top of page

Blog

Filter posts by Category
Madison Mooney, former Community Engagement Coordinator and current Community Care Coordinator (CCC), with current Community Engagement Coordinators (from left to right) Michelle Caroll Cole, Tina Johnson, Randal Caudill, and Danielle Kirk. Photo by Madison Mooney. For LiKEN Knowledge’s Giving Thanks Week, on this Thanksgiving Day,  I want to give thanks to our amazing Community Engagement Coordinators throughout LiKEN Knowledge’s Organization.  CCC Madison Mooney reuninting with former CEC Will Majors at a community event in Harlan County, KY, in 2024. From 2018 through 2021, LiKEN Knowledge had a dream of creating more “boots on the ground” local staffers that could work with core counties and communities. Between 2018 and 2020, LiKEN Knowledge was able to partner with Martin County Concerned Citizens, Appalachia Fellows, Appalachian Citizens Law Center and the University of Kentucky to support a very community-engaged role with the Martin County Water and Health study, which led to the creation of the first Community Engagement Coordinator (CEC) to support this boots on the ground project. This project was where LiKEN knowledge piloted out what a CEC role would look like within the organization, and how they could support boots on the ground local projects and the communities' voices.  CCC Madison Mooney with former CEC McKensi Johnson at Kentucky Waterway Alliance's 2024 Summit in Morehead, KY. Photo by Madison Mooney. Fast forward to 2021, and the results from the Martin County Water and Health Study had opened the door of opportunity for LiKEN Knowledge to hire a full–time CEC to support both LiKEN Knowledge and Martin County Concerned Citizens Group. This project and opportunity started to open doors fully for LiKEN Knowledge and seeing the importance of “rooted community engagement” and taking the time to truly connect with one’s community to build bridges towards trust, transparency, and change that comes from the core of the community to support present and future livelihoods.  I have had the honor and privilege to watch LiKEN Knowledge grow within the last almost five years and being able to see more CEC throughout our organization to support some of the most community driven and deep livelihood work that I have ever seen! Each and every CEC, whether you are currently working for LiKEN Knowledge or were a former colleague within the CEC role EACH OF YOU has played or is currently playing one of the most IMPORTANT ROLES within LiKEN Knowledge’s work and organization.  Without the CECs, we would not be able to do the rooted work that this organization strives for. Along with being able to truly understand our communities and what they want to strive for in their present and future livelihood. This work simply would not be possible without YOU. For all past CECs, thank you for your knowledge, support, and time as a LiKENeer. The knowledge you have shared and the level of support throughout your time have helped us grow our community engagement and understanding of the true importance of this work! The impact on your community, no matter how long your time with LiKEN Knowledge, still ripples. Former CEC Natasha Moore with current CEC Danielle Kirk and CCC Madison Mooney tabling at Friends of the Tug Fork River's Paddle Camp on June 7th, 2025. Photo by Friends of the Tug Fork Board Member and Executive Director of Big Laurel Grace Williams . For all current CECs, I just want to say how truly thankful we are to have  you. Working with each of you and supporting you as your community care coordinator has been one of my highest honors! Each of our current CECs is deeply passionate not just about the work that they get to do, but they are passionate for real core change, opportunity, and support for all present and future forms of livelihoods.  LiKEN Knowledge is an organization that doesn't just want to invest in communities, but one that wants to be rooted in all communities. Without our strong, empowering, knowledgeable, and passionate CECs, none of these opportunities would be possible.

No Community Without “U:” What CECs Mean to LiKEN

LiKEN Knowledge is an organization that doesn't just want to invest in communities, but one that wants to be rooted in all communities. Without our strong, empowering, knowledgeable, and passionate CECs, none of these opportunities would be possible.

Read More

November 26, 2025

A family of deer standing in snow in West Virginia in April 2011. Photo by ForestWander . Introduction : From 300 Thousand to 30 Million Deer White–Tailed Deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) are a common sight across Kentucky, being prevalent in both open fields and dense forests. They are widely hunted both for their meat and as trophies. Their population is great enough that, despite their value, they can ‌be a nuisance, with heavy browsing of crops, vehicle collisions, and rampant diseases. This huge population, though, has not always been present, and is in fact a recovery from near-extinction at one point. When European settlers first arrived in North America, they found an abundance of wildlife. Kentucky was no exception, with dozens of “long hunters” storming the territory well before it was a state. Like Indigenous people for centuries before them, they were drawn to Kentucky for hunting. Ironically, though, the abundant deer fueled myths of Kentucky being an empty land, even despite fierce competition for both game and land with Indigenous peoples, especially the Shawnee and Cherokee, throughout the long hunters’ time because of shared pull factors into the region ( Kentucky Heritage Council ). Among the abundance of wildlife species present were huge numbers of white–tailed deer, with populations estimated to have been as high as 62 million ( Hanberry and Hanberry, 2020 ). An image from famed hunter William T. Hornaday's The American Natural History: A Foundation of Useful Knowledge of the Higher Animals of North America, Volume II (1914). Text around the image reads, "At this date deer-hunting is not permitted at any time in Indiana, Illinois, lowa, Nebraska, and Kansas—where there are no wild deer; or in Rhode Island, Conneticut, Delaware, Tennessee, or Kentucky [where populations still remain]." Click this link to read the original book that this image was downloaded from! By the 1800s, unregulated over-hunting had reduced this population to 12 million, and by 1900, because of an increase in commercial hunting practices, as few as 300,000 white–tails remained, and the deer had vanished from much of their historical range. By the year 2000, though, things had changed. The passage of the federal Lacey Act created regulations for the trade of illegally harvested wildlife, and penalties for violating these regulations. This effectively destroyed the commercial hunting trade, which was already facing challenges after decades of uncontrolled harvest. Because of such regulations put in place by both federal and state wildlife management agencies, as well as aggressive reintroduction and management efforts, this deer population had rebounded to an estimated 30 million deer ( New Hampshire Fish and Game Department ), and again are a widely–hunted game species. Odocoileus virginianus , commonly called the white–tailed deer, is an ungulate in the family Cervidae. It is an extremely widespread species, ranging over most of eastern and central North America, and as far south as the northern reaches of South America. In recent decades, warming temperatures have even allowed them to expand their range farther north, into boreal forests ( Dawe and Boutin, 2016 ). They feed by browsing on a wide variety of plant life, from the herbaceous plants and flowers, to the leaves and stems of woody plants and trees, to seeds and nuts such as acorns. This browsing practice can have negative impacts on agriculture, as deer do not distinguish between wild plants and domestic ones ( UK Forestry ). This only helped to make them the perfect prey then, and with the rebounded population of the present, it is a returning issue. Modern Harvesting: White–Tailed Deer Seasons of Today and Tomorrow Presently, white–tailed deer are a widely hunted game species across most of their range. They are primarily hunted for their meat as well as for trophies. In Kentucky alone, during the 2024–2025 deer season, 149,868 were harvested ( KDWFR Harvest Report ). Deer hunting season in Kentucky begins in early fall, usually early September, and lasts through winter, typically ending in early January. That larger yearly season breaks down into several smaller, weapon–specific ones: archery season is the longest going from early September to the middle of January; crossbow season also runs from September to January but with a slightly shorter window; modern firearm season lasts around two weeks in November; and muzzleloader season comes first for a weekend in October and again for just over a week in December ( KDFWR ). For more detailed information on season dates, as well as rules and regulations surrounding deer hunting in Kentucky, visit the Kentucky Departments of Fish and Wildlife Resources web page about deer hunting . For those who want to attract deer to their properties for hunting season, there are some habitat management factors that need to be considered. First, you should consider the plant communities on their property, as this helps determine the cover (shelter from predators and adverse weather) available to deer. Is it largely forested, largely open ground, or a mixture of both? What tree and plant species are present on site, and what condition are they in? Answering these questions can help determine what kind of cover and forage is available to deer on the property, and how appealing they would be ( Purdue Forestry ). It is important to provide for a deer's habitat needs on a year–round basis, as they are more likely to remain within an area longer if all their needs are met year–round, rather than just for a season. If you own property that is completely forested, with a thick canopy, then implementing a Forest Stand Improvement, or FSI (also called a Timber Stand Improvement or TSI), could help introduce more light by eliminating less desirable or unhealthy trees, while encouraging the growth of more desirable tree and plant species like oaks, blackberries, and other mast producing plants. The creation of early successional habitats, such as fields and forest openings, can provide deer with both an abundance of food and cover.  For more detailed on–site help, you can contact your local private lands biologist , who is often available for free through your state's wildlife agency . They can provide technical advice, and organizations like the   Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN)  can help you learn about and navigate the federal cost–share opportunities available in the region. These opportunities include the USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)  for new conservation practices and the   Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)  for expanding on existing efforts. For help in choosing among these programs, and for more information about forest management, visit LiKEN’s Community Wealth page here . Failing from Too Much Success: CWD and HD in Modern White–Tailed Deer A deer visibly showing signs of CWD in Wyoming, where it is much more common, in 2000. Photo by Terry Kreeger. While the recovery of white–tail from the brink of extinction is undoubtedly a good thing, it hasn’t come without consequences. Chief among these is the rising prevalence of disease among deer populations, and there are several diseases that are commonly associated with deer that hunters should be aware of. The most well known of these are hemorrhagic diseases (HDs), commonly called “blue tongue,” and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Hemorrhagic diseases are caused by viruses, typically the bluetongue virus or the epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus ( KDFWR ). These diseases are spread to deer through biting midges (small flying insects), whose populations rise in summer and fall off as temperatures begin to drop. Symptoms can vary, but include swelling of the head, neck and tongue, difficulty breathing, depression, and fever. Fever can lead the infected deer to drinking water, in an attempt to cool themselves; as a result, many deer who die from HD are found near, or even in, streams and ponds.  Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a neurological disease found in many members of the cervid family. It is caused by misfolded proteins called prions, similar to mad cow disease, and is always fatal to infected deer. It is spread through the bodily fluids of infected deer, such as saliva, blood and urine, either through direct deer-to-deer contact, or indirect contact with these fluids in the environment. Once the prions from these fluids are introduced to soil and water sources, they can remain there for years ( US CDC ). Symptoms include weight loss, drooling, drooping ears, loss of coordination, and a lack of fear of humans. A CWD sampling station in Stearns County, Minnesota. To date, this disease is far more common in the northwest than southeast, but it is appearing in Kentucky more frequently. Photo by Tony Webster. Monitoring and testing for CWD is a major concern for many state fish and wildlife agencies, as if left unchecked it could spread further and have a lasting impact on deer populations. As of 2024, it has been detected in 34 US states. In Kentucky, a wild deer killed by a hunter in Ballard County was found to be infected, and in Breckinridge County a number of captive deer were found to have died from CWD ( KDFWR ). A second wild case was detected in Pulaski County in October 2025. Kentucky’s CWD response plan includes a surveillance zone, which includes the counties of Ballard, Breckinridge, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Marshall, McCracken, Meade, Union, and Webster ( KDFWR ). These counties have additional regulations for deer hunting, including a requirement that all deer harvested in these counties are sampled for CWD. In counties outside the surveillance zone, locations may be set up for hunters to drop off the heads of harvested deer for voluntary sampling, and biologists often take samples from road–killed deer to test them for CWD. While there is currently no evidence that humans can contract CWD, caution should still be taken with animals that are found to carry the disease.  The recovery of America's White–tailed deer population—from being lost in much of its historic range, to flourishing to the point of nuisance—is a remarkable illustration of the importance of regulation and enforcement practices, and is a victory for conservation efforts. This recovery has not come without issues, such as the prevalence of disease among populations and the impacts they can have on crops. Keeping these factors in mind while managing them through disease monitoring and forest management practices can help ensure that people continue enjoying their interactions with deer, whether that be through hunting or simple observation.

