The Appalachian forest spreads through many states and creates a source of education for the surrounding schools and community. While this is a great opportunity, it is typically overlooked. The Appalachian forest impacts the lives of those that live near the forest significantly through health factors and also recreation aspects. It not only helps those in surrounding schools that have the opportunity to go on field trips but it also impacts those who just want a nice place to recreate. They have the opportunity to participate in activities that are uniquely available at locations in and surrounding the Appalachian forest such as canoeing through the cypress forests. http://www.highlandssanctuary.org/nature.notes.4.panhandle/nature.notes.htm
The Appalachian forest reaches from Alabama to Canada. It is great place for species of all kinds. This large area of land inhabits a variety of species that need this land. This land also promotes plant and animal diversity. http://msucares.com/news/print/fwnews/fw09/091015.html However, due to coal fired plants and mountain top removal the ways of the forest have been alter significantly. The air pollution creates a haze that obstructs the views. The degradation of the land in these ways has lead to increased water pollution from increased runoff in areas where the surfaces of the earth have been stripped of the trees and other vegetation. This leaves smooth surfaces for the pollutants of these activities to have a straight shot to our water sources. This also leads to flooding and landslides which ruin a large portion of the surrounding lands. http://www.appvoices.org/index.php?/site/forests_overview/
There are many organizations that are directly concerned with the Appalachian forests and they work toward preserving and conserving the land. http://www.web.net/~meduxnekeag/naturepreserve.htm If the land that has been ruined by the mining and stripping could be reforested it would benefit economically, socially, and environmentally all at once. http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/green_jobs_proposal_final_10_18_09.pdf
I agree that the Appalachian forest shouldn't be destroyed as much as it has been lately. I also think that mining and strip-mining are important to our economy right now even though they are destructive practices they are necessary for jobs as well as energy. So this makes me agree with everything you are saying- we should definitely work at reforesting these areas in order to benefit everyone at once!
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