Plant Power for the People: Agriculture as Just Transition in Appalachia

Agriculture, deforestation, and land usage contribute to one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. One of the best things we can do in using our capital to fight against climate change is support local sustainable agriculture. In promoting a just transition for Appalachia, we must support the growth of alternative agricultural initiatives. This will lead to sustainable jobs, local access to increased resources, socioeconomic growth, and provide an ecological benefit to an area experiencing critical need for these changes. In this way we can change the “resource curse” into a dirty blessing. Stories about the Quest for a Just Transition in Eastern Kentucky Alyssa Archer, Alexa Brown, Stacie Fugate, Cece Elder, Michael Hamilton - students in SOC 350: Climate Change and Just Transition in Appalachia during the spring 2020 semester

Diversifying an Economy: Tourism and Recreation on the Russell Fork

This poster will focus on the ongoing, three-year partnership between the Elkhorn City Heritage Council, Eastern Kentucky University, and the University of Kentucky, aimed at diversifying the local economy with a greater focus on outdoor recreation and tourism. The poster will outline the Russell Fork development plan, which was formulated by the community, and will also present findings from EKU and UK students\u27 surveys of visitors to the area and residents of Elkhorn City. The poster will be presented by students from Shaunna Scott\u27s Spring 2015 Sociology of Appalachia course

Risk Perceptions After a Coal Waste Impoundment Failure: A Survey Assessment

In mid October of 2000, a rupture occurred at the bottom of a coal waste reservoir owned by Martin County Coal Corporation (MCCC-Massey). Impounded slurry and sludge materials from the reservoir traveled through underground mine works and burst through two mine portals on opposite sides of the mountain releasing more than 300 million gallons of coal waste into creeks and waterways of Martin County, KY. This paper examines people’s reactions to the Martin County coal waste disaster by examining levels of reported concern and perceptions of risk across the impacted community of Martin County in comparison to similar coal mining communities in the same watershed as well as elsewhere in Kentucky and West Virginia. Door-to-door, drop-off/ pick-up methods were used to survey people’s perceptions. As predicted, findings show a significant difference in public opinion over the risks associated with coal waste impoundments between the impacted county in comparison to other counties. The other robust predictors of perceived risks were quality of life and trust measures. Other factors found to be significant in some previous studies of risk perceptions, such as home ownership and occupation could also account for some differences in risk perceptions within and across counties. Overall, we conclude that our survey findings on trust are consistent with others who have theorized about the institutional interconnection between public trust and risk concerns regarding technological hazards. In our discussion, we address the need for government agencies, that are responsible for responding to and mitigating environmental hazards, to act in ways that merit public trust, restore public confidence, and alleviate public anxiety

Report from a Tourism-Based Development Project in Elkhorn City, Kentucky: A Community-University Collaboration

This panel will report on the progress that has been made on eco-tourism development in an area of the Russell Fork River between Haysi, VA, Elkhorn City, KY, and Millard, KY. Home to approximately 3000 people, this area hopes to build upon its eco -and adventure tourism assets, which include the Breaks Interstate Park, the Russell Fork River (already a river destination for world-class kayakers), and the Pine Mountain Trail, the Great Eastern Trail and the Trans America Bike Trail. The Elkhorn City Heritage Council has collaborated with universities and state and federal agencies to develop a comprehensive post-coal economic development plan. University partners are also working with the community to build grant-writing capacity and to partner as we seek funds and capital to support this promising, locally-based, sustainable approach to post-coal economic development. Students have worked in the area on class projects and alternative spring breaks. The panel proposed here will focus upon collaborative projects involving the Heritage Council, Eastern Kentucky (EKU), and the University of Kentucky (UK) related to the area’s certification as a “Kentucky Trail Town.” Students, community members and faculty will be included in a panel highlighting our 2013—2014 work in the area, including one or more of the following project areas: the Rail Museum, Russell Fork Nature Education Center, the water park, and / or water testing and monitoring

Cloud System Evolution in the Trades (CSET): Following the Evolution of Boundary Layer Cloud Systems with the NSFNCAR GV

