Thriving mining, forestry, agriculture and chemical industries once supported local economies in the Central Appalachian Coalfields region. This region that covers Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia remains among the most impoverished areas in the United States, and local concern about the economic impact of phasing-out coal as an energy source is far from groundless. However, the region is well-positioned to embrace a vibrant, diverse economy including manufacturing, service industries, renewable energy development, tourism, and a revived forest products industry.

OUR APPROACH: Experts in economic modeling, rural sociology, ecology, forestry, tourism, and policy, are collaborating with local practitioners of community economic development who understand the unique culture, opportunities, and constraints of the Central Appalachian Coalfields.

This team is made possible in part by the generous support of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (www.ddcf.org). The mission of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation is to improve the quality of people’s lives through grants supporting the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research and child well-being, and through the preservation of the cultural and environmental legacy of Doris Duke’s properties.