In February 2018, Sewanee students Connor Peach, Erika Lopez-Durel, and James Bratton traveled to the University of Kentucky with Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Russell Fielding to present “The Cleanest Line: A Recreation Ecology Study of Rock Climbing in Rural Appalachia” at the 8th Annual Dimensions of Political Ecology Conference. Their work addresses the tension between the expanding interest in rock-climbing and other outdoor recreational activities in Southern Appalachia and concerns about maintaining environmental integrity. The research team studied the environmental impacts of rock climbing in the Denny Cove area, measuring impact to the cliff line and the ground directly beneath the cliff line, with implication for recreation-based land-use management.