West Virginia stands at a crossroads as it confronts the accelerating challenges of climate change and environmental hazards. Every county has experienced the realities of flooding, water quality concerns, and aging infrastructure, while also carrying the legacies of extractive industries. Yet across the state, local responders, nonprofits, and grassroots groups have consistently stepped forward, demonstrating remarkable commitment and creativity in the face of adversity. Their work shows both the strength of community initiative and the potential for broader systems of preparedness that can move the state from a cycle of recovery to a future of resilience and renewal.
Building on these efforts requires more than technical fixes or short-term interventions. It calls for approaches that integrate environmental and social dimensions of risk while fostering collaboration across diverse actors. By investing in equitable governance, stronger data and assessment, and planning processes that center community voices, West Virginia can chart a path toward resilience that safeguards infrastructure and ecosystems while strengthening livelihoods, care networks, and community well-being. In this way, the state has the chance not only to reduce vulnerability, but to model how long-term investment in resilience can create healthier, more vibrant communities for generations to come.
How can diverse actors—emergency responders, watershed groups, coalitions, mutual aid networks, and faith-based organizations—work together across their differences to prepare for future climate and environmental hazards? What kinds of data, information, and assessment tools are needed to strengthen environmental preparedness? How can holistic risk assessments foster collaboration across diverse actors, and in what ways does community mapping generate shared understanding and new strategies for resilience?
Are you interested in this area of inquiry and action? Contact Grace Dever - gedever@mix.wvu.edu