About Us
We are a community based environmental organization that believes in the importance of appreciating, understanding, and protecting our environment. We feel that doing so is essential to improving our quality of life and well-being. The Clinch Coalition maintains a Joint Plan of Work with Virginia Organizing.
Our Mission
The mission of The Clinch Coalition is to “protect and preserve the forest, wildlife, and watersheds of our National Forest and surrounding communities for present and future generations.”
Our focus is the High Knob, a 4,223-foot mountain that spans the three western-most counties in far southwestern Virginia. High Knob is in the Clinch Ranger District in the heart of the Clinch Valley Bioreserve. The Bioreserve is a 2,200 square mile area designated by The Nature Conservancy as one of the Last Great Places in the World.
The gradient of forest communities between the Clinch River and High Knob is home to more rare and endangered aquatic and botanical species than any other region in the continental United States.
Our Goals
Folks in the communities surrounding High Knob came together in 1998 to discuss ways to preserve and protect this extraordinary area, eventually forming The Clinch Coalition. We identified three goals to fulfill our mission: improve the economic and environmental sustainability of far Southwest Virginia; increase community awareness of environmental issues and stewardship; and protect the unique ecosystems and environmental integrity of the Clinch Ranger District.
Our Values
The Clinch Coalition is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable community.
Undergirding this commitment is the conviction that all human beings are interconnected, not just with one another, but with all of nature.
We will fulfill this commitment by recognizing and addressing racial inequality, systemic injustices, discrimination in any form, and being a social movement for environmental justice to ensure all people enjoy our public lands.
