How We Work

West Virginia is home to some of the most extraordinary natural assets in the eastern United States. Our mountains, forests, rivers and communities are powerful contributors to The Nature Conservancy’s global mission of conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends.

As TNC accelerates its work toward ambitious 2030 goals—including conserving 650 million hectares of biodiverse land, protecting one million kilometers of rivers and helping 100 million people adapt to climate‑related emergencies—West Virginia plays a critical role. Our work in the Mountain State advances these global goals through three interconnected priorities:

• Land and Water Conservation
• A Livable Climate
• Thriving Communities

Together, these priorities reflect TNC’s belief that we have years, not decades, to address the intertwined crises of climate change and biodiversity loss and that the most durable solutions come from protecting nature while strengthening communities.

Land and Water Conservation

Protecting the places that define West Virginia and sustain life far beyond it

West Virginia’s landscapes are ecological powerhouses. From high‑elevation spruce forests to globally significant headwaters, our lands and waters contribute directly to TNC’s global conservation targets: protecting 1.6 billion acres of land and 74.1 million acres of lakes and wetlands by 2030.

In West Virginia, we advance these goals by:

• Conserving forests, rivers and wetlands that anchor biodiversity
• Restoring ecosystems like red spruce forests and Appalachian headwaters
• Reconnecting fragmented habitats across the Central Appalachians
• Managing lands to support wildlife, clean water and climate resilience

These efforts safeguard the natural infrastructure that supports outdoor recreation, local economies and the health of communities across the region.

A Livable Climate

Building resilience and reducing emissions through nature and smart development

Globally, TNC aims to avoid or sequester three billion metric tons of CO₂ annually by 2030—nearly 10% of the reductions needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. West Virginia contributes to this goal through nature‑based climate solutions and thoughtful clean‑energy siting.

Our work includes:

• Restoring forests that store carbon and cool mountain ecosystems
• Protecting headwaters and wetlands that buffer communities from floods
• Guiding clean‑energy development to former mine lands and brownfields
• Ensuring renewable energy strengthens, not replaces, natural systems

By directing development to previously disturbed lands, we protect intact forests and waters while supporting the state’s transition toward a diversified, modern energy economy.

Thriving Communities

Ensuring people benefit directly from conservation and climate solutions

TNC’s 2030 goals include helping 100 million people adapt to climate‑related emergencies by safeguarding habitats that protect communities. In West Virginia, this means pairing conservation with economic opportunity.

We work with partners across the state to:

• Strengthen the outdoor recreation economy through land and water protection
• Support community‑driven restoration and stewardship
• Advance clean‑energy projects that bring jobs and investment to former coal communities
• Build resilience to flooding, heat and extreme weather
• Ensure development benefits local people

Thriving communities are central to our mission. When nature thrives, people thrive. And when people thrive, conservation endures.

Our Path Forward

West Virginia has everything it needs to contribute meaningfully to TNC’s global 2030 goals: world‑class natural resources, strong communities and a growing recognition that conservation and economic development are partners, not competitors.

By protecting what makes West Virginia special, investing in climate‑smart solutions and empowering communities across the Mountain State, we are helping build a future that is wild, resilient and uniquely ours while advancing the global work needed to ensure people and nature thrive together.