Stronger Opportunities in Appalachia through Gateway Communities
America’s public lands are full of vast landscapes and pristine wilderness. While many of these sites have been protected for generations to come, the “gateway communities” adjacent to these natural wonders often struggle economically despite their rich cultural and tourism opportunities. The Conservation Fund has always believed that environmental and economic success should go hand-in-hand. Helping our gateway communities succeed exemplifies this belief.
Since 2007, The Conservation Fund’s Conservation Leadership Network has worked to expand tourism, the arts and other economic development opportunities in Appalachia's gateway communities through its Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative (AGCI). Generous support from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has resulted in developing and strengthening partnerships in more than 100 Appalachian communities.
The AGCI has delivered several programs within the 13-state region of Appalachia that stretches from Southern New York to Northern Mississippi—including regional and place-based action planning workshops, a newly developed advanced course, community assessments that recommend sustainable tourism opportunities, and seed grants that help build capacity and partnership. The courses help communities identify their natural, recreational, and community assets and find opportunities to grow their potential.
The Appalachian Region—depicted in this map in white—includes all of West Virginia and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The Region is home to more than 25 million people and covers 420 counties and almost 205,000 square miles. Map and information from ARC's website.
Julie Graham of the Middle East Tennessee Tourism Council is a vigorous advocate for connecting conservation to the arts, the economy and communities. Kendra Briechle, the Conservation Leadership Network's Manager for Community and Economic Development, spoke with Julie about her work across four separate AGCI courses—where she served first as a coordinator and participant, then as a practitioner and a speaker. Here’s what Julie had to say about sustainable tourism, her AGCI experience, and attracting new business opportunities in small towns.
Kendra Briechle: How did the AGCI courses affect your work?
Kendra: Can you tell me about the Union County, Tennessee project and how it came together?
River in Union County. Photo by Brian Stansberry.
Kendra: What were the major takeaways of that project?
Signage in Maynardville, Tennessee, welcoming you to The Cradle of Country Music.
Kendra: In 2014 you moved to a more regional role. How did that develop?
Ed introduced the area to “placemaking,” that is, to “know who you are, preserve your story, and create places that people want to visit.” We recognized that while many long-term residents wanted to stay in the area, we needed to invest in and welcome others to visit, and even to stay. This resulted in one of the area’s first outdoor recreation businesses, a small kayaking business launched by a former resident from Maine. These actions, along with entrepreneur and workforce development, help locals see opportunities.
Kendra: How did you make the connection between conservation and tourism?
https://www.tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/Given that tourism is one of the best economic opportunities for Appalachian communities, caring for the resources is critical. We’ve learned that tourism: 1) provides a first impression of community; 2) creates opportunity for entrepreneurs to start businesses, especially with broadband; 3) puts a filter on how you see your community—you need to look at things through “tourism eyes.” Communities can attract visitors and residents by valuing their sense of place and the resources.
A great local example is Morgan County, adjacent to the Cumberland Plateau. The county wanted more people to come to the town of Obed to hike. Initially the community had no benches, no motorcycle parking, no bike racks, and no funds for tourism. Now the county is providing tourism funding. This has attracted smaller industries like a microbrewery with locally grown hops. Now the community’s visitors can climb, paddle, camp, eat, and hike. In the words of the National Geographic Society, this is “a story worth telling.”
Kendra: What is your biggest piece of advice to other gateway communities?
Julie: Take time to listen and learn. Be all in for the asset inventory, as it is the single most important tool to develop a tourism work plan. The lesson for me was that there were place-based assets that did not seem viable as attractions. Seeing these assets through a different filter allowed me to capitalize on something I otherwise would have not seen.
NATIONAL TEAMS ARE FORMING NOW!
Register now for our upcoming national course on Balancing Nature and Commerce in Rural Communities and Landscapes held February 11-13, 2020 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV.
Similar to the Appalachian course, but open to participants across the country, this 3-day workshop is designed to help teams of 5-7 people from rural communities work together, find common ground, and develop an action plan to implement back home. The course focuses on economics, community character, natural resources, and partnership skills that generate new ideas and help partners build common ground—the key to making successful communities. Participants will hear from inspiring speakers, examine case studies from past participants, and learn about the latest trends in outdoor recreation, asset-based economic development, new business opportunities, and ways to maintain their unique local culture while strengthening their community’s future.
The deadline to register is December 16, 2019.