On the Rebound: A Tale of White–Tailed Deer in Kentucky

By the 1800s, unregulated over-hunting had reduced this population to 12 million, and by 1900, because of an increase in commercial hunting practices, as few as 300,000 white–tails remained, and the deer had vanished from much of their historical range. By the year 2000, though, things had changed. The passage of the federal Lacey Act created regulations for the trade of illegally harvested wildlife, and penalties for violating these regulations. This effectively destroyed the commercial hunting

Read More

November 20, 2025

Volunteers from the University of Kentucky Appalachian Center and the local area remove a large commercial-grade tire from the Kentucky River during the Final Event of KY River Clean-Up Week on August 23, 2025 in Leslie County. Photo by Matthew Sparks. The anticipated finale of Kentucky River Week, a joint organization effort of LiKEN Knowledge, the Kentucky Riverkeeper , and Friends of the Red River  many months in the making, was about to come to a close on August 23, 2025. The success of the event largely depended on my ability, as the Community Engagement Coordinator for Leslie County, to execute it. I was so stressed about how this event would go, but it ended up being better than either I or the community even imagined. The Keys to Success: Giving Thanks to Fellow Community Organizers Teamwork truly makes the dream work. So many other people went into making today a great success. The Kentucky Riverkeeper  provided so much promotional and technical support and got us fully outfitted for this undertaking. Some amazing local bands, food from Trails of Smoke BBQ, and even the garbage disposal, were all meticulously organized by Hyden’s mayor. Even without “wallering in the creek” with us, all these folks played a vital role in getting our community out and having a good time while showing their support. There were so many other folks who enriched the event merely by being present beyond just volunteering. Former District Judge Renee Muncy showed up early to welcome the Kentucky Riverkeeper  to Leslie County and show her unwavering advocacy for the Middle Fork and those who dwell along its banks. Lesley Sneed, from the Kentucky Resource Council  also made a welcome appearance fresh from our previous day’s tire pull–in which volunteers literally pulled tires up the riverbank–to show solidarity, and to, of course, dispense some of her incredible knowledge about Kentucky’s freshwater mussels. I was so excited to show her (a specialist in such a niche field) the freshwater mollusk we had found, and she was ready to tell me not only its species, but showed me how to tell its age (“like a tree”), by reading the rings on the shell. The mottled, brackish off–white husk of the approximately 15-year-old freshwater bivalve now sits on my shelf—a powerful reminder of the biodiversity of the Middle Fork, and the ongoing importance of maintaining its health. Some of the "river rats" mentioned that volunteered for the river cleanup. Such volunteers are crucial in making future events like this possible. If you're interested in volunteering with us in the future, please see our events page and follow us on Facebook ! Photo by Matthew Sparks. On the volunteer side, most of us “river rats” have known each other for 25+ years. Others coming from further out in central Kentucky made us feel like we had known them for as long—diving right in and getting dirty with us! We boated a bit, and we dug to the point of having a darn archaeological dig in the Middle Fork. Some of the more interesting items we found beyond tires included a plastic iguana, an almost fully intact exercise bike, a nearly 15-year-old shell of a Mucket clam—a species native to the Kentucky River identified with the help of KRC’s Lesley Sneed—and even a pair of XXXL men’s underwear! Building “Appalachian Pride:” The Fruits of Labor for Volunteers Of course, it was far from a picnic in the park. We grunted and did quite a bit of primal screaming, but it was all worth it to have made the difference! To quote volunteer Katie Bowling Johnson, “Doing a battle cry while lifting a 600 lb tire with your childhood bestie brings out some primal Appalachian pride!” And we did not stop at just one or even two. We pulled 31 tires out of the creek collectively, 9 car–sized tires, 11 commercial–grade tires, and there was another 12 that Randall Combs of the Leslie County Sheriff’s Office pulled from the stretch of the Middle Fork that runs through his backyard. We also could not have done it without Magistrate John Newell, and my longtime friends, the Jackson family (special shout out to their two young boys) who truly went beyond the call of duty to help us pull the tires up steep creek banks using a truck and a side by side. Likewise, these folks graciously took care of the transport and pre–disposal drop off of the tires and other garbage for us at our designated dumping site! Local volunteers dropping off tires, wheels, and other debris removed from the Kentucky River. How many tires can you count in this one picture of the pre-disposal site? Photo by Matthew Sparks. Weeks and even months on, however, it is apparent that the event was good for the health of the community as well. Following up with volunteers from the event, they affirmed the event’s value not only on the community level but also for them personally: “It’s easy to get caught up in routine…work, home, kids, repeat, and forget the beauty of the world around us and how we need to be more involved in caring for this earth that sustains us. And how amazing to have an opportunity to do it with lifelong friends. It was a beautiful experience. ( Courtney Clay Young ). Bonding with people who have the same goal and appreciation for our beautiful Appalachian hometown… to make it cleaner and safer for my community… and more importantly, for my children to be able to play in our rivers and streams without dodging garbage and tires gives you a sense of pride that can’t be bought. I really can’t wait to help out again next year! ( Katie Bowling Johnson ).” With our first Middle Fork “Tire Pull” done and dusted, we are left with some souvenirs, photos, and unforgettable memories to enjoy. I cannot wait to do this again next year and make it even better than the first time!  Have you spotted any areas especially bad for tires near where you live in Kentucky? If so, please check Kentucky Waterways Alliance’s Tire Tracking App ! Keep the Middle Fork and our watershed clean, y'all, and join us next year!

Tire-Fighters: Reflecting on Kentucky River Cleanup Week’s Successful Conclusion

Of course, it was far from a picnic in the park. We grunted and did quite a bit of primal screaming, but it was all worth it to have made the difference! To quote volunteer Katie Bowling Johnson, “Doing a battle cry while lifting a 600 lb tire with your childhood bestie brings out some primal Appalachian pride!”

Read More

November 11, 2025

A tire that has over time become stuck between two logs on the bank of the Kentucky River. This is just one of the thousands of tires polluting such rivers in Appalachia. Photo by Tina Johnson. Introduction: Beyond the Usual Suspects of Pollution When we think of pollution in our waterways, we generally tend to think in terms of pollutants like fertilizer runoff from farming or toxic drainage that comes from mining. We also think of all the pesticides that have been and that are still being used in farming. These are all enormous problems for our region. However, there is a decades–long problem that needs to be addressed. We think of tires as mostly an unsightly nuisance, but the problem is not just an aesthetic one. Not only are tires unsightly, they are dangerous to our health. Tires pose an incredibly alarming source of toxins to our environment and drinking water. When tires break down, they leach toxic chemicals into our waterways. They are in fact: SILENT KILLERS. The Silent Killer(s): Toxins, Microplastics, and Heavy Metals Why are tires considered to be toxic to the environment? Let us begin by exploring what exactly is in a tire. One important chemical that comes from tires is 6PPD-quinone.  It is very toxic to humans and aquatic life. What does 6PPD-quinone do in humans? This toxic chemical can affect brain and liver health. Other toxins that contaminate our waterways from the improper dumping of toxic tires are heavy metals , like cadmium, copper, lead and zinc, and microplastics . This is also of great concern because of the potential for increased health risks to pregnant mothers and their unborn children. A graphic created by the EPA to show the toxic pollution tires create. EPA, " Where Rubber Meets the Road: EPA Researchers Study the Environmental and Health Impacts of Tires," Science Matters Newsletter. August, 2024. https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/where-rubber-meets-road-epa-researchers-study-environmental-and-health-impacts-tires We tend to think of tires as just an ugly nuisance in our waterways. We seldom stop to consider the toxic health concerns associated with their improper disposal‌ into our rivers and creeks. The Kentucky River is highly polluted with tires. Recently, I was involved with a river cleanup project on the South Fork of the Kentucky River between Owsley and Lee Counties. A local business owner and kayaker had counted 158 tires within a five-mile stretch of the South Fork River. We removed 32 tires from that stretch of river in a day's time. Doing a river cleanup is hard work, with the tires generally full of decaying debris and mud. It is a very nasty, smelly, sweaty job. However, the payoff is helping the environment and having a sense of accomplishment from being unified with others in the goal of protecting and cleaning our waterways. A small boat full of decaying tires that had long polluted the South Fork of the Kentucky River until a LiKEN-partnered cleanup event last August. Photo by Tina Johnson. We have to think of tires in a way that lets us see them for the toxic threat they are that can end up in our drinking water supply. Many towns up and down the Kentucky River get their water supply from this river. What if you knew it would harm your unborn child? What if you knew it was causing liver and brain damage because of the toxic chemicals being released into the water? When we think in these terms, it becomes more of a reality of how dangerous they truly are and the need for the removal of this source of toxins from our drinking water. Tires also release microplastics into the waterways. Microplastics are becoming a major health concern and are quickly being found in many parts of the human body: the brain, liver, kidneys, blood, urine and even breastmilk, while both 6PPD–quinone and microplastics from tires are being found in breast milk . That means tires are putting even our youngest and most fragile population at risk of exposure twice over. This is a sobering thought. Would you want a nice cold drink of microplastic water fresh from your tap water supply? Beyond the Common Concerns: Tire Pollution’s Risks to Nature Tourism On top of the toxic chemicals slowly released from tires in the water, they can also directly harm people. When boaters are on a river, there is the danger of hitting tire debris and shearing a boat pin and basically making the boat motor unusable or even worse, causing the boat to suddenly jolt and wreck. Occupants could be thrown out of the boat, causing serious harm or even death. With unprecedented flooding in our region, as many around eastern Kentucky have experienced in recent years, these tires have potential to be serious dangers in floodwaters. They could be detrimental to anyone inundated in a flood. Plus, that goes without mentioning the damage a tire could cause if it were to smash into a house or a vehicle caught in an actual flood event. Another boat full of aged, decayed, rotted tires that had polluted the South Fork of the Kentucky River for years until this last August. This image comes from the same LiKEN-partnered volunteer event as the last, also from this past August. Photo by Tina Johnson. In addition to the many health risks associated with tires in our waterways, there is the recreation factor to consider, which is important to our economy. There is just something very unsettling about being on a boat or a kayak on the river and seeing horrible, ugly tires in the water, on the beaches, or stuck up in trees. When people come to our region, they come for the beauty of the woods and the beautiful serene rivers and streams that flow throughout the mountains. The mountains are more than just a place. They leave people with a feeling of awe and peacefulness that is rarely found anywhere else. We need to protect our water supply, not just for us but for the generations to come after us. We can be the change. Kentucky, we deserve better. We all love our families and friends. We can say enough is enough and take action to remove these unsightly, toxic, dangerous tires from our waterways. Contact your representatives and let them know there needs to be some action taken on this matter. Join a tire cleanup group. Our team here at LiKEN  partnered with Kentucky Riverkeeper and Friends of the Tug Fork  for some major cleanup projects this year. So far, we have partnered with Kentucky Riverkeeper for two successful tire removal cleanups the week of August 16–23, 2025, and Friends of the Tug Fork River for seven successful cleanups this year. Both of our river partners will be doing more river cleanups in 2026. Have you spotted any areas especially bad for tires near where you live in Kentucky? If so, please report to Kentucky Waterways Alliance’s Tire Tracking App ! Did you know that you can always create your own tire cleanup group and get people involved? We care about our water supply, and we can protect it. We each have a voice, and we can use it. We can make a difference.

Toxic Tires in the Kentucky River's South Fork

We think of tires as mostly an unsightly nuisance, but the problem is not just an aesthetic one. Not only are tires unsightly, they are dangerous to our health. Tires pose an incredibly alarming source of toxins to our environment and drinking water. When tires break down, they leach toxic chemicals into our waterways. They are in fact: SILENT KILLERS.