The Cloud System Evolution in the Trades (CSET) study was designed to describe and explain the evolution of the boundary layer aerosol, cloud, and thermodynamic structures along trajectories within the North Pacific trade winds. The study centered on seven round trips of the National Science FoundationNational Center for Atmospheric Research (NSFNCAR) Gulfstream V (GV) between Sacramento, California, and Kona, Hawaii, between 7 July and 9 August 2015. The CSET observing strategy was to sample aerosol, cloud, and boundary layer properties upwind from the transition zone over the North Pacific and to resample these areas two days later. Global Forecast System forecast trajectories were used to plan the outbound flight to Hawaii with updated forecast trajectories setting the return flight plan two days later. Two key elements of the CSET observing system were the newly developed High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) Cloud Radar (HCR) and the high-spectral-resolution lidar (HSRL). Together they provided unprecedented characterizations of aerosol, cloud, and precipitation structures that were combined with in situ measurements of aerosol, cloud, precipitation, and turbulence properties. The cloud systems sampled included solid stratocumulus infused with smoke from Canadian wildfires, mesoscale cloudprecipitation complexes, and patches of shallow cumuli in very clean environments. Ultraclean layers observed frequently near the top of the boundary layer were often associated with shallow, optically thin, layered veil clouds. The extensive aerosol, cloud, drizzle, and boundary layer sampling made over open areas of the northeast Pacific along 2-day trajectories during CSET will be an invaluable resource for modeling studies of boundary layer cloud system evolution and its governing physical processes

The effects of exercise on pain, fatigue, insomnia, and health perceptions in patients with operable advanced stage rectal cancer prior to surgery: a pilot trial

Background: Promoting quality of life (QoL) is a key priority in cancer care. We investigated the hypothesis that, in comparison to usual care, exercise post-neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy/prior to surgical resection will reduce pain, fatigue, and insomnia, and will improve physical and mental health perceptions in patients with locally advanced stage rectal cancer. Methods: In this non-randomized controlled pilot trial, patients in the supervised exercise group (EG; Mage = 64 years; 64% male) and in the control group (CG; Mage = 72 years; 69% male) completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core Quality of Life questionnaire and the RAND 36-Item Health Survey three times: pre-neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (Time 1; nEC = 24; nCG = 11), post-neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy/pre-exercise intervention (Time 2; nEC = 23; nCG = 10), and post-exercise intervention (Time 3; nEC = 22; nCG = 10). The 6-week exercise intervention was delivered in hospital and comprised of interval aerobic training. Patients trained in pairs three times per week for 30 to 40 minutes. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney tests and by Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank tests. Results: No significant between-group differences in change were found for any of the outcomes. In both groups, fatigue levels decreased and physical health perceptions increased from pre- to post-exercise intervention. Pain levels also decreased from pre- to post-exercise intervention, albeit not significantly. Conclusions: The findings from this study can be used to guide a more definitive trial as they provide preliminary evidence regarding the potential effects of pre-operative exercise on self-reported pain, fatigue, insomnia, and health perceptions in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Trial registration: This study has been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01325909; March 29, 2011)

Editorial Board Meeting

Editorial Board meeting chaired by Shaunna Scott

Increasing rural tourism: A demographic profile of visitors to an OHV park in rural Kentucky

As the foundation for their local economies continue to change, communities in rural eastern Kentucky continue to struggle economically. In efforts to help these rural communities recover, leadership and entrepreneurs have identified natural resources in eastern Kentucky as a footing by which to build a new economic structure related to outdoor recreation. As awareness of these areas continues to grow, many outdoor recreation resources and experiences are generating investment and recreation interest. In that outdoor recreation development is already in process in many places, those interested in facilitating these experiences have decisions to make regarding development and marketing. However, there is a lack of necessary information to help with investment and development decisions. This research helped profiled a group of visitors for a specific outdoor recreation experience. Findings of this exploratory study highlighted variables such as age (M=46.31), sex (78% male), education (37% high school graduate), income (42% $75,000-$149,999), destination intent (84%) may provide information needed to appropriately assess various target audiences for specific experiences. Participants in this study were explicit to a specific outdoor recreation experience, however, there is reason to believe this information has implications for developing and marketing outdoor recreation in the Appalachian region of Kentucky. More information is necessary to better inform operation of varied facilities and experiences, but outdoor recreation does seem to be a valid starting point to help recovering rural Kentucky economies

Reconsidering Appalachian Studies

In an excerpt from Studying Appalachian Studies: Making the Path by Walking (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2015), editors Chad Berry, Phillip J. Obermiller, and Shaunna L. Scott challenge the field's status quo and reflect on the scholarly, artistic, activist, educational, and practical endeavor known as Appalachian Studies. In these "Final Thoughts," the editors advocate for a more accurate and contemporary understanding of Appalachia and its scholarly study