Forest Botanicals Region Living Monument
Footage by Shannon Bell
Through honoring the past and present of Appalachian peoples’ longstanding relationships with forest botanicals, this monument aims to deepen place attachment and appreciation for the treasure of biodiversity growing on the forest floor.
Components of the Forest Botanicals Region Living Monument:
This 2-mile loop consists of 10 interpretive signs and one large introductory sign placed along the Twisted Forest and Lake Lake Show trails at Flag Rock Recreation Area. Begin at the Norton Reservoir Trailhead parking lot and follow the Twisted Forest Trail until it ends at Lake Lake Show, and then take Lake Lake Show back to the parking area.
Linked via QR code to each of the signs on the Storywalk trail, the online exhibit includes additional information about each of the Storywalk themes. This exhibit is continually evolving – one of the “living” aspects of this monument!
Sculpture (coming in June 2025!)
Located at the High Knob Destination Center, a sculpture created by the artist team of Nathan Wachacha David Bush (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) and William Rogers will celebrate the relationships that Appalachian peoples have long held with forest botanicals, stretching from pre-colonization to today.
The Forest Botanicals Region Living Monument is a project of the Forest Botanicals Region Social Ecology Lab at Virginia Tech and Appalachian Sustainable Development, in partnership with the City of Norton, Virginia and Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia.