After a two-hour early morning van ride, we all arrived at what seemed to only be a rest stop. Not thinking much of it, I stretched my legs and prepared to get back on the road, but to my surprise, we seemed to be walking away from the van. What I didn’t know is that we had come to Sideling Hill Rest Area. From this area, we were able to see a geology cross-section that showed layers of coal in the earth topped by a sandstone cap that kept it from eroding. The rocky earth shown there explained the lack of agriculture and abundance of mining in the area. While amazing, an even more amazing sight of the Blue Ridge Mountains awaited us at the top of a long staircase.

As I was taking in the sight, I was made aware that these mountains are famous, as they are mentioned in the classic song “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. After a beautiful rendition by a few members of the group, we were off to our next stop.

We then arrived at the Green Ridge State Forest where we were able to see a few of the many tree species in the area. Maple, chestnut, and red and white oak to name a few! The path we were walking led us to an outcrop where the geological ridges that are characteristic of the area were visible. What a beautiful sight!

Our next stop was the most interesting. We arrived at a remote area in Rawlings, Maryland called Dan’s Rock. The rocks had been colored with drawings, words, and other art in many vibrant colors! After climbing some narrow stairs we came to an overlook with an exciting view. To our right, there was a clear view of Fort Ashby in West Virginia, and to the left beautiful forest in Pennsylvania. Both of these states were still visible all while still standing in Maryland.

Arriving at the Appalachian Lab after a full day of site-seeing was nice. As we sat down for lunch we had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Xin Zhang and Kevin Jackson. Hearing about her work in sustainable agriculture through the global sustainable agriculture matrix and the other efforts she and her lab have been putting forth to expand their global network was inspiring! We were able to connect over the similar experience of us doing listening sessions over the summer and then hosting workshops in the U.S. and also internationally. The ambitions of Dr. Xin Zhang and her lab made me feel encouraged to keep seeking out my path and choice of career.

Leaving lunch I felt full both physically and intellectually but there were still things left for us to explore. First, we got to see an active coal mine! Being that it is a big industry in Virginia and Western Maryland, it causes heavy metal and acid pollution in the waters nearby. The leaching of heavy metals like aluminum and iron can cause the waters to run an unnatural orange we were able to see this in a creek nearby our hotel. Seeing this in person was shocking and also eye-opening.

Having seen such beautiful parts of Maryland that day as well as hearing from Dr. Xin Zhang about her work, I felt like I was in the right place. I had seen the beauty of the environment, the people working to maintain that, and also the issue firsthand. As a student who wishes to work in the environmental field, this field trip further pushed me towards feelings of eagerness to dive into my career.