Contact Information
 

MRRP was started in 2001 by the McClure Kiwanis Club.  A watershed group was formed to provide families with septic systems or wastewater treatment centers.  MRRP has been successful at achieving this goal since its inception.  In 2003, MRRP received a grant which provided septic systems for 13 residents in Nora, VA.  MRRP has also been apart acquiring a wastewater treatment center in Trammel, VA and most recently have been working with Dickenson County Public Service Authority to get more houses septic systems  in Nora, Va.  In 2004, MRRP split off from McClure Kiwanis Club and became fiscally sponsored by the Dickenson County Board of Supervisors.  Programs of MRRP have been expanded to include reforestation, rain barrel workshops, wetland restoration and construction, water monitoring, and many other community projects.  While acid mine drainage is not a large issue in Dickenson County, abandoned mine lands pollute the river with excessive pollutants due to the poor soil quality.

OSM/VISTAs have worked for MRRP for five years now.  OSM/VISTAs have worked closely with children in Dickenson County by educating them about water monitoring and environmental issues.  OSM/VISTAs have helped MRRP facilitate meetings and projects and helped MRRP expand beyond septic systems.   

 

Goals and Accomplishments:

 

• Project Development and Implementation – Reforestation Project and wetland construction in the future.  Reforestation Project will be on three acres of AML’s on April 22^nd, and the wetland construction will start whenever funds are made available by the Dickenson County Board of Supervisors.
• Community Outreach and Education – The rain barrel workshop was a great success.  It brought 25 people together to learn not only how to build a rain barrel, but about water conservation and environmental issues.  There were people of all ages and backgrounds in the audience.  Friends of the Russell Fork and I started a public forum on water issues in the area.  These forums give the community a chance to inform us about what needs to be done in the community, and it gives us a chance to let them know what they can do to help.  I will also be giving a presentation about water quality and water monitoring at Ervinton High School on Earth Day.
• Capacity Building/Grant Writing – Since I have started my VISTA term, I have accumulated five volunteers and became partners with eight organizations.  The organizations provide more volunteers for my projects.
• Community Revitalization – Thanks to Dickenson County Litter Control, I have completed two river clean-ups and one illegal dumpsite clean-up.  There will be at least one more river clean-up by the end of my term. 

 

Partners and Contributors:

 

• Clintwood Kiwanis Club
• Clinch Coalition
• Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
• Friends of the Russell Fork
• Guest River Restoration Project
• Project WET
• SWEET
• Dickenson County Board of Supervisors
• Dickenson County Litter Control
• ARRI
• OSM
• Lonesome Pine Soil and Water Conservation District
• Dickenson County Public Service Authority
• Holston River Soil and Water Conservation District
• Morehead State University Biology Dept.
• Department of Environmental Quality
• Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards
• Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative