How are we to live in a place in crisis? How are we to go on loving the land, even though it’s changing in ways we bitterly regret? How do we acknowledge what’s wrong while taking time to learn what’s right?

New River Gorge National Park in Lansing, West Virginia recently hosted a special event that, in the end, touched upon those questions. In September, the renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma made visited the park to share music and nature with a variety of people in diverse settings. As he wrote on his Facebook page, “We talked about how culture can help forge new relationships with the land as we shift from a time of extraction towards one of exchange and asked: what can we learn about collaboration, harmony, and change from one of the oldest rivers in the world?”

For years Ma has been dedicated to bringing music to natural settings and to learning from the people in those areas. During this visit he joined local chefs at Lost Creek Farm for a special Appalachian meal and a discussion of the region’s ecosystem and culture; shared a lunch with retired coal miners and heard their stories; learned about the region’s biodiversity with ten students from local underserved communities; and went on a New River rafting trip to explore complex riparian ecosystems. And, of course, he played his cello, at the scenic Grandview Overlook and with American roots music specialist Dom Flemons during a picnic on the last night of the event. He even offered an impromptu mini-concert while leaning against a tree.

Often, when we consider the challenges of climate change, we feel alone and in despair. It seems that the future offers neither relief nor beauty. This story of how history, ecology, art, and conversation met and mingled offers an example of how we might change that grim scenario. When we get together to learn about the past, share the beauty of the present, and explore possibilities for the future, we feel renewed and hopeful.

Thanks to Shea Armstrong for this story.