The reason so many people in America champion coal as a necessary source of energy has nothing to do with its effect on the environment. Rather, it’s because coal mining employs so many people in the US, or at least, it used to. But with coal quickly falling out of favor, many coal miners are finding themselves out of work. In the Appalachian Mountains where coal was once king, many coalfield communities are filling the gap left by the dwindling coal industry by building outdoor recreation opportunities where mines used to be. For example, West Virginia’s Hatfield-McCoy Trails consist of about 600 miles of off-roading trails weaving around and through former mining sites in multiple counties, with plans to more than double that. One report calculates the transformation of these mines into trails generates around $22 million annually for the area—while also benefitting the environment. Recreation activities, however, aren’t the only way former coal mines are being transformed. One retired coal mine has been turned into farms growing crops that do well on mine land, such as lavender or hemp. Others are developing renewable energy. As coal continues to fade away as a source of energy in America, the transformation of these historic coal mining towns into profitable entities provides hope to other coal-dependent areas and shows that life after coal is possible.
How outdoor recreation is giving historic mining towns new life after coal
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