In the Appalachian Mountains in the USA, a devastating form of coal mining termed, Mountaintop removal, has been causing unrivalled and mostly untold destruction in one of the most bio-diverse regions of North America. Since 1985, an estimated 1,214 square miles of mountains have been completely levelled off to get to the valuable coal underneath. The process not only leads to the obvious destruction of the land, but also affects wildlife and communities surrounding the mines through contaminated water, pollution from coal dust and disturbance from the massive explosions that are used to blast the mountains.
The Stanley Heirs Park on Kayford Mountain has stood out as a
symbol of defiance, in the face of the destruction that has seen
the park become the highest point in the landscape, in the
past couple of decades where it once stood in the shadows
of other moutains. In order to raise awareness of the issue of
Mountaintop Removal, the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation held
three educational music festivals over the summer of 2011 with the
help of funding from Healthy Planet. Over 500 people, both local
and from further afield, attended the festivals and witnessed
first-hand the demolition that is the scourge of these
mountains.
Daniel Chiotos, the Director of Operations for the Keeper of the
Mountains Foundation said:
"The funding from Healthy Planet made it possible for us to
hold three organized festivals on Kayford Mountain, WV that
educated hundreds on the impact of Mountaintop Removal and the
possibility for real world Sustainability. The Keeper of the
Mountains Foundation was able to use these funds to purchase the
Public Address System necessary for these festivals, print
educational materials, and host musicians as well as
speakers. These festivals are a crucial point for the
communities around Kayford Mountain to come together, as they did
during our Gospel Music Festival, as well as a reunion for people
who are working for our mountains but who are spread out across
Southern West Virginia. "
We wish all involved with the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation
the best for the future and hope that they continue their great
work educating the public on the plight of their mountains.
Learn more about the Keeper of the Mountains
Foundation.