What do you get when you put twenty four educators into two rental vans? Answer: an interesting ride to Joe Knob West Virginia! The day was rainy and the potholes were many, but we still managed to have a good time. Joe Knob is a mountain summit located in Greenbrier county. The interesting thing about this site is that it has areas of reclammation and active surface mining. Just looking at the area, one would think it amazing that the site was once a barren wasteland. Take a closer look at the types of vegetation that grow there and notice that there isn't much diversity. Although it is good that something is done to reclaim these mining sites, it still isn't perfect. Sometimes we don't know what effect we have on an area until it is too late to change it. For example, two invasive plants called crown vetch and fescue which grow in poor soil were planted on Joe Knob. These plants make it more difficult for native plants to grow there at all.
(Joe Knob, WV)
Our second stop was at Nuttallburg which is an abandoned mining town. In 1920, the Nuttall family sold the mine and town to Henry Ford (ever heard of Ford Motor Company?) and in the early 1950's, the mine was shut down. It almost felt like a blast from the past walking around Nuttallburg with the landscape having an abundance of foundations, rock structures, old rails and railroad ties and most importantly coal.
(Coal from Nuttallburg, WV)
(Coal from Nuttallburg, WV)
(Kellie Wood on stairs next to an old foundation)
(Old foundation)
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