In many of Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas, residents have little choice but rebuild in risky locations
By Kristina Brant, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology and SSRI cofund, for The Conversation On Valentine’s Day 2025, heavy rains started to fall in parts of rural Appalachia. Over the course of a few days, residents in eastern Kentucky watched as river levels rose and surpassed flood levels.…
Pennsylvania ATV trail connector generated $23.5M in revenue over two years
While there are about 285,000 registered all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), also known as four wheelers, in Pennsylvania, there are only 11 public trails where people can legally ride ATVs. In 2020, Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) launched a pilot project…
$5M grant to engage Indigenous communities in climate change research
Indigenous communities around the globe face profound threats from climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation. Now, an international team that includes researchers from Penn State have been awarded $5 million by the U.S. National Science Foundation, along with funding from Canada, the…