Read More

November 6, 2025

There is a certain kind of quiet you find deep in Appalachia. The kind where the air hangs heavy with damp earth and the only sound is the soft trickle of water over stone. And that is where the pawpaw patch lives. Tucked away in the shade, half-forgotten, waiting on folks who know where to look. The shaded leaves of a pawpaw tree blocking out the sun in the sky. Photo by Danielle Kirk. A Touch of the Tropics in the Mountains: Pawpaws’ Habitat and Production It was summer 2021 when we first moved to our slice of heaven along the river, and I was so hopeful that we would find a few pawpaw trees along the bank. Of course, I had to fight my way through the invasive Japanese knotweed before I could even see what else was growing down there, but it was nothing a couple of weedeaters could not handle. We got it all cleared out and could finally take stock of what trees we had growing along the river. I noticed we had a few sycamores, a few birches, some small silver maple saplings, and as I got towards the end of our property line; there it was. It did not tower like an oak, nor did its canopy grow wide like a maple. Its trunk was slender and stood a meek 16 feet tall, and its bark was gray and worn. As I looked up into its canopy, I noticed its leaves. They were massive, hand-sized leaves that pointed downward, smooth on the edges. Something about this particular tree looked like it belonged in some sort of tropical paradise. I was not sure about the overall health of the tree, but I was sure I had found exactly what I was looking for: the perfect pawpaw. I kept a check on that pawpaw tree that year, but I never noticed a bloom or fruit of any kind. Even though I was disappointed, the experience only made me more determined to learn what I needed to do to help support its life cycle. It was not going to fruit, not only because of the lack of sunlight but also because of the invasive knotweed that had been growing around it. I also learned that unlike most fruiting trees, both flies and beetles germinate the pawpaw. They need another tree nearby, too, that is either a different cultivar or that was grown from another seed to pollinate the flower, or it will not set fruit. This knowledge came at the perfect time, because we had been growing our small farm, and we had recently added goats to keep the weeds eaten back, plus farm animals meant we would have an abundance of flies hanging around—perfect for germination!  Two blossoming flowers on the branches of a pawpaw tree. The creek in the background shows this pawpaw is in a "riparian buffer," the strip of forested land around a body of water. Photo by Danielle Kirk. The next spring I was more hopeful because no knotweed, more sunlight, and more flies, meant more fruit. Around early April, I went down to the river to take a look and could not believe my eyes. The tree had the smallest deep maroon bell shaped flowers all over! I was so excited that one part of the process worked, and now we just had to hope that the musky scent the flowers put off would attract the flies, so I could collect some pawpaws! A Labor of Fruit: Cultivating Pawpaws Just as it is with human Papaws, the name of the game is sit around and wait. I waited through the seasons and each phase of the growing cycle, waiting first for the flies and beetles to germinate the flower in early spring and then for the zebra swallowtail butterfly to lay her eggs under the leaves in the summer. As goldenrod and ironweed painted the fields, while summer gave way to fall; the tree’s flowers gave way to fruit. I slowly waited on the leaves to start losing their shine and soften into a yellow. I waited through it all, and even when I thought they were ripe; I knew I had to wait until the pawpaws decided to let go, like the leaves on the trees around them, and fall to the forest floor. Finally, come mid-September, I found one. I had finished up my evening farm chores and started walking the bank like I had countless times before. I noticed that one of the pawpaws that had been hanging in place just the day before was now missing. So I went to work. I scoured the floor around the base of the tree, and that is when I found it: my first pawpaw of the season, and even sweeter, my first pawpaw from this tree. Struggling to contain my excitement, I ran back to the house to show everyone, as they knew I had been waiting for this moment! The fruit was green and plump, with some brown spots here and there. The flesh was as soft as a peach, and as I peeled it back with my fingers, it revealed a golden flesh that smelled so sweet. We all shared that first pawpaw, taking turns trying to describe the flavor: almost like a banana, almost like a mango, but all unique in and of itself. Harvested pawpaws bundled together quickly in a shirt, showing the fruitfulness and abundance of the tree in its season this year. Photo by Danielle Kirk. For the past several years, I have spent time along the river learning more about the intricacies of the pawpaw and the entire ecosystem it creates. From the beetles and flies that it needs to pollinate the flowers, to the new lives of butterflies that emerge from the leaves, to the raccoons, turkeys, and deer that race against me to eat the fruit. Our goats have focused on keeping the knotweed at bay, plus we cleared out a couple of weaker trees. By allowing more light to filter in, we have managed a healthier habitat for pawpaws to grow. The pawpaw tree has spread itself not just from the seeds of missed pawpaws, but by sending shoots up from the roots. I have watched as this single pawpaw tree took a riverbank that was once taken over by invasive species and not only healed the land but also grew into an entire patch. It is so important that we support native species. If you’re interested in learning about how you can get your hands on some pawpaw trees, check out Kentucky Division of Forestry pawpaw seedling sales  this fall that will ship in the spring. There are also several Kentucky nurseries that sell selected cultivars-pawpaws that have been bred for flavor and size. You can learn more about this and other pawpaw resources, groups, and festivals by visiting Kentucky State University’s pawpaw page . Because they grow along rivers and streams, pawpaws help slow erosion and protect stream banks during floods. This makes them an invaluable riparian buffer that also grows valuable fruits. There are state and federal cost-share programs that can help pay to plant stream-banks with native fruit and nut trees, such as the pawpaw. To learn more, visit LiKEN’s Community Wealth project page .

Where the Pawpaws Grow: Finding and Conserving Kentucky’s Banana

Just as it is with human Papaws, the name of the game is sit around and wait. I waited through the seasons and each phase of the growing cycle, waiting first on the flies and beetles to germinate the flower in early spring and then for the zebra swallowtail butterfly to lay her eggs under the leaves in the summer.

Read More

October 23, 2025

The aftermath of an Autumn Olive removal event at Trexler Nature Preserve in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in 2015. Photo downloaded from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AORemove.jpg Sometimes if it is not the disease that kills you, then it is the cure, and that is exactly the case for autumn olive. This woody shrub, originally native to Asia, was first introduced to North America in the 1830s (Moore et al. 2013) to provide cover and wildlife forage on sites that had been disturbed. Beginning in the 1960s, and pushed aggressively in the 1980s, the government encouraged the planting of autumn olive on surface mining sites in Appalachia as part of reclamation efforts, as it was seen as both an effective plant to stabilize the soil of former mining sites and an efficient soft mast producer, providing berries for wildlife species to eat (Oliphant et al. 2017). Unfortunately, large-scale plantings of autumn olive on these mine lands, with extremely low plant diversity on top of low levels of nitrogen in the soil, allowed autumn olive to grow quickly. Its invasion dominates the landscape by suppressing native regrowth. In addition, its high mast production allowed it to spread rapidly, with seeds being spread by animals that feed on the shrub’s berries. Diagnosing the Disease: How to Identify Autumn Olive Autumn olive is fairly distinctive, and relatively easy to identify for those seeking to manage it. The plants typically grow to around 15 feet in height, but can reach as high as 23 feet. They have dark green leaves with wavy edges and undersides bearing pale, silvery flecks. The leaves are alternate along the stem. In the spring it bears clusters of light yellow flowers, which develop into berries of brown or green color. Once ripened, the berries become bright red, usually by late summer, and can persist on the plant through winter (Moore et al. 2013).  The leaves and berries of an Autumn Olive. In this image, you can also see that the leaves have an alternate pattern. Photo by Randal Caudill. When looking for autumn olive in forest landscapes, the wavy margins and silvery undersides are the quickest identifiers. Looking for these features, and then further studying the plant upon sighting it, will help those looking to differentiate autumn olive from other species present in the woodlands. While it is damaging to the environment, autumn olive does serve some of the purposes it was initially imported for: it provides cover and soft mast to many wildlife species. In addition, people sometimes find uses for the plant as well, making jams and jellies from the berries, or harvesting honey made from it in areas where it is especially prevalent. Prescribed Cures: Managing the Invasion While autumn olive’s rapid spread can seem overwhelming, there are methods that can effectively manage it. The most effective methods of control involve mechanical and chemical treatments, such as cut stump methods. Cut stump treatments involve a few steps: The thin trunk of an autumn olive overlaid on top of other trees and plants. Can you tell which is autumn olive and which is not from the leaves in this picture? Photo by Randal Caudill. Cut the tree down as low on the trunk as possible. Spray or paint the newly exposed stump thoroughly with herbicide, completely covering the whole interior of the stump.  Follow up as needed to ensure that stumps have not begun to resprout.  Following these steps, cut stumps treatments can be effective at suppressing new growth of the cut tree. Basal bark treatments- applying herbicide directly to the bark of the tree- can also be effective, and doesn’t require a chainsaw or other mechanical tools. Consideration should be given to the surrounding plant community with this treatment ,though, to minimize the risk of the herbicide damaging non-target plant species. If herbicide cannot be applied without significantly affecting these non-target species, then other treatment options may want to be considered. (Missouri DOC)  In places where autumn olive has completely taken over with no other plant species present (known as a monoculture), then larger scale methods of mechanical removal can be used. These include the use of heavy machinery, such as bulldozers or skid-steers equipped with mulching attachments, to clear large swaths of the plant at a time. Follow this up with foliar sprays to kill any resprouting stumps (UK Cooperative Extension). For more information on controlling autumn olive check out   this document from the University of Kentucky, or contact your local agricultural extension agent. There are also several state agencies that offer assistance with the costs of controlling autumn olive. For help choosing the right one and to learn more about our Community Wealth from Healthy Rivers and Forests program visit our info page. Resources Cited for Practical Use UK Cooperative Extension Service | Department of Forestry and Natural Resources | Woodland Invasive Plant Management Series: Autumn Olive Missouri Department of Conservation | Invasive and Nuisance Species | Invasive Plants: Autumn Olive Control Resources Cited for Further Research Moore, M.R., D.S. Buckley, W.E. Kingman III, A.M. Saxton. 2023. Distribution and Growth of Autumn Olive in a Managed Forest Landscape. Forest Ecology and Management 310 (2013): 589-599. Oliphant, A.J., R.H. Wyne, C.E. Zipper, W.M. Ford, P.F. Donovan, J. Li. 2017. Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) Presence and Proliferation on Former Surface Coal Mines in Eastern USA. Biological Invasions 19 (2017): 179-195.

It Was the Berries: Fighting Autumn Olive's (Elaeagnus umbellata) Invasion in Appalachia

Unfortunately, large-scale plantings of autumn olive on these mine lands, with extremely low plant diversity on top of low levels of nitrogen in the soil, allowed autumn olive to grow quickly. Its invasion dominates the landscape by suppressing native regrowth. In addition, its high mast production allowed it to spread rapidly, with seeds being spread by animals that feed on the shrub’s berries.

