A combined $1,000 donation to the Black Diamond Resource Conservation & Development Council by CONSOL Energy and CNX Gas will help to expand environmental education programming in the coalfield region of Virginia.

“The recent contributions from CONSOL Energy and CNX Gas have enabled Black Diamond RC&D to have the necessary funds to publish 1,000 full-color copies of a Southwest Virginia Environmental Education Resource Guide for 11 school districts, including the Buchanan County Public Schools,” said Edna Justus, treasurer of the Black Diamond RC&D.

Funding for the project also came from the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Southwest Virginia Environmental Education Team (SWEET).

 In November 2006, the RC&D formed the Southwest Virginia Environmental Education Task Force in order to develop regional recommendations to promote ways environmental education improvements might be incorporated into school programs in Bristol, Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Norton, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington and Wise.

Among the improvements suggested was establishing outdoor classrooms at the school and for every school district to partner with their local soil and water conservation district to provide a ‘Kids in the Creek Day’ program for every sixth grader each year.  

“This exciting, hands-on, all-day program allows students to get in a local creek and learn first hand about the ‘critters’ that live there, such as the macroinvertebrates (mayflies, snails, etc.) and the local fish populations,” said Blaine Delaney, Black Diamond RC&D coordinator.

CONSOL Energy Engineer Kelly Gilmer presents Black Diamond Resource, Conservation and Development Treasurer Edna Justus, with donations from CONSOL and CNX Gas to be used to develop a resource guide for area schools. Gilmer, is familiar with the RC&D program, having allowed Russell County schools to use his Lebanon farm property along Big Cedar Creek for a previous Kids in the Creek Day during which 120 sixth graders participated.