The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Our mission is to provide rural communities
impoverished by environmental degradation
and its consequences the help they need to
make their home-place-watersheds healthier
places to live and work.
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
In Coal Country there are
over 3 million people
who live within 1 mile of
an AML site
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT):
• Founded in 2002
•
Assist rural communities impacted by pre-regulatory
environmental degradation and its
consequences in making their homelands healthier
places to live and work.
•
Place college-educated OSM/VISTA Volunteers
with community/watershed organizations
for 1 year.
•
Provide support and training for OSM/VISTAs and their
Supervisors
•
Serve: PA, OH, MD, WV, VA, KY, TN, AL
•
Currently 37 ACCT OSM/VISTAs in the field
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Ten Years of Service (2002-2012) Highlights
During our decade of service, the ACCT
•
Placed and trained 214 OSM/VISTAs
–
90 of those relocated from outside of Appalachia and have
stayed in the region!
•
Supported 114 Appalachian Community Groups
•
Secured $8.5 million in grants
•
Developed $7.9 million in-kind resources
•
Logged 520,000 hours of service by community
volunteers
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Community Groups
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Core Goals
1. Capacity Building
2. Economic Development
3. Environmental Stewardship
4. Education and Outreach
5. Professional Development
VISTA positions are valued at $22,000 sites
hosting an OSM/VISTA is $7,000
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Capacity Building
OSM/VISTAs write grants, recruit volunteers, build/strengthen
community partnerships with other community improvement
organizations
Recruited 1,504Volunteers
Logging 71,130 hours of service
Leveraged $209,591 in in-kind resources
Secured $760,753in grants
Established 889 partnerships
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Economic Development
~ 200 projects this year!
OSM/VISTAs implement or develop projects that encourage tourism, cultural heritage
preservation, community gardens, green energy, and sustainability.
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Environmental Stewardship
• 568 AMD sites monitored
•121 AMD Remediation projects started
• 1096 sites monitored for water quality
• 37,759 trees planted on ~165.5 acres
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Outreach and Education
OSM/VISTAs create outdoor classrooms, develop and implement environmental educational
programs for youth, partnerships with local 4-H, Boy and Girl Scouts, local school districts, etc.
• Conducted 148 presentations reaching
8,143 students
• Held 219 community events
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Professional Development
• ACCT host two biannual trainings for OSM/VISTAS and their supervisors
•OSM/VISTAs participate widely in professional conferences
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Intern Program (NEW!)
• 1700 hours of work (12 month position)
•Member is earns a stipend of $12,100 a month
•Member receives Education award after
•No pre-requisites for hosting
•$20,500 –which covers the cost to support the Member
Projects include:
•Mapping and monitoring
• Creating educational programs
• Training volunteers
• Creating newsletters
•Creating survey protocols
• Establishing databases
•Building Rehabilitation
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Environmental Stewards Summer Programs
This summer’s Environmental Steward program
consisted of 52 members, across 14 states
Activities include:
• Map and historical building preservation
• Trail building/restoration
• Water quality surveys
• Removal of invasive species
• Educating the public on conservation.
• 29 community gardens were
created
• Over 5 miles of trails built
• 10 acres of invasive species
removed
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
OSM/AmeriCorps Regulatory Members
• The program has27 members for the 2012-2013 year
• The members are supported by both OSM
Headquarters in DC and OSM Appalachian Region
Members participate in projects such as:
• Attending mine inspections
• Creating web sites
• Digitizing maps
• Tracking fills and much more
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Reforestation Initiative
Since 2009, the ACCT Reforestation Initiative
has:
• Planted 719,175 trees
•Reforested 1,032.4 acres
In 2012 the ACCT Reforestation Initiative has :
• Planted 54,175
•Reforested 112.4acres
• Recruited 7,478 hours of volunteer service
Look for an opportunity to apply for $$ to support your Reforestation Project!
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
NCCC Initiative
• Two Teams awarded in spring 2012
• Two Teams awarded in fall 2012
• Potential for winter 2012 Team
Spring 2012 Teams served across
Appalachia for 10 weeks
Combined the Teams:
• Planted 9260 trees
• Reforested 10.2 acres
• Beautified 181.5 acres of land
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Training
Appalachian Coal Country Team Semiannual Training
The ACCT covers the costs for member’s attendance, secures trainers and provides fun
cultural learning opportunities
The Appalachian Coal Country Team (ACCT)
An OSM/VISTA Initiative
www.coalcountryteam.org
Visit our website: www.coalcountryteam.org
Call or email for more information!
April Trent
Team Director
teamdirector@coalcountryteam.org
PH: 304.252.4848 ext 310
Spencer Moss
OSM/VISTA Leader
osmvistaleader1@coalcountryteam.org
PH: 304.252.4848 ext 304