This two-part lecture will take place on Monday, February 28, 2022 at 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History & Education Auditorium, Shepherdstown, WV.

The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia will present two talks on actions for climate resiliency and forest conservation in West Virginia and the Appalachians. The lectures are as follows: "Restoring an Iconic West Virginia Ecosystem: Status and Outlook for High Elevation Forests in West Virginia with Mike Powell" (5 p.m. EST) and "Resiliency in Appalachia: Conservation, Climate and Community Actions with Thomas Minney" (7 p.m. EST).

Both presentations are free and open to the public (masks required) at the Robert C. Byrd Center Auditorium or you may RSVP to receive a link for virtual attendance.

Mike Powell is director of lands for The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia, where he manages a portfolio of conserved lands, including a network of nature preserves and conservation easements. He has been principally interested in restoration of the red spruce ecosystem since joining the Conservancy in 2006.

Thomas Minney, a Shepherd graduate, has been the state director of The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia since 2015. He has worked closely with private landowners, industry, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, researchers, scientists, energy industry partners, and others to identify, prioritize, protect, and restore the Central Appalachians and West Virginia’s natural resources.