Read More

October 23, 2025

Summer is always a busy time for LiKEN, and this year has been no different. From creek clean ups and youth paddle camps to Tribal-led gatherings on the Louisiana coast and national conversations on land and water, our programs have been full of energy and purpose. Each effort, no matter how local or far-reaching, shares the same goal: to care for our communities and the places we call home. LiKENeers came together at Experience Learning at Spruce Knob Mountain Center in West Virginia’s Potomac Highlands for our annual Face-to-Face Retreat in July. This summer’s gathering was a time for deep team building, collaborative planning, and charting the course for LiKEN’s projects in the year ahead. In July, our team came together for our annual retreat at Spruce Knob in West Virginia. It gave us time to reconnect, share stories from the field, and think about where we are headed next. Below, you’ll find the full updates from each of our programs, capturing the work that has filled our summer and the seeds of hope we are carrying into the fall. Disaster Resilience What is the seed of hope from this moment that you would like to see grow for a more disaster resilient future? Louisiana Hub partners at the Rising Voices, Changing Coasts retreat in June. Photo courtesy of RVCC Hub. Rising Voices, Changing Coasts Louisiana Hub Retreat The Rising Voices, Changing Coasts (RVCC) Hub , led by Haskell Indian Nations University (PI Dr. Daniel Wildcat), is a coastal research project that weaves together Traditional wisdom and Indigenous and modern knowledge systems and sciences to better understand how climate impacts four diverse coastal regions—Alaska (Arctic), Louisiana (Gulf of Mexico), Hawai‘i (Pacific Islands), and Puerto Rico (Caribbean Islands)—and to provide local communities with the information they need to take action and protect their lifeways.  From June 26-28, about 25 Louisiana Hub partners, including Tribal leaders, Elders, and organizers with The First People’s Conservation Council of Louisiana ; facilitators and organizers from the Lowlander Center ; LiKENeers Alessandra Jerolleman and Julie Maldonado; and partnering scientists, convened together on Shrimpers Row in Grand Caillou, Louisiana at the Community Outreach and Program Office  (COPO). The COPO was created and organized by the tribal leadership of the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw. The gathering focused on weather and environmental observations, continuing to develop and share agreements on the vision, values, goals, and strategies for the First Peoples' Vision for the Louisiana Coast. Louisiana Hub partners at the COPO and on the land, at the June retreat. Photo courtesy of RVCC Hub. Community-Led Solutions for Compounding, Complex, and Cascading Disasters: Networking Roundtable at The Natural Hazards Workshop With partners from the Disaster Justice Network , Lowlander Center , Bill Anderson Fund , and the Rising Voices, Changing Coasts Hub , LiKENeers Julie Maldonado and Alessandra Jerolleman facilitated a networking roundtable at The Natural Hazards Workshop , hosted by The Natural Hazards Center , in Broomfield, CO on July 13. To spark conversations about and strategies toward building a disaster resilient future and to grow a connected network of hazard and disaster professionals, community members, and students, the networking event focused on each participant sharing who their professional and theoretical ancestors and mentors are in the hazards and disasters field and what values they have passed on. Over 50 participants gathered in groups and shared from their knowledge and experiences for three focused questions: (1) What does “community” mean to you? (2) What have you learned from place-based community work in disasters that can inform practice and/or policy? (3) What does a justice-forward, community-centered approach to disaster preparedness and recovery look like?  LiKEN and Lowlander Center partners also shared at The Natural Hazards Workshop about the Restoring Louisiana Marshes: Protecting Land, Increasing Resilience, and Reducing Flood Risk  project. To hear directly from the Tribal leaders and organizers in Louisiana guiding this work to fill in the canals dredged in Louisiana’s wetlands to restore marsh ecosystems, reduce land loss and flood risk, and protect land, go to this short video . Disaster Justice Network The Disaster Justice Network  (DJN) is a volunteer network organized by the Lowlander Center and LiKEN, and includes disaster recovery specialists, community and non-profit organizers, faith leaders, university students, educators, and more, to lend support and share critical information for disaster recovery processes in coastal Louisiana. DJN continues to hold twice-monthly virtual knowledge exchanges and sharing this summer, focusing on preparations for hurricane season, information-sharing on disaster preparedness and communications, building disaster mutual aid connections, and emerging LNG (liquified natural gas) impacts on the coast. Convergence Science: Indigenous Weather, Water and Climate Knowledge Systems, Practices and Communities Rising Voices, which LiKEN was a co-organizer of, organized the Convergence Science: Indigenous Weather, Water and Climate Knowledge Systems, Practices and Communities symposium at the 2023 and 2024 American Meteorological Society (AMS) annual meetings in Denver, CO (2023) and Baltimore, MD (2024), which continued at the Lazrus Symposium in New Orleans, LA in 2025 (see LiKEN Spring newsletter). In August 2025, a summary of these convenings, including the emerging recommendations and guidance on implementing convergence science in practice was published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society ; to read the full open-access article, please visit: Tapestries of Knowledge: Using Convergence Science to Weave Indigenous Science and Wisdom with Other Scientific Approaches to Climate Challenges . Land to Sea Network The Land to Sea (L2S) Network is a coalition of practitioners convened together through LiKEN and working to rematriate and protect Indigenous lands and waters. L2S partners published an article in the Journal of Geography to share lessons from the network and “place-based examples of Indigenous reclamation through rematriation, or restoration of sacred relationships between Indigenous peoples, lands, and waters – ranging from the resurgence of Indigenous caretaking to Indigenous land return” (Barger et al., 2025). To learn more, please visit: Lessons from Place: Indigenous-Led Rematriation for Strengthening Climate Adaptation and Resilience . L2S partners learning in place about the land- and waterscape of the Grand Bayou Indian Village, home of the Atakapa/Ishak-Chawasha Tribe. Photo by Sarah Barger. Forest Livelihoods Over the last few months, we have gone from the season when bark peels easiest to the time when the ginseng berries are turning red and getting ready to plant. In between, Forest Livelihoods has been continuing to recruit landowners and forest users for LiKEN’s Community Wealth program, which offers landowners help accessing resources to improve their forests. The project also seeks to support forest-based livelihoods through regenerative forestry with a focus on non-timber forest products such as tree syrups, medicinal and edible forest plants, native fruits and nuts, and mushrooms. In June we held an FSA clinic in Matewan WV to get forest landowners their farm number, and a landowner info session in Estill County on the conservation of ruffed grouse habitat co-hosted by the Kentucky Division of Forestry. Our CECs waded into the KY river in Lee and Leslie County for the Kentucky River Clean Up dragging out tires and gathering trash in a joint effort with CW partners Kentucky Riverkeeper. Meanwhile, our staff on the WV/KY line helped Friends of the Tug Fork River remove over 700 tires from the river, and they got a full crew of fifteen kids out on the water and learning about conservation and ecology during FOTFR’s annual paddle camp. Participants at the Friends of the Tug Fork River paddle camp watch a kayak demonstration. Photo by Matthew Sparks. LiKEN received an $80,000 grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation to complement our community wealth work in southern West Virginia. Forests in the Southern coalfields of the Mountain State are one of the primary global sources for medicinal plants like goldenseal, locally known as yellowroot; black cohosh; ginseng; and many others. We are working with wild stewards, forest farmers and other regional agroforestry organizations to find ways to access higher price points paid for material that can be verified as being sustainably produced. Herbalist Loretta Robertson explains the uses of medicinal forest plants at the Reading the Woods training at Big Laurel Learning Center in Mingo County. Photo by Phill Barnett. We had a great training co-hosted with Future Generations University at Big Laurel Learning Center in Mingo County teaching technical service providers how to evaluate forestlands for economic opportunities other than timber. Wayne and Loretta Robertson, proprietors of Retta’s Folk Remedies, a Wayne County apothecary that produces herbal products made from a wide swath of native plants and fungi joined us. As we move into Fall we will continue to offer trainings and events, including a yellowroot (goldenseal) planting in Leslie County on September 29th in partnership with Grow Appalachia, and we will be co-sponsoring the Kentucky Maple Syrup Association’s annual Maple School in Winchester, KY on November 1st. Water Collaboratory Water Pressure Project: Train-the-Trainer RCAP TAP support employees from all over the US gathered at RCAP's Train-the-Trainer event. Photo by Madison Mooney. Deborah Thompson, Impact Director, and Madison Mooney, Community Care Coordinator, supported and participated in a train-the-trainer program that Rural Community Assistance Partnerships (RCAP) organizes to support all the Technical Assistant Providers (TAP’s) workers across the Nation. Deborah and Madison presented our work for how we connect with the community, who we see as important stakeholders, and how important local knowledge is for understanding one's community and getting to the root of supporting local and community change. Being able to share the unique working partnership we have with RCAP, LiKEN, and the Pacific Institute (PI) was such a powerful experience. Members of the Water Pressure project team worked together to organize a great workshop. Left to right: Deborah Thompson (LiKEN), Madison Mooney (LiKEN), Ami Keiffer (RCAP), Victoria Harrington (RCAP), and Becky Anderson (Pacific Institute). Photo by Madison Mooney. Martin County Cleanup Projects Community members gathered in Inez, KY for a community cleanup project preparing for the Appalachian Artist Festival. Photo by Madison Mooney. LiKEN’s Community Care Coordinator, Madison Mooney, was asked by the Appalachian Artist Festival Board to host another “CityWalk Creek Clean Up” to prepare downtown Inez for their third annual Appalachian Artist Festival. This cleanup was a huge success in terms of both its attendance and the amount of trash and debris being removed from the waterways. Thank you to all the residents who participated in these cleanup efforts along with the different organizations throughout the community and county such as Thrive, ARO, Mountain Citizens, and Martin County Concerned Citizens who came out to support this cleanup event! Kayla Corbiere (Thrive Community Coalition) and Madison Mooney (LiKEN) pulling tires from the creek in Inez. Photo by a cleanup volunteer. Along with Ella Helmuth of the Appalachian Citizen Law Center and Martin County Concerned Citizen’s President Nina McCoy, LiKENeers Madison Mooney and Deborah Thompson presented at the Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection on July 30. This Committee meeting focused on a lot of different water and wastewater conversation between the Kentucky of Division of Water, Kentucky Rural Water Association, Martin County Water and Sanitation Districts, and Friends of the Tug Fork River work with a combination of local voices that support not just the work within the Tug Fork River but all different forms of clean up efforts happening across the state of Kentucky. Stories of Place This summer, with support from Mid-Atlantic Arts, and in partnership with Friends of the Tug Fork and the University of Kentucky, LiKEN’s Stories of Place program is launching a survey of Woodlands Arts in Central Appalachia. Woodland arts and crafts have a deep history within the region, reaching back beyond pioneer settlement to Native American practices. The biodiversity of the Central Appalachian hardwood forest continues to support and inspire the transformation of species into a wide variety of forms, often celebrated in works of art–both traditional and modern. How can the arts support the health of the forest as community wealth? Coordinated by Mary Hufford (director, Stories of Place) and Karen Rignall (Commons Governance Fellow), the initial survey will engage communities at the headwaters of the Tug Fork in West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky in creating a database of woodland arts, crafts, and practitioners throughout the Central Appalachian region. This database will support fundraising and program development in schools, senior centers, parks, and public venues throughout the Central Appalachian region.  If you live near a tributary of the Tug Fork and would like to participate in the survey, please fill out our online interest form here , or write to Mary Hufford: hufford@likenknowledge.org  or Karen Rignall: karen.rignall@uky.edu . We’d love to hear from you. Martin County local Catrina Vargo shares a poem about her upbringing in Appalachia at the Appalachian Artist Festival open mic. Photo by Madison Mooney. Madison Mooney, Community Care Coordinator, and Phill Barnett, LiKEN's Communications Director, supported an annual festival located in Martin County, Kentucky known as the Appalachian Artist Festival. This is the third year that the Appalachian Artist Festival has been held in this community. Madison Mooney supported a pop-up open mic event that took place during the festival. Residents sang songs, shared poems and stories about where they were from and what home meant to them, and some even read from their own published books about their experiences being from Appalachia and Martin County. Madison also supported a new exhibit known as “Maw and Paw’s Knick Knacks” which was an exhibit that focused on old gadgets, doo-dads, and artifacts from the local past. Land & Revenues In April of this year, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) terminated the Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities grant program, to comply with White House Executive Order “Unleashing American Energy” . This funding was the primary revenue source for the Appalachian Heirs’ Property Center, a project of the Land & Revenues (L&R) program at LiKEN. Despite that funding setback, the L&R team has continued to form partnerships, weave supportive networks, and build resource environments for heirs’ property owners in Central Appalachia. In July and August, the L&R team organized free Last Will & Testament Clinics in Pikeville and Berea as part of the LiKEN project Community Wealth from Healthy Rivers and Forests. At these two Will Clinics, eight volunteer legal practitioners drafted wills for 44 Kentucky residents, delivering $13,200 worth of free services directly to community members and potentially preventing dozens of properties from falling into the tangled title status of heirs’ property. The season for Last Will & Testament Free Clinics is not over! We are holding two more free clinics at Stanton in Powell County on September 29th and Beattyville in Lee County on October 29th, with growing interest in neighboring counties too. Beyond L&R’s direct service programming, we are finding new and exciting audiences to educate about land ownership patterns and issues in Central Appalachia. Earlier this year in April, Land & Revenues Director Kevin Slovinsky spoke on the ethics of heirs’ property research at a convening hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. In June, Kevin spoke at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s Policy Summit along with attorney and co-founder of HeirShares, Mavis Gragg. Kevin Slovinsky (left), LiKEN's Director of Land & Revenues, with co-presenter Mavis Gragg (right) and moderator Sarah Stein (middle) at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Policy Summit.  Reflecting on the presentation at the Policy Summit, Kevin said:  “The audience was from all over the country and from many different professions. I had to figure they weren’t familiar with eastern Kentucky, so with a relatively small amount of time to talk about a big issue, I emphasized two points often understated in lessons about heirs’ property: it is the most common form of collectively-owned land in the United States and heirs’ property owners and forest users have unique knowledge about the land that is often overlooked by researchers.”  We are always looking for opportunities to bring Appalachia into conversations about land, and bring land into conversations about Appalachia! If you know of any good audiences for the Land & Revenues team to engage with, please reach out to Kevin Slovinsky and kslovinsky@likenknowledge.org . An attorney helps locals draft and file a last will and testament at the Berea free will-writing clinic. Subscribe to LiKEN's mailing list and follow us on social media to keep up with the latest news and opportunities!

A Season of Growth: LiKEN’s Summer Highlights

Summer is always a busy time for LiKEN, and this year has been no different. From creek clean ups and youth paddle camps to Tribal-led...

Read More

September 11, 2025

What is blackberry picking time in the mountains? It is not just a time of year to pick blackberries, but a deeply ingrained feeling of joy and a sense of wonder that only springtime and summer in the mountains can bring. After a long, hard winter and having to stay indoors for months, the giddy excitement of Spring and Summer grips our hearts and our senses begin to awaken once again in Appalachia. An AI-generated recreation of the place we often gathered blackberries in my childhood. Because blackberries are an early succession species, one of the first to grow after disturbance, you can find them along the edges of woods, old fields, or roadsides for example. Image generated with Canva AI by Tina Johnson. It is a time of early morning dew glistening in the sunlight as it brings to life the cool feeling of anticipation of the new warmer seasons arriving. It is a time of adventure and excitement with walks in the deep woods of Kentucky. You can almost feel the anticipation in the air. It is a time of bare feet walking along the cool paths of the earth beneath and the feeling of memories and days of times past. It is a forever-connection to how it feels to grow up in the mountains.  A Tradition as Old as Time: Gathering Berries with Grandma It is a time for visiting grandma’s house for the first batch of blackberry dumplings of the season. We could always find blackberries on the farm by the sides of the paths and fields we would walk through. Grandma always used fresh blackberries not store-bought. When it came time to make the dumplings we would take our containers, old bowls, mason jars or just whatever we could find to carry berries in and try not to eat all of them on our way back to grandma’s house. Oh, how those memories come flooding back. The smell of grandma’s kitchen as you hastily walk through the old screen door on the porch, that slamming, clacking sound, a sound which still echoes in the memory of my soul. The sweet smell of blackberries simmering in the old cooker pot - not sure any pot made these days can capture the feel, smell and taste of grandma’s faithful cooking pot. A bowl of freshly picked blackberries being washed outdoors. Photo by Tina Johnson. It was a time of family and friends gathering to have a blackberry dumpling feast and grandma. Oh how grandma would smile one of her smiles, the kind of smile that only she could smile, a smile full of warmth, love and joy for all her family to be gathered around, you could see the twinkle in her eye and the joy in her heart. These were the simple joys of being around grandma. All the kids could barely wait for granny to tell them it was time to eat. With a mad dash and pushing to see who could get their plate first and get it filled. And all the while grandma would smile and chuckle in the background and not just any laugh, but one that would light up her whole face and her whole body would vibrate with joy, pure joy. I miss the smiling face and twinkling eyes of my grandma, going into her kitchen to get a cool dipper full of the best tasting water in the mountains.  Majesty of and Memory in the Mountains: The Need to Conserve and Preserve Place-Based Knowledge Ahh, to live in the mountains of Appalachia. A place and a feeling like no other. A place where the Grace of God settles on the people and the land they hold so dear. A place of deep harmony, being one with nature and knowing there is something special about living in the mountains, almost magical. So, what is blackberry pickin’ time? It is a time, a place, a feeling, a longing for the days of my youth and the pure joy and pride of being born and raised, deep in the heart of the Appalachian mountains. When I was putting together this story about blackberry dumplings it kinda took on a life of its own. I started remembering grandma and all the times we spent together as a family in her home. Her blackberry dumplings just seem to stand out in my memories. I did not have a written recipe for her dumplings so I began reaching out to one of the elders in my family, and they were able to tell me the recipe from memory.  An AI-Generated recreation of grandma cooking with blackberries in her kitchen. Image generated with Canva AI by Tina Johnson. Here is grandma’s recipe: Start by collecting nice, ripe blackberries. Make sure to wash berries. They can be used fresh off the vine or frozen for a later preparation time.  Use 1 part blackberries to 2 parts water with sugar, add sugar according to taste. Boil mixture for around 15 minutes. Add pieces of homemade biscuit dough then cook until dumplings are done. If you still have your grandparents with you, go see them. Go and listen to their stories, write down grandma’s recipes for generations to come to have and to cherish. Go pick blackberries with your grandma and take plenty of pictures. I sure do miss my grandmother and all the love, time, energy and wisdom she gave us. Thank you grandma. Resources for Getting Started Blackberry Pickin' How to identify blackberries: Missouri Department of Conservation | Field Guide | Common Blackberry How blackberries impact the environment beyond humans: Purdue University | Forestry & Natural Resources | Wildlife Habitat Hint: Blackberry How other people have found and used blackberries: Library of Congress | Tending the Commons: Folklife and Landscape in Southern West Virginia | Blackberries

