By Robbie Potter, Environment and Climate reporter
There are few challenges in local environmental conservation as pressing as balancing rapid urban growth with the health of surrounding watersheds. In Blacksburg, these ecosystems are feeling pressure as the town and Virginia Tech continue to develop. Southwest Virginia is also seeing an increase in migration attributed primarily to increased cost of living in Northern Virginia and remote workers deciding to live in more affordable areas, adding to the pressure.
Enter Cassidy Brandt. With a Bachelors of Science in environmental studies from Florida and a Masters of Science in plant biology from Oklahoma, she focuses her research on the intersection of humans and ecology. Now working as a museum educator, her goal is to help inform the public on the importance of environmental health and practical community action.
Brandt views small local changes like the adoption of rain gardens and permeable pavement as a crucial way to create greater change down the road.
In a recent interview, Brandt spoke about current ecological challenges in the Appalachian region, how towns like Blacksburg can continue to grow while protecting their local ecosystems, and the lack of public awareness on the important role groundwater plays in ecology.
Her comments were slightly edited for length and clarity.
What are some of the main stressors on the water quality and ecological health of local ecosystems from urban growth?
Freshwater ecosystems are particularly sensitive. It is a compounding situation where multiple stress factors, such as urban runoff and habitat fragmentation, stack on each other, pushing species out of a community and threatening ecological collapse.
Excess nutrients accumulate in rivers, streams, and ponds where they would not naturally occur. That leads to algal blooms, which deplete oxygen from the ecosystem and cause fish kills. Beyond nutrient loading, shifts in pH levels further impair the ability of native species to survive.
This is compounded by erosion and damming, especially in wetland regions where land is altered or dammed to accommodate housing developments in flood-prone areas. Altering natural waterways decreases available ecosystem space and causes species to die out when they can no longer access necessary resources.
What efforts have been or are being made to maintain healthy water ecology in the Appalachian region.
Efforts across the Appalachian region work to counteract this damage. Numerous restoration projects focus on floodplains and wetlands harboring high biodiversity.
These initiatives often target charismatic species, such as the hellbender salamander in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Because hellbenders require a specific aquatic environment, protecting river habitats for them inherently safeguards the broader ecosystem for co-existing species. Targeting a charismatic species or one requiring a large, specific ecosystem helps encompass smaller species that might not receive individual conservation attention.
There is also a push for green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and green rooftops. Promoting public awareness around sustainable practices goes a long way. While an individual planting a rain garden or reducing hose usage will not solve regional issues on its own, it moves practices in the right direction. Widespread public adoption of green practices signals to larger organizations and corporations that communities value green spaces, encouraging them to adopt environmentally protective policies.
Other habitat restoration projects target native trout populations. Additionally, invasive species management is critical. While not strictly riparian, spotted lanternflies kill trees and shift ecological interactions, which ultimately affects aquatic ecosystems. Losing trees leads to root loss, destabilizing soil and increasing erosion in a cascading effect.
How can the town of Blacksburg balance growth with watershed health?
Towns like Blacksburg can balance urban growth with watershed health by integrating green infrastructure into development plans. Municipalities must expand livable spaces while leaving room for natural waterways and green areas.
Key strategies include establishing native plant gardens to anchor soil and prevent erosion, installing permeable pavement so rainwater can infiltrate ground soil and recharge groundwater reserves rather than running off paved surfaces, and creating vegetated filtration zones around lakes and ponds to filter pollutants before they enter broader waterways.
In your opinion, what is an aspect of local water management that you feel rarely gets enough attention?
One aspect of water management that receives insufficient attention is groundwater, primarily because it is not visible. Restoration projects often focus on surface issues like nutrient runoff and erosion because their impacts, such as algal blooms or fish kills, are immediately noticeable. Groundwater issues go unaddressed simply because they are out of sight.
Groundwater table fluctuations create ephemeral or vernal ponds during rainy seasons. Though temporary, these standing bodies of water are critical for amphibians like frogs and salamanders to breed. When urban development prevents groundwater recharge or introduces agricultural pesticides into these temporary pools, amphibian reproduction declines and competition intensifies in remaining habitats.
Ecology is an interlocking system. Changing one aspect of the environment creates widespread cascading effects. For instance, adding fertilizer to a field helps crops, but runoff encourages excessive plant growth in nearby ponds. When those aquatic plants die, their decomposition depletes oxygen, suffocating fish. Evaluating environmental actions requires looking past immediate results to understand broader, long-term ripple effects.
