Hello! My name is Joe Medica and my position through AFNHA is with the Green Bank Observatory serving as an Interpretive Trail Developer. I am originally from Schuylkill Haven, PA, which is in a part of Pennsylvania that is very similar to Pocahontas County. I found AFNHA when I applied through the official AmeriCorps website. I was matched with the program based on my experience in environmental work and field research. I interviewed with AFNHA staff as well as sites under AFNHA, and was paired with the GBO.

West Virginia has become a second home to me in the nine months that I have been here. I first arrived in Green Bank on Labor Day weekend, and the adjustment to the conditions here was a bit of a shock. The lack of any wireless signal took a bit of getting used to, but with plenty of Ethernet cords and some adapters, I’ve been able to maintain a little bit of connection to the outside world. It isn’t my first time moving away from home, but this is definitely the furthest I have moved, with the trek from the GBO back to my part of PA coming in at 300 miles.

On March 19th, the Green Bank Observatory and Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area hosted an event with the Deer Creek Defenders 4-H club in Green Bank to build bird boxes for the local bluebird and tree swallow population. These boxes were built to replace old boxes initially deployed by Dave Curry, the founder and main proponent of the citizen science program involving these boxes here on the Observatory grounds. The boxes that were replaced were either those deteriorated by the elements or knocked down by predators that got a little too greedy.

People say a picture is worth a thousand words, so a painting must be worth a million. When it comes to designing interpretive signs, you can only have so many words before you lose your audience and that is why using art is so important to getting your message across and have an audience actually receive it. Interpretation in itself is an art and has a process all on its own. Each interpretive sign you see has its own inspirations, passions and messages it is trying to portray, and an artist/designer behind it trying to share all these things. It’s a process that I have had the opportunity to experience and want to share with you now.

Telescopes. Microwaves. WiFi. These are the words that most West Virginians associate with Green Bank, and rightly so. The Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and its fellow structures dominate the lifestyle of this small town. Join Ben as he explores life and his work in Green Bank!

One of Emily Culp’s main goals for this year and serving with AmeriCorps has been to advocate for blurring the lines between community goals and conservation goals. In order for conservation to work, the community must be supportive and advocate for the lands that need to be preserved. Public lands can be great spaces for recreation, however, they are also simultaneously lands that are meant to be protected and preserved for the sake of wildlife and general ecosystem health. Serving in an outreach position with the US Forest Service is a perfect place to put these ideals into practice, and Emily has been happy to be able to assist with conservation minded community initiatives.

When you think of a stream, what comes to mind? You probably think of water (obviously) or about the fish that swim in it. Maybe you think about aquatic insects that you find by turning over rocks. Maybe it makes you think about fishing or swimming with your friends. Talking about streams, a lot of things can come to mind, but what about the word “habitat”?