Blackberry Pickin’ Time and My Grandma's Blackberry Dumplings

It is a time of early morning dew glistening in the sunlight as it brings to life the cool feeling of anticipation of the new warmer seasons arriving. It is a time of adventure and excitement with walks in the deep woods of Kentucky. You can almost feel the anticipation in the air. It is a time of bare feet walking along the cool paths of the earth beneath and the feeling of memories and days of times past. It is a forever-connection to how it feels to grow up in the mountains. 

Read More

August 28, 2025

The older I get, the more I appreciate the expression “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” It is a bit of a sobering thought. However, especially in times of crisis, I think it is important to keep in mind a mantra that encourages us to act more thoughtfully and intentionally. Picking up where the last blog left off, I’m going to document the second round of flood relief in Leslie County after the snow fell, framed around reflections on hard lessons learned after responses to the 2022 and 2025 floods. To put a positive spin on the saying about a “road to hell,” however, I believe we need a “road through  hell” here. Because hell does not have to be the endpoint—it is not too late for us to sit back, reflect, take stock of everything, and be proactive toward longer term systemic change—even if it feels like the house is burning down around you.  Up the Creek Without a Paddle: Mapping Inequality of Place in Leslie County’s Flood A street sign at the mouth of Hell-for-Certain Road. Photo by Matthew Sparks. During the bitter cold and snow-filled week following the first round of flood relief,‌ there was very little that anyone could do on the ground despite our best efforts. We had set the stage as well as we could for those staying at home to be warm, while those in the deeply flooded areas of Confluence and Wilder Branch had already made other plans for lodging. I had attempted to raise some mutual aid funds and properly direct them towards building supplies and necessities, but that was really all the weather permitted me to do. I continued to plan for what I could do to help with recovery, while I, quite literally stuck at home with my hands tied, monitored a crisis unfold in Leslie County. The Headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River in Leslie County act as the “Confluence,” hence the area’s name, of several streams that create the river which flows north into Buckhorn Lake. This area is very remote and, as you might’ve imagined, it is often flood prone. Because of the heavy rains, the floodgates were closed at the lake, and the rainwater backed up for several consecutive days leaving many communities in the Confluence area isolated. This backflow meant that Confluence residents went without power and water for several days—if they could even access their homes at all because travel into and out of most areas seemed possible only by boats on submerged roads. Furthermore, the inability to assess damage in this area prevented the flooding in Leslie County from being declared an emergency by the state of Kentucky. Coupled with the ongoing lack of media coverage and public outcry, this flood event is generating much chatter in the county. While the floodgates were ultimately opened on Thursday following the flood, likely influenced by a house in the area burning down because the local Fire Department could not reach it—the water was draining far too slow.  On February 26 th , I re-entered the flood relief coordination world quickly, helping to unload a truckload of supplies coordinated to be brought in by my comrade, Natasha Roberts, sponsored by Church of Christ Ministries out of Tennessee. “They totally understood the assignment,” Natasha said. Getting that truck unloaded, and the supplies out was truly a community effort. I made a couple of trips, and—as far as I knew—was about to call it a day and return to my LiKEN office.  However, a chance phone call from another old and dear friend of mine still in the county, changed that. I had not seen her in awhile, and she wanted to “get out” and do some flood relief while she had that afternoon free. “ At the suggestion of Natasha and some other members of our group—we agreed it would be best to try to get some food and water and basic supplies to the people still in the Confluence area, who were still  mostly cut off from the rest of the county. To do so, we had to cross a long, twisting, turning, dare I say “treacherous,” route through the infamous likes of “Hell-For-Certain” and “Devil’s Jump Branch” to name a few.  Coming to Hell for High Water: Relief Not a Moment too Soon  The two neighboring communities are popular among lists and books of humorous or unusual place names in Kentucky, they are in fact real places in Leslie County , and one I’ve been more or less familiar with my entire life. There is nothing particularly hellish about either place, both are quite beautiful, even if they are often known for remoteness. After all, they are roads used to offroad ATV, and getting to Wilder Branch, where we were going, via that route was essentially taking the most backwoodsy scenic route possible to arrive there. We did not exactly know what we were getting into, or if we could even get in; however, this was in part a reconnaissance mission. We loaded up the truck and set off. A rock wall with drawings of various Looney Tunes off of an unpaved section of Hell-for-Certain Road. Photo by Matthew Sparks. After about an hour long drive, seeing the many sights taking a few photos, and catching up, we reached the “end of the road.” It was a surreal sight. In the School House Bottom, as its locally known, there now sits a church. The holler forks off to the left—and straight ahead, where there should be a continuation of Wilder Branch Road, there was nothing but water and broken off asphalt. The area was serene, but off. Abandoned boats littered the unnatural shore where people had come to get supplies, got picked up, and left them to be picked up. I learned later we were probably the first volunteers who had made it in—before that day, you could not even access the backwoods roads in. Now—we had to figure out where we can leave these things—and how we can get them to the people who surely needed them. Fortunately, in the next holler over, we had a connection. My friend that I was riding with was a deputy. At the first house in the holler, lived another deputy who appeared to be home. I did not know him, but he was married to another long time friend of mine from grade school (Gotta love the Southeast Kentucky life!). They only needed some bleach and cleaning supplies—and would be home all day. They told us there was still an extreme need for water, with systems, pipes, and taps still out. We all agreed it was best to set the supplies on the paved area near the boat so that people coming and going could take as they needed and distribute. Our friends agreed to let people who may need it know, while supervising the goods from being taken by opportunistic people for their own reasons. We positioned the goods neatly and drove out of there back across the highway on four-wheeler ATVs. It was truly an adventure in becoming some of the very first people doing any sort of relief to get in there. I document a lot of the relief on my Facebook for various reasons—especially related to donations and for showing people where their money is going. The evening after posting requests, I confirmed that our donations were received by folks in need and got to where they needed to go. This was— clearly one of the highest priority areas of the county, with even more trips needed back in there. It was also here, however, where we began encountering ethical and moral dilemmas related to flood relief.  In 2022, as in 2025, and probably forever, the question of equitable distribution of free goods and supplies should always be forefront in the mind of relief coordinators. It is not a straightforward question---poverty and deprivation existed prior to the flooding---are these people not also worthy to receive some of the donated goods? Should these goods be  limited to only  flood victims? How can the criteria of need be determined? These are questions that mutual aid organizers and volunteers must wrestle with daily in the course of their work.  We experienced it last time, in 2022, with large amounts of donated goods immediately being picked up and sold or pawned. A friend of mine even completely re-homed a woman who later ended up just trying to get as much money out of her as possible. Controlling this issue of assessing need requires careful care—people can do assessments, they can take people’s names and ID’s, contact information, they can write their names on donated goods. I think there is a fine line between gatekeeping who receives supplies and simply distributing them in abundance to anyone who asks—there is no easy answer to these questions, and I have yet to find a universal solution— otherwise, I would not be writing this. My approach to these issues are to gather information about them locally, assess and prioritize need, and then equitably distribute to different areas, as much as I can based on the info I have. This approach is not perfect, but it is what I can do until I have a better solution. As LiKEN Knowledge’s Community Engagement Coordinator for Leslie County and a lifelong member of this community, I not only felt empowered but also compelled to take on the difficult challenges of realizing a more equitable distribution of resources in a disaster situation. If I did not step up, who else would? Help-for-Certain: Navigating the Ethical Dilemmas of Direct, Mutual Aid The day after our trip through Hell-for-Certain, many people in the wider Huff Holler and Wilder Branch area reached out to me about things going on in that area related to flood relief which were perceived by them as being rather unscrupulous. I heard reports that a church group was claiming they had received no help at all from the county when they had, in fact, but were still reaching out to many organizations outside of the area for support. I had also heard that some individuals were amassing and distributing the goods as they saw fit in the community, and that there was even a group-chat dedicated to this. One woman, who I knew very well and was in need, told me she did not get any water from the several jugs that I had left because she had not had time to get them. I know that good intentions count for something, however, once again I had to re-evaluate how I can better ensure that I am actually doing the most good for this area amid these conflicting reports. I would not have to wait long to have time to respond. Another friend of mine, Stephanie, an “expat-alachian,” (someone from the area but moved out-of-state), came in two days later with a load of goods wanting to get them to high-priority areas of need. Meeting the need and allocating it would be the easy part—the road was still completely flooded. However, we now had to figure out how to distribute the goods effectively. I explained the situation with the road flooding, arguing that we would need to once again go through the four-wheeler roads of Hell-for-Certain to my friend carefully. She, being a Leslie Countian, basically agreed with me. We loaded up, prepared for another trip back to Wilder Branch. The ride over was fun with us sharing stories and memories, taking photos, we even encountered a man with a boat. I assumed he was either taking supplies or had been out of the county and was returning home. He asked us for directions to where the boats were coming in, and we agreed to lead him there. We got mixed up a little bit, but eventually, we arrived at the same location as yesterday. School House Bottom, where the road remained flooded out. A jon boat beached on the side of the flooded, unpaved road next to donated boxes of cleaning supplies and cases of water. Photo by Matthew Sparks. After some discussions with the man and his wife in the boat and seeing another group of younger people set out back down the road-turned-river, we learned they were living in Laurel County for two weeks, because they were able to reach their house in “Huff Holler” over in Wilder Branch. Still flooded out. They had no water, they were not even sure their car had not washed away, but as far as they knew, their house was still standing. These folks clearly needed some of the stuff we had brought, so after some discussion, we distributed some of the supplies (mostly water, cleaning equipment, and food) to them and left some more of it in the back of their truck bed so their neighbors could come and get it if needed. We then distributed the rest of the supplies, including water, to two other residents we knew—including the people from the previous trip and also a prominent local ex-sheriff who was helping coordinate relief efforts. On the way out, I also made sure to drop three jugs of water off at the house of my friend’s elderly mother. Was it perfect, no, but it was enough to make me feel like I had at least intentionally  acted with good intentions, providing relief to people who had been flooded out of their homes for going on two weeks, to those who had not had water for two weeks, and to some of their neighbors.  A week on, the area is still not completely free of water, with many roads still inaccessible. However, this episode taught me a lot about mutual aid, and the moral and ethical dilemmas that arise in disaster relief, and most importantly how to provide direct aid without losing sight of long term institutional change to get self-sustaining systems of community support in place . A seed was planted for something new, and after these two trips to help for certain to provide direct, mutual aid, I made the decision to directly work with local leaders for some new support systems in the community. Namely, a tool library,but that will be the subject of another blog. For now, the marathon continues.  UPDATE August 11, 2025: About a month after the flooding had began, the main county and state roads became accessible once again to Dryhill, Confluence, and Wilder Branch residents. The back road through Hell-for-Certain was no longer necessary to take to reach these areas, and the Army Corps of Engineers went to work quickly repairing the county park damaged by the flooding. However, the advocacy for these communities, and awareness for the damages caused by the decision to hold the floodwaters, continues to be led by former District Judge Renee Muncy. In the meantime, we continue to prepare for when the next flood comes.

