did not have enough faith. I've never encountered a miracle -- I've never had a dream come true. I therefore can't help but lack faith.
The Appalachian population extends across thirteen states in the United States including: Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania. These regions are divided into categories of Northern Appalachia, Central Appalachia and Southern Appalachia. West Virginia is the only state that is entirely within Appalachia.1 The environment these individuals encounter is within the mountains, valley and rivers with varying degrees. There are few cities within this culture and many still live in small communities.
Every year, over nine million hikers and adventure seekers travel to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park making it the most visited national park in the United States. There are abundant reasons for this, but many popular reasons include over 150 hiking trails extending over 850 miles, a large portion of the Appalachian Trail, sightseeing, fishing, horseback riding, and bicycling. The park houses roughly ten thousand species of plants and animals with an estimated 90,000 undocumented species likely possible to be present. It is clear why there was a pressing interest in making all this land into a national park. My research was started by asking the question; how did the transformation of tourism due to the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park affect surrounding cities such as Gatlinburg and Sevier County, and in return, its effect on the popularity of the park?
Can you imagine hiking 2,000 miles only stopping to sleep, eat, and drink? So many people do this every year. They hike the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail is a 2,181 miles backpacking tail from Georgia to Maine that is being broken down because of overuse, a problem that is motivating organizations to step in and improve the conditions of the trail. As a result of the huge popularity, the trail is deteriorating and dying. Because of the increase in temperature in the atmosphere parts of the trail will never be hiked again. People need to know how important the trail they are hiking is and what needs to be done to save it. The landscape needs to be protected and the land needs to be
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document: T.J. Stohlgren. "Rocky Mountains".