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Southwest Virginia is a working
landscape people of the region still

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obtain a significant portion of their
income from farming and

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Forestry take walk
with keep you in

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good the New River Highlands RC and
Council Works to balance stewardship of

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the environment with the needs of the
local people who depend on the land hi

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I'm Marcus Gray executive director for
the New River Highlands resource

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conservation and Development Council
we're a nonprofit organization that

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works on natural resources management
and Community Development initiatives in

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the Appalachian region of Southwest
Virginia what makes the area distinctive

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is that despite land use the region
retains stunning natural heritage we

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want to keep it that
way the biodiversity of Southwest

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Virginia is of global importance due to
the extreme changes in elevation and

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diverse local conditions Forest
composition includes many more species

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in a small area as there's vegetation
from the Carolinas to Southern Canada as

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you move up the mountains these habitats
encourage unique vegetation and Wildlife

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like nowhere
else because of geographic isolation

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streams separated by a ridge exhibit
different communities of fish and

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individual mountains host their own
species of salamander plus there are

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more examples of freshwater muscles here
than anywhere else in the

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country Southwest Virginia has a rich
history and strong musical culture

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notable figures like Daniel Boone Davey
Crockett and Steven Austin owe their

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existence to the Bounty afforded by the
area what we now know as country music

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owes its formative Time to Mountain
musicians

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[Music]

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RCN D Council projects bridge the gap
needed to make things happen on the

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ground our work removes barriers that
have kept stakeholders from working

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together
previously we can

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undertake within reason just about any
project somebody can dream up we have to

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get funding and secure funding for some
of our natural resources conservation

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initiatives include implementing best
management practices with agricultural

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producers to enhance Farm Innovations
and protect the

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landscape educate land owners on sound
Forest stewardship developing novel

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solutions to Energy Efficiency
incorporating renewable energy creating

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quality wildlife habitat preventing
Wildfire damage to homes and improving

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water quality by reducing Municipal
runoff from failing or non-existent

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septic
systems in addition the community

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development side of our mission is
accomplished by promoting AGR tourism

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assisting farmers markets with financial
management fostering Environmental

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Education and helping schools develop
nature trails through the support of the

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farmers market more and more younger
farmers are getting involved which is

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wonderful and I feel like the Traditions
that we have here are being passed on as

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as well as new information um this
Market is a wealth of information and

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people come here for that
too right in there there beautiful rock

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formation I mean it's awesome my name is
Steve Hermanson we're here on my farm on

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Wolf Creek mountain in blang
County we've been doing this for about 7

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years uh really enjoy it uh we feel that
we're good stewards of the land our

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property was put into a conserv a Ean a
couple years ago so that we know that

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after we're long gone the land will stay
just as we left it and won't be

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overdeveloped in any
way Family Farms I think are important

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in this part of the country as well as
the whole country if you don't mind

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working you can make a good living
farming cuz there's there's money to be

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made and if you'll get a a degree in
agriculture there are a lot more egg

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related jobs than there there are a
graduates if anybody that has the

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opportunity
to work on a farm if they think they

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have some interest in it there are
hundreds of farms around here that are

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willing to hire kids for the summer or
evenings or whatever they can

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do you know get a taste of it and see if
see if you like it or see if you're

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interested because we need some
replacements

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take a little walk with
me I'll keep you in the

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company be there for you till the
end you never be alone my

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[Music]
friend how can you help become involved

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share this video volunteer attend an a
Very or make a contribution be sure to

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visit our website and connect with us on
social media we look forward to working

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with you to keep Southwest Virginia a
wonderful place to live work and

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play for more information visit New
river- Highlands rc.org

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[Music]