The Road through Hell-For-Certain; Paved with Good Intentions

To put a positive spin on the saying about a “road to hell,” however, I believe we need a “road through hell” here. Because hell does not have to be the endpoint—it is not too late for us to sit back, reflect, take stock of everything, and be proactive toward longer term systemic change—even if it feels like the house is burning down around you. 

Read More

August 26, 2025

Cicada Brood XIV returns to the eastern United States this year, bringing natural risks and benefits to Appalachian woodlands. Photo by Michael Kropiewnicki. If you’re a forest landowner, wildcrafter, forager, or someone who relies on the woods for your livelihood, you may have already heard the hum building beneath the soil and in the trees. This year, 2025 marks the return of Brood XIV , one of the largest and most wide-reaching emergences of 17-year periodical cicadas in the U.S. These insects aren’t just a curious natural phenomenon. They can bring both challenges and opportunities  to those who work with the land. Whether you steward forestland for timber, cultivate understory crops, or wildcraft medicinal plants, understanding how cicadas affect ecosystems can help you plan ahead and make the most of their brief but powerful visit. What Is Brood XIV? Brood XIV is one of the 15 distinct groups of periodical cicadas tracked by scientists. This group of cicadas live underground for 17 years before emerging synchronously by the billions  to molt, mate, and die all within about six weeks. This particular brood is: Centered in Kentucky , with major emergence expected across most of the state Also active in parts of Tennessee, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Georgia Last seen in 2008, making 2025 their next scheduled return Composed of three species of cicadas that emerge together in massive numbers Active Periodical Cicada Broods in the United States. Map created by Andrew M. Liebhold, Michael J. Bohne, and Rebecca L. Lilja for the US Forest Service . Click the map for more details. Unlike the green, annual cicadas you might hear every summer, these periodical cicadas have black bodies, orange-veined wings, and blood-red eyes. And while they might look eerie and sound overwhelming, they don’t bite, sting, or eat your crops , but they can impact your land in other ways. What Cicadas Do (and Don’t Do) to the Forest Let’s clear up a few common myths first:   Cicadas don’t chew leaves or crops.  Adults don’t eat in any meaningful way. They’re here to reproduce, not to feed. They aren’t locusts.  While people often call them locusts (like the biblical swarm insects), cicadas aren’t related to grasshoppers, the family in which locusts belong. They don’t form destructive clouds or strip vegetation. So what do they actually do? Female Cicadas Lay Eggs in Twigs This is where the main risk  to forest landowners comes in. Females use a saw-like organ to slice open small twigs and insert their eggs. This can cause: “Flagging”—visible browning and dying-back of branch tips Broken or weakened limbs In extreme cases, loss of vigor in young trees Young trees (under 3–4 years old)  are especially vulnerable. This includes: Newly planted hardwood seedlings Orchard trees (apple, peach, nut, etc.) Landscape trees and nursery stock Reforested areas or conservation plantings How to Protect Young Trees If you’ve recently planted saplings or plan to do so this year, consider: Delaying planting  until after the emergence (usually late May to June) Covering trees  with fine mesh netting (no larger than 1/4”) to prevent egg-laying Avoiding pruning  during or just before emergence to limit attractive new growth Flagging affected branches  and waiting until after cicadas are gone to prune deadwood Steve Kruger, Director of Forest Livelihoods at LiKEN, emphasizes the importance of timing when it comes to planting during a cicada year: “I would suggest people wanting to do an orchard should consider waiting to plant until Fall or the next year if there is going to be a large cicada emergence. Planting trees in the middle of summer is usually not advisable either because of potential heat and drought stress.” This advice is especially important for those starting orchards or forest farming projects . Holding off on planting until fall (or even the following spring) not only avoids cicada egg-laying damage but also gives your trees a better chance of surviving their first hot summer. Surprising Benefits: Soil and Wildlife Booms While cicadas can be a nuisance, they’re also an incredible resource  for the forest ecosystem. Soil Enrichment After mating, adult cicadas die in huge numbers and fall to the forest floor, where they decompose and return valuable nutrients, especially nitrogen , to the soil. This is particularly beneficial for: Wild-simulated crops like ginseng, goldenseal, and black cohosh Mushrooms grown in forest duff Native understory plants and soil-building cover crops Think of cicadas as a natural pulse of organic matter , like a compost layer spread across the woods. Wildlife Feast Cicadas provide a massive pulse of protein to the forest food web. Birds, reptiles, small mammals, and even fish feast on the emergence, often producing more young thanks to the abundance. This makes cicada years a boon for wildlife watchers, photographers, and ecotourism guides , a rare chance to observe animals behaving differently in response to the sudden surplus. And it’s not just animals that take notice: some people get in on the action too. Across the U.S. and in many cultures around the world, cicadas are considered a sustainable, high-protein snack —you’ll even find folks batter-frying them and serving them like tempura or tossing them into tacos . For the curious, they’re described as nutty or shrimp-like in flavor (just be sure to harvest them right after molting for the softest texture). Whether you’re observing or participating, a cicada emergence is a living reminder of how abundance echoes through an ecosystem. Cicada Shells in Traditional Medicine Steve Kruger also shared a fascinating tidbit about medicinal uses for cicada shells: “Another fun fact is that cicada shells can be used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. I don’t think it’s terribly common, but working with ginseng buyers, I met someone purchasing them several years ago during a brood outbreak.” The shed skins, called exuviae , are known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as Chan Tui  and have long symbolized rebirth, transformation, and renewal —echoing their dramatic life cycle of emerging after 17 years underground. It’s a reminder that every part of the forest has value —sometimes in ways we don’t expect. If you’re already harvesting ginseng or working with buyers, it may be worth asking if there’s any interest in cicada shells. How to Adapt Your Land-Based Plans Emergence years are predictable and brief. Here’s how to make them work for you: Adjust Your Calendar Plan tree plantings after June Focus this season on soil-building, harvesting, and forest maintenance Avoid unnecessary pruning or tree stress during active emergence Educate and Share Cicada years are great teaching opportunities. Consider hosting a community walk, youth workshop, or storytelling session Share what you know  about cicadas and forest resilience with neighbors and family. (You can start by sending them this blog!) Final Thoughts: A Natural Spectacle, Not a Disaster Cicadas aren’t a plague; they’re a cyclical part of Eastern forest life , and they’ve been coming for millions of years. For forest stewards, they’re a reminder of the deep rhythms of the land  and the importance of adapting to nature’s cycles. By planning ahead, protecting vulnerable plantings, and leaning into the benefits they bring, you can weather a cicada emergence and even come out stronger. If you’d like support or resources to prepare your land for Brood XIV, LiKEN is here to help.  We connect forest landowners and community stewards with training, information, and peer networks to build long-term resilience and opportunity from the land. Questions or stories about cicadas on your land? Get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. Email our Forest Livelihoods director Steve Kruger at skruger@likenknowledge.org for more information.

The Cicadas Are Coming: What Forest Landowners and Wildcrafters Need to Know in a Brood XIV Year

This year, 2025 marks the return of Brood XIV, one of the largest and most wide-reaching emergences of 17-year periodical cicadas in the U.S. Read more to learn about how your forest land could be affected.

Read More

June 6, 2025

LiKEN Program Updates, Spring 2025 At LiKEN, our work is rooted in relationships to place, to people, and to the knowledge that connects them. This spring, we’ve been honored to walk alongside communities across Central Appalachia and beyond, listening, learning, and growing together. From creative youth storytelling to deepened disaster resilience, from forest livelihoods to land justice and water equity, each of our program areas has continued to nurture new partnerships and possibilities. Here’s a glimpse into what we’ve been up to. Stories of Place Honoring Roots and Growing Branches in Martin County Last year's Martin County Stories of Place residency program in 2024 took place in an English 10 classroom at Martin County High School focused on “Where I’m From” poems (inspired by the poem of the same name by George Ella Lyon) that represent their story and upbringing. LiKEN recently brought together all their drawings and poetry into a hardcover book and eBook presented to the students and the school as a keepsake. All of the Martin County High School students who participated in last year's Martin County Stories of Place residency program. Photo by Lauren Traitz of Renew Appalachia . Martin County Stories of Place Residency is on the rise for 2025, including connecting with different organizations, camps, and even pop up story circles throughout the summer to help kids stay active, creative, and connected to their community, their stories, and nature. Madison Mooney from LiKEN (center), presented a book of the students’ artwork and poetry to the  Principal Michelle Harless of Martin County High School (left), and the 10th grade English teacher Samantha Maynard (right), who allowed us to come into her classroom to make this residency happen. Photo by Lauren Traitz of Renew Appalachia . Forest Livelihoods Spring is in full swing in the forests of Central Appalachia. Syrup and fire season draw to a close as trees leaf out and the forest floor erupts with spring ephemerals. This annual renewal is especially significant for LiKEN in 2025 as we welcome back several furloughed employees to the Community Wealth program, and as the communities we serve continue to recover from significant flood events. Our CECs and river partners on the “Community Wealth from Healthy Rivers and Forests” project have been working directly in their communities helping residents muck out their homes, get supplies, and navigate resources. We are documenting the response and recovery to the flood and the dramatic impact to the Tug Fork and Kentucky Rivers. We hosted our second FSA workshop, this time in Lee County. At these events, forest landowners can access the documents they need to get a number from the Farm Services Agency, opening the door to cost-share and technical support for conservation, management, and production on their land. We also had representatives from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Cooperative Extension, and the Community Farm Alliance (CFA) on hand to advise attendees about  their services. Look for more FSA workshops in the coming months. We will be co-hosting a workshop on making value-added products in Leslie County with representatives from Kentucky Proud and Appalachia Proud. There are more trainings coming soon to a forest near you! Topics include site assessment for forest farming, managing forests for wildlife, and riparian buffers that can help mitigate flood damage and provide food and income. LiKEN team members at the Beattyville Cooperative Extension Office at our clinic to help landowners sign up for farm numbers with the Farm Services Agency. (L to R: Steve Kruger, Matt Sparks, Deborah Thompson, Tina Johnson, and Sandra Hunt) We were gifted with country-cured bacon to take home from a Cooperative Extension demonstration project.) Our Community Engagement Coordinators (CECs) continue to document the values of Central Appalachian forests: how they provide wood and non-timber forest products, support tourism, conserve soil, provide habitat for wildlife, and protect our watersheds. LiKEN staff are currently seeking workers from forest-related businesses, technical service providers, and passionate and engaged anglers, root-diggers, hunters, naturalists, and river rats about the threats and opportunities they see to the rivers and forests they love.  We are also looking for landowners and property heirs who have at least 10 acres of forest and are interested in growing or managing edible, medicinal, or decorative forest plants and fungi, actively managing forests for wildlife or recreation, or who may be interested in selling credits for the carbon their forests are storing. We will be helping qualified landowners meet the goals for their forests. This includes help navigating technical assistance and cost-share programs, creating forest management plans, and helping assess the potential for forest farming on their properties.  Land & Revenues Although winter came with many challenges, including a storm that ravaged Central Appalachia and a funding pause that withdrew federal investment from the region, the Land & Revenues team at LIKEN Knowledge made incredible strides during the chilly season. Back in October, we hired our first Family Assistance Coordinator, Sandra Hunt, to work directly with clients enrolled in our heirs’ property assistance program, the Appalachian Heirs’ Property Center (AHPC). Appalachian Heirs’ Property Center Sandra and Kevin Slovinsky, Director of Land & Revenues, worked hard to stand up protocols for intaking new clients and solidifying AHPC’s package of services. We are proud to announce that the general public can now easily schedule an intake appointment on the webpage for the Appalachian Heirs’ Property Center. If you have inherited an ownership interest for property in our service area (see map below), you can make an intake appointment here . We have really enjoyed working with those who we have had the opportunity to help and joyfully look forward to each new appointment. Appalachian Travelling Will-Writing Clinic We are also excited to share that LiKEN will re-launch the Appalachian Traveling Will-Writing Clinic for a second year. From spring to fall, the Land & Revenues team will be holding one Will Clinic a month in a different eastern Kentucky county each month. Preceding the Will Clinic, Kevin Slovinsky and attorney Joe Childers (Childers & Baxter PLLC) will offer a free community presentation on estate planning and heirs’ property. You can see the dates of upcoming Will Clinics and Heirs’ Property Info Sessions below. We look forward to soon presenting an extended set of tour dates, going up to November.  Knowledge Sharing LiKENeers Kevin Slovinsky and Jacob Johnson, a University of Kentucky history graduate student who worked at LiKEN as part of the UK Appalachian Center’s AppalachiaCorps program, are co-authors in an academic article published in the March edition of Environmental Research: Energy.  Titled “Afterlives of coal: land and transition dynamics in Central Appalachia,”  the article looks at carbon forestry offsets, solar energy projects, and prisons located on reclaimed surface mines, drawing connections between these projects and the “legacy actors who have long dominated local and regional extraction regimes.” The authors argue that “the success or failure of broad-based transition policies depends largely on place-based dynamics rooted in land: who controls the land, who has access to land, who benefits from investments in land, and how public revenues flow from land.” LiKEN played a key role in compiling data on land ownership, which was utilized in the section on the solar energy projects. You can freely access the digital version of the article here: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2753-3751/adb1ea . While contributing to scholarly articles, the Land & Revenues team has also been participating in several wonderful in-person conferences. In late-February, Kevin Slovinsky and attorney Joe Childers gave a presentation at the Eastern Kentucky Farmers’ Conference on “Strategies for Preventing, Resolving, and Using Heirs’ Property.”  This presentation, the PowerPoint slides for which can be found on our resource page here , challenged the notion that heirs’ property is unusable. Using clear examples, Slovinsky and Childers were able to delineate between what people can and cannot do with their heirs’ property without incurring legal liability. The two presenters were joined at the conference by LiKENeers Sandra Hunt (Family Assistance Coordinator), McKensi Gilliam (Harlan county Community Engagement Coordinator), and Matthew Sparks (Leslie county Community Engagement Coordinator). The wonderful event, which brought together farmers, non-profits, and government workers, was organized by our dear friends at the Community Farm Alliance, Kentucky Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, and many more.  In mid-March, LiKENeers travelled to the 2025 Appalachian Studies Association Conference and presented alongside an extraordinary set of scholars and activists. Kevin Slovinsky organized a panel titled “Land & Livelihoods: Mapping Dispossession and Resistance” that included presentations about four different projects. All of the presenters positioned land as a crucial puzzle piece to understanding the politics of our time, but they approached this issue—land—through an incredibly diverse set of lenses. LiKENeers Kevin Slovinsky and Jacob Johnson presented the findings of a draft land ownership report of Martin county, Kentucky. Embodying the ethos of “place matters,” the Martin County Land Report zooms into a single eastern Kentucky county and captures a moment in time with a mission to broadly support justice-oriented grassroots community organizing. Lindsay Shade and Sylvia Ryerson analyzed the siting of prisons in Appalachia, drawing relationships across time and space to inform activist movements in the region. Dylan Harris shared the findings of his research on the carbon credit market in Appalachia. His approach to land positions it within a complex market that commodifies the ecosystem benefits of forests, connecting Appalachian landowners (both commercial and private individuals) to massive corporations like Disney and Microsoft. Last but not least, Zane Hornbeck-Buseman and Savannah Reese of the public-interest land bank West Virginia Land Stewardship Corporation (WVLSC) demonstrated their Property Abandonment Reclamation Tool (PART). A property visualization/mapping software developed by and for West Virginian land banks, PART reveals how patterns of land ownership, acquisition, and dispossession impact people's ability to remain on and utilize the land… getting at the very relationship people have with the land. Read what Kevin Slovinsky said when opening the session: “About forty-five years ago, the Appalachian Land Ownership Taskforce achieved something incredible: they utilized participatory action research methods to conduct a colossal study of land ownership and taxation across 80 counties in Appalachia. We don’t have anything like that to reveal today. However, what we do have reflects the threads of an ongoing, decentralized land study that is made up of dozens of different projects. They each take unique approaches to land, capturing the complexity of the land matrix. I hope that, sometime in the future, we can look back on today as a major step towards weaving that vision into a broader tapestry, a vision which I am sure many of you share.” In early April, Kevin represented LiKEN at a convening in Atlanta on heirs’ property research ethics, hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Kevin joined Danyelle O’Hara, Chief Projects Officer at the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation (CHPP), on a final panel session. Danyelle and Kevin spoke on the partnership between LiKEN and CHPP and how research shapes their programming. Kevin explained how quantitative research on the geographic occurrence of heirs’ property has told us where to hold Will Clinics. Our qualitative research, which includes many short interviews conducted at Will Clinics, has given us incredible insight into how cultural, political, and historical factors shape the cause and effects of heirs’ property. Kevin encouraged researchers to engage impacted people not as subjects, but as expert participants in the research process.  In June, Kevin Slovinsky will speak at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s Policy Summit alongside attorney Mavis Gragg, co-founder of HeirShares.  Overall, the spring 2025 is looking to be a good season for the Land & Revenues team at LiKEN Knowledge!  Water Collaboratory Winter brought significant challenges, rendering LiKEN's water work timely like never before. Both Harlan county and Martin county experienced severe flooding not once, but twice, heightening the urgency for disaster response and coordination as well as resilience-building efforts and proactive water management strategies.  In the aftermath of February floods, LiKEENeers were out in the communities we serve helping residents, cleaning homes, and demonstrating in action the commitment that is needed for building resilient communities.  Winter has also been a time for sharing knowledge and facilitating dialogue on the knowledge products we have been creating, based on our ongoing work on Harlan county’s and Martin county’s water and wastewater systems. The Harlan County Water Resilience Toolkit was shared within the community through spring. Harlan County’s CEC McKensi Johnson introduced the toolkit to different residents and was able to receive feedback. This feedback has also been helpful in finding what parts of the toolkit need improvement. Since sharing the toolkit LiKEN has already heard success stories that show how the toolkit has helped inform some residents.  On March 3, Madison and McKensi presented on the Water Climate and Equity Project to a Geography class on Water Management taught by LiKENeer Bethani Turley at Portland State University in Oregon. The students made many meaningful connections between their readings and the experiences and information shared by our two CECs. Water Climate Equity  From left to right: Deborah Thompson , Impact Director; Natasha Moore, Community Engagement Coordinator from Martin County, eastern Kentucky; Madison Mooney, Community Care Coordinator; McKensi Johnson, Community Engagement Coordinator from Harlan County; Maria Bareli , LiKEN Commons Governance Fellow appeared via videoconference to join and present.  The LiKEN Knowledge Water Pressure Team attended this year's 2025 Appalachian Studies Association conference in Cookeville, TN, to share the hows and whats of our long-term water work. Our roundtable discussion, titled “ Creating Change for Resilient Community Water Systems in Central Appalachia,” focused on our goals, objectives, and findings of the Water Climate Equity project. We shared our methods for   creating spaces of mutual/social learning and action   and presented our key takeaways on how water inequalities are related to extractive developmental pathways  and how different developmental pathways can create different types of water systems.   Drawing from our community-engaged research   in Martin and Harlan Counties, we shared our learnings about the water infrastructure of these two counties, and the impacts of extreme weather events on community and infrastructure, as well as about the relationship of community members with their water and water systems.  We also shared our Toolkits for Community Engagement and Water Resilience in the Face of Climate Change.  We identified information and knowledge sharing as important ways to keep communication open between residents and their water and wastewater systems, which led us to work with residents, technical assistance providers, and water system personnel. In our toolkits you will find information on water and wastewater on the community, state, and on the federal level for Harlan County residents. There is information on how you can get involved with stream sampling within your community, with sections that have information on drinking water systems, wastewater systems, household system maintenance, pollution, extreme weather, water system stressors, The Clean Water Act, and emergency contacts. There is also a glossary that defines any terms used in the toolkit that may not be a common term in every household. All of this information is tailored down to the local level for the communities in Harlan County. During early stages of the WCE project, we found that residents needed information on their systems that were not easy to find and they sometimes didn’t know what questions to ask. The collaborative process of creating these toolkits, what information is in there, including  the resources we have utilized (e.g. local knowledge, state and federal resources etc.), and the feedback mechanisms we created to ensure that each toolkits is constantly updated and aligned to local needs and assets.    Finally, we presented our insights  on how change can occur, discussing potential leverage points that could disrupt the vicious cycles we are finding in our research on the water and wastewater systems of these two Central Appalachian counties.  Future plans from learnings at the ASA discussion and resident feedback:  There is an urgency in focusing on  emergency preparedness and ensuring that information needed in emergencies is easily accessible in our Water Resilience Toolkits.   There is a strong interest in our Water Resilience Toolkits from people working in other Appalachian communities, which we plan to address in the future by creating a  “how-to guide” for making a   toolkit tailored to their own community needs and assets. Kentucky Watershed Alliance Virtual Workshop Presentation On March 25, Betsy and Madison presented “How to Create a Non-Profit for Watershed Management & Beyond: Reflections on LiKEN’s Path from 2015 to 2025” for a virtual workshop sponsored by the Kentucky Watershed Alliance (KWA). We have been solidifying partnerships with groups such as KWA and the Kentucky Watershed Watch that focus on source water. Creating a link between source water and drinking water is an important niche LiKEN can fill between the two normally siloed areas. Mountain Drinking Water Project  Madison Mooney, LiKEN Knowledge’s Community Care Coordinator, presented a poster on the Mountain Drinking Water Project at the 2025 Appalachian Studies Association Conference. Madison Mooney has been working on this project with the support of LiKEN Knowledge, University of Kentucky, and (list other partners if needed). This project is in its last year of community members out of Martin County and Letcher County testing their tap water for disinfection byproducts. We are currently working towards the planning phases of hosting community meetings to share the results. Stay tuned for future updates!  To learn more, visit   LiKEN’s website  or the   University of Kentucky’s partner page . Disaster Resilience At LiKEN, disaster resilience means more than just bouncing back. It’s about building forward with care, community, and deep respect for the land and its people. From co-hosting powerful gatherings that honor Indigenous knowledge and place-based learning to co-convening national efforts on data governance and climate adaptation, our work in this area is grounded in relationships and guided by justice. Here are a few highlights from this season’s efforts to support communities as they respond to and prepare for the challenges of our changing world. Celebrating Restorative Relations We uplifted intersectionality across movements and honored relationships, people, places, and more during Celebrating Restorative Relations: Connections between climate resilience, Indigenous rights, and land and water rematriation,   on March 6th in the traditional homelands of the Chumash people, known as UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Santa Barbara in California. The event, which included a morning workshop and evening community-building gathering, was co-hosted by LiKEN in collaboration with the CREW Center for Restorative Environmental Work , the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center Climate Justice Working Group ,  the UCSB American Indian & Indigenous Collective , and the SPACE Su’nan Protection, Art & Cultural Education . Conversations were centered in understanding and amplifying connections between Land Back movements and politics, processes of reciprocity, and resilient ecosystems—as well as the importance of decommissioning and dam removal within energy transitions, among other responses to global climate change.  Featured panelists included Indigenous and allied movement builders, practitioners, and organizers (see flyer to the left for more details on each of these amazing people) who highlighted the importance of collective actions of reviving relationships of care and connectedness between peoples, lands, waters, and multispecies kin. Honoring place-based learning and traditional ecological knowledges—especially noting how important it is to appreciate the unique experiences, traits, and knowledges that each person and place has to offer, and knowing and understanding their traditions, language, and more—were also uplifted as crucial to being able to build relationships with intentionality and care for how learnings are shared with one another to keep the work moving forward. The morning workshop, held on the UCSB campus to connect with students and the broader campus community, ended with calls to action from the panelists which included:  Being a good guest  on lands you are not from and making time to learn more about the communities you are a part of; Uplifting youth voices  and teaching them from early on about Indigenous history and histories of their communities; Always centering the community and placing them first, asking what you can do for the community as opposed to proposing what you can do for them; Understanding that relationships and trust take time to build, that patience and empathy for one another are key factors; and  To show up and continue showing up, especially as allies, because oftentimes this work takes years and continuous support is needed. The evening gathering, held in the SPACE with a smaller group of guests in a more intimate setting, allowed the opportunity to take a deeper dive into some of the morning conversations which resulted in wonderful messages uplifting the crucial importance of peacekeeping work, treating everyone with respect, of knowing the why and how actions (such as cultural fires) are done, and the understanding that no one’s knowledge is above others. Above all, what was highly uplifted was the need to come together, invite everyone into these conversations, and create safe spaces where people can be vulnerable with each other and share and heal from hurt, trauma, and sadness in order to truly be able to recognize and support one another. Overall, both events served as an opportunity to celebrate ongoing acts of resistance and restoration, with one of the other goals in holding both gatherings in communities close to one another (the UCSB campus located in what is known as Goleta, and in the SPACE located in downtown Santa Barbara) to be rooted in awareness of how place and community interact in different contexts. Special thank yous and gratitude to Tristan Partridge and Javiera Barandiaran for coordinating the morning workshop at UCSB, and MariaElena Lopez for opening up the SPACE to welcome us for the evening community gathering ; to all the wonderful panelists Sarah Barger, Sybil Diver, MariaElena Lopez, and Margaret McMurtrey for your time and shared wisdom; and to all those who attended for making time to join us in these crucial moments. We cannot wait to continue building on these connections and relationships into the future! Heather Lazrus Symposium The 2025 Heather Lazrus Symposium at the American Meteorological Society’s (AMS) Annual Meeting: “Convergence Science: Indigenous Weather, Water and Climate Knowledge, Systems, Practices and Communities” The following was adapted from a blog-post in the lead up to the Symposium, which can be read in full here: https://blog.ametsoc.org/2024/12/23/be-there-the-heather-lazrus-symposium/   Since 2010, Dr. Heather Lazrus, co-founder of the Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences, was a key life-force behind initiatives at the AMS Annual Meeting working to bring to the forefront of the geoscience enterprise the importance of recognizing and respecting Indigenous science, knowledge systems, and ways of knowing and understanding. To honor Dr. Lazrus, who passed on from cancer in February 2023, the 105th Annual AMS Meeting, in collaboration with The Rising Voices Center for Indigenous and Earth Sciences (which Heather co-founded), hosted the AMS 2025 Heather Lazrus Symposium, “Convergence Science: Indigenous Weather, Water and Climate Knowledge, Systems, Practices and Communities” on January 13, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This named Symposium honored and continued the leadership of Dr. Heather Lazrus in moving AMS and the Nation towards advancing the weaving together of Indigenous knowledges and sciences and other atmospheric and earth sciences.  “The urgent threat posed by our climate crisis necessitates innovative actions. Innovation is an opportunity to look beyond Earth sciences to solutions in other knowledge systems and, in doing so, to support the rising voices of those who have been historically marginalized.”  – Lazrus et al., 2022 Image: Lazrus at the 4th Annual Rising Voices Workshop, held in 2016 on Hawai‘i Island. Photo courtesy of the Rising Voices Center. The term “convergence science” is often used in the context of bringing together physical, biological, and social sciences; recognizing Indigenous perspectives further emphasizes the artificial nature of boundaries between sciences and ways of knowing. The Rising Voices, Changing Coasts (RVCC) Hub  emphasizes that convergence science asserts the deep relationality of life, of the planet, of mother earth, of the affirmation that we are all related. The Lazrus Symposium hosted a Presidential Session with the RVCC’s Louisiana Hub, during which local Tribal leaders, elders, and partnering scientists shared their stories of weaving together Indigenous and other science knowledge for place-based convergence science and community adaptation. The Symposium also included presentations from early career Indigenous scholars on emerging Indigenous innovations related to weather, water, and climate. A luncheon was held in honor of Lazrus, featuring a special screening of “Everything Has a Spirit” and a conversation with filmmaker Ava Hamilton (Arapaho). The Symposium also included discussions on how to improve scientific partnerships among federal agencies and Tribal governments and communities, and presentations by Indigenous scientists on fostering intercultural dialogue and respectful engagement. The space was held for those who have long been engaged in convergence science and/or intercultural collaborations and for those learning about these ideas for the first time. The Symposium welcomed the AMS community into this ongoing conversation to co-create culturally relevant and actionable scientific knowledge and actions that increase climate resilience and support healthy, thriving communities today and for future generations. Special thanks to the Symposium organizers (Julie Maldonado, Stephanie Herring, Eileen Shea, Diamond Tachera, Katie Jones, Robbie Hood, Tim Schneider, Jen Henderson, and Carlos Martinez) and all of the speakers, including Noelani Villa, Kristina Leilani Black, D. Nākoa Farrant, Elder Rosina Philippe, Elder Theresa Dardar, Elder Chief Shirell Parfait-Dardar, Chief Deme Naquin, Jr., Alessandra Jerolleman, Melissa Moulton, R. Eugene Turner, Suzanne Van Cooten, Marie Schaefer, Amanda Roberts, Megan Taylor, Paulette Blanchard, Corinne Arrington Salter, Mike Durglo, Crystal Stiles, Katie Jones, Jeff Weber, Dan Wildcat, and Tim Schneider for their time, energy, dedication, and shared knowledge. Rising Voices, Changing Coasts Louisiana Hub retreat The Rising Voices, Changing Coasts (RVCC) Hub , led by Haskell Indian Nations University (PI Dr. Daniel Wildcat), is a coastal research project that weaves together Traditional wisdom and modern knowledge to understand the interactions between natural, human-built, and social systems in coastal populated environments. RVCC is working to improve our understanding of how climate impacts four diverse coastal regions—Alaska (Arctic), Louisiana (Gulf of Mexico), Hawai‘i (Pacific Islands), and Puerto Rico (Caribbean Islands)—and to provide local communities with the information they need to take action and protect their lifeways.   The Louisiana Hub focused on place-based learning during the retreat.. As part of RVCC, from January 9-12, the Louisiana Hub held an in-person retreat in Grand Bayou, Pointe-au-Chien, Grand Caillou/Dulac, and Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana. Tribal leaders, elders, and organizers came together with partnering scientists to be in place together and share in conversations and meals, as a community, to deepen the learning and understanding around place-based lived experiences and the intersection of environmental, economic, political, social, and cultural dynamics in the region. Building relationships and sharing capacity was at the heart-center of the learning experience, holding space to further understanding of a diversity of knowledge systems and ways of knowing and practices. Doing so enables the team to work more intentionally together, with care, towards the First Peoples’ Vision for the Louisiana Coast.  Earth Data Relations Working Group: Governance of Indigenous Data in Open Earth Systems Science, The Earth Data Relations Working Group (EDRWG), for which LiKEN was a co-convener, came together in 2023 and 2024 to address the following question: In the age of big data and open science, what processes are needed to follow open science protocols while upholding Indigenous Peoples’ rights?  In January 2025, the EDRWG’s published recommended actions in Nature Communications that recognize Indigenous Peoples’ sovereign rights, support more responsible and effective research across the Earth Sciences, and “envision a research landscape that acknowledges the legacy of extractive practices and embraces new norms across Earth science institutions and open science research” (Jennings et al., 2025). To read the full article, please visit: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53480-2 .  Conclusion As we move through 2025, we carry with us the lessons, partnerships, and momentum from this season. Each story shared here, from high school classrooms in Martin County to flood response efforts, forest stewardship, and national conversations on data and resilience reflects the heart of LiKEN’s mission: to honor place-based knowledge, strengthen community ties, and co-create pathways toward justice and sustainability. We’re deeply grateful to all our partners, collaborators, and community members who make this work possible. Thank you for walking with us whether you’re reading, organizing, planting, sharing, or showing up in your own way. We look forward to what’s ahead and to continuing this journey together.

