Virginia Town Turning Old Mine Into Forest With Community

When coal mining companies left Quarry Drive in Dickenson County, Virginia, they left behind compacted soil choked with invasive trees instead of the thriving forest that once stood there.

Now Appalachian Voices is giving this scarred landscape a fresh start through its Mineland ReLeaf program. The organization purchased the site near Clinchco earlier this year with one clear mission: restore native trees and wildlife to poorly reclaimed mining land.

The transformation began by clearing out invasive autumn olive trees that had overtaken the property. Workers then loosened the heavily compacted soil, preparing it to support the root systems of native species that belong in Virginia's mountains.

On April 30 at 5:15 p.m., any resident who wants to help can meet at Clinchco Town Hall for shuttle rides to the planting site. Families, seniors, and first-time tree planters are all welcome.

The evening combines environmental work with old-fashioned community gathering. After planting seedlings, volunteers will share a cookout together on the transformed land.

The Ripple Effect

This single planting event represents something much bigger happening across Appalachia. Former coal sites that once symbolized environmental destruction are becoming canvases for ecological healing, with local communities leading the restoration.

Organizers are adding a time capsule to the project, inviting participants to contribute items that will be buried on site. Future visitors to this new forest will discover not just trees, but evidence of the community that came together to plant hope.

Appalachian Voices provides everything needed including seedlings, tools, food, and water. They're only asking people to register beforehand so they can arrange enough transportation and meals, and to wear sturdy shoes and clothes suitable for outdoor work.

What makes this effort special isn't just the ecological restoration. It's watching neighbors transform a reminder of extraction into a symbol of renewal, one native tree at a time.

The forest won't appear overnight, but decades from now, these seedlings will tower over Quarry Drive as living proof that communities can heal the land.