The best ideas for growing Appalachia don’t always come from consultants or outside experts. More often, they come from the people who call these places home.
That’s exactly what the Mon Forest Towns Partnership set out to prove through a new community assessment spanning towns across West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest region. Rather than assuming what communities need, the partnership asked residents, business owners, and local leaders to define their own priorities for the future.
The conversations revealed a shared vision: stronger connections between outdoor recreation and downtowns, more locally owned businesses and amenities, increased support for trail development, and strategies that help young people build their futures close to home.
The findings reinforce something many Appalachian communities already know. Outdoor recreation isn’t the end goal. It’s a tool for creating vibrant downtowns, supporting small businesses, strengthening local economies, and improving quality of life for the people who live there year-round.
Perhaps most importantly, the assessment isn’t sitting on a shelf. The insights are already helping guide trail investments, community planning, grant funding, and regional collaboration across the Mon Forest Towns network.
It’s a compelling example of what community-led development looks like in practice and a reminder that the strongest regional strategies begin by listening.
Photo Credits
Mon Forest Towns Partnership
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