Rooted in Place, Rising Together

LiKEN Program Updates, Spring 2025 At LiKEN, our work is rooted in relationships to place, to people, and to the knowledge that connects...

Read More

June 4, 2025

By Itzel Flores Castillo Wang, LiKEN Disaster Resilience Program Assistant “We all bury our dead together, we all raise our children together”  - MariaElena Lopez, Founding Director of the SPACE This small, but very big sentence was only part of the many learnings that MariaElena Lopez, one of many amazing panel speakers, shared during Celebrating Restorative Relations: Connections between climate resilience, Indigenous rights, and land and water rematriation . This seemingly small sentence reminds us of why connection and relationships matter immensely - because together, especially in times like today, we all can come together to uplift and support one another. Perhaps more importantly, as we come together we can heal and “when we heal and the land heals, it enriches everything for everyone.”  With this sentiment in mind, throughout Celebrating Restorative Relations  intersectionality across movements and honoring relationships, people, places, and more were uplifted and echoed by everyone. The event, which happened on March 6th in the traditional homelands of the Chumash people, known as UC Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara in California, included a morning workshop and evening community-building gathering, and was co-hosted by LiKEN in collaboration with the CREW Center for Restorative Environmental Work , the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center Climate Justice Working Group ,  the UCSB American Indian & Indigenous Collective , and the SPACE Su’nan Protection, Art & Cultural Education . Featured panelists included Indigenous and allied movement builders, practitioners, and organizers (see flyer for more details on each of these amazing change-makers) who highlighted the importance of collective actions of reviving relationships of care and connectedness between peoples, lands, waters, and multispecies kin.  Both gatherings centered on critical conversations needed to understand and amplify connections between Land Back movements and politics, processes of reciprocity, and resilient ecosystems – as well as the importance of decommissioning and dam removal within energy transitions, among other responses to global climate change. Overall, both events served as an opportunity to celebrate ongoing acts of resistance and restoration, with one of the other goals in holding both gatherings in communities close to one another to be rooted in awareness of how place and community interact in different contexts. Special thank you and gratitude to Tristan Partridge and Javiera Barandiaran for coordinating the morning workshop at UCSB, and MariaElena Lopez  for opening up the SPACE to welcome us for the evening community gathering. Morning workshop on the UC Santa Barbara campus. Event organizers and panelists from left to right: Tristan Partridge, Javiera Barandiaran, Teresa Romero, Margaret McMurtrey, MariaElena Lopez, Itzel Flores Castillo Wang, Sybil Diver, Julie Maldonado, and Sarah Barger. Facilitator and panelist speakers. From left to right: Julie Maldonado, Teresa Romero, Sybil Diver, MariaElena Lopez, Margaret MCMurtrey, and Sarah Barger. The morning workshop, held on the UC Santa Barbara campus to connect with students and the broader campus community, helped to set the tone for the day with a special focus on sharing what people can do to support restorative environmental and social justice movements while celebrating relationships, kindness, empathy, processes of reciprocity and more. Panelists shared both personal and professional experiences on how we can be part of these crucial conversations, with all uplifting the value of honoring place-based learning, traditional ecological knowledges and practices, and sacred connections to land, water, and all our relatives.  They spoke of the importance of appreciating the unique experiences, traits, and knowledges that each person and place have to offer, and knowing and understanding their traditions, language, and more - as this is crucial to being able to build relationships with intentionality and care for how learnings are shared with one another to keep the work moving forward. This morning - which saw the room filled over capacity, which only highlighted how much students and people are ready to join, build, and continue these relationships - ended with calls to action from the panelists which included:  Being a good guest  on lands you are not from and making time to learn more about the communities you are a part of Uplifting youth voices  and teaching them from early on about Indigenous history and histories of their communities Always centering the community and placing them first ,  asking what you can do for the community, as opposed to proposing what you can do for them Understanding that relationships and trust take time to build, that patience and empathy for one another are key factors and  To show up and continue showing up, especially as allies, because oftentimes this work takes years and continuous support is needed. Community gathering at the SPACE. Event organizers and panelists from left to right: Sybil Diver, Teresa Romero, Itzel Flores Castillo Wang, Sarah Barger, Tristan Partridge, Javiera Barandiaran, Julie Maldonado, Margaret McMurtrey, and  MariaElena Lopez. Inside the SPACE, with panelists and community members. As the evening approached a smaller group of people gathered in community at the SPACE in a more intimate setting, allowing the opportunity to take a deeper, perhaps even more vulnerable dive into the morning conversations. MariaElena and her family opened this gathering with a beautiful song and prayer to help in guiding and protecting the conversations that were about to be shared. Panelists and guests discussed the crucial importance of peacekeeping work, treating everyone with respect, of knowing the why and how actions (such as cultural fires) are done, the understanding that no one’s knowledge is above others, and what it means to be able to access and reconnect to the land. In talking about peacekeeping work, panelists spoke to how this work can be hard and difficult to navigate because there is much hurt, trauma and sadness that needs to be talked about and addressed; but at the same time, what was highly uplifted was the need to come together, invite everyone into these conversations, and create safe spaces where people can be vulnerable with each other and heal in order to truly be able to recognize and support one another. In connection to this, others spoke to the challenges in working within colonial systems of land ownership but within that also looking for the positive in learning how to navigate them and helping to undo harm through this. And not only undo harm through vulnerability and healing, but also through reparations - both individually and collectively.  “If we start with love, end with love - we will figure out the rest of the mess in between.” -Julie Maldonado, LiKEN Associate Director The energy felt by the group of people gathered in these convenings was palpable. Especially in light of the world we are currently experiencing, the need to be in community could be felt. But more than anything, the feeling of being in   community with people who share the same vision and values was strong and the energy emanating from the panelists, participants, and more, for wanting to continue strengthening and building connections with one another, continued to grow stronger as the day carried on. Celebrating Strong Relations   was not just a one-time event; it is a continuous must-do as we carry on with fighting for land back and regaining access to sacred spaces, for water, for past and future generations, and so much more. The journey towards liberation for all may not be easy, but if we do it together, we can rise through it together. T hank you to all the wonderful panelists for  your time and shared wisdom, and to all those who attended for making time to join us in these crucial moments. We cannot wait to continue building on these connections and relationships into the future. “We all bury our dead together, we raise our children together” We all fight together, we raise our communities together We all rejoice together, we heal our hearts together We truly are stronger together, we rise through it all together Times are hard, especially right now But if we come together, we can overcome together We can be sad together, angry together, happy together, joyful together In community, together, we can -Itzel Flores Castillo Wang

Celebrating Restorative Relations

By Itzel Flores Castillo Wang, LiKEN Disaster Resilience Program Assistant “We all bury our dead together, we all raise our children...

Read More

April 18, 2025

bottom of page