Surface mining left its mark on the Appalachian landscape through much of the 20th century, as large swaths of native forest were replaced with sparse, scrubby grassland. Instead of depending on a single, monolithic employer to create jobs, Hall would like to see people taking job creation into their own hands. Surface mining strips away nutrient-rich topsoil and leaves a devastated landscape that is prone to landslides and water contamination. For inspiration, he looked to the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal program launched during the Great Depression to create jobs for the unemployed in conservation and natural resources development. Planting trees wouldn’t just create jobs in the present, though; forests are renewable resources that can continue to generate economic value over time.