By Marilyn Shoenfeld
Spring has finally arrived, but the weather has been dark and cold for the past few days. Yes, rain is needed, but flooding is a constant threat. I hope you are all safe.
I want to take a minute to review the resources available in the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy’s online store. The history of our organization has been on my mind lately. Our efforts and achievements of today are based on what has been done in the past. As we continue our sixth decade of environmental advocacy, it’s time to reflect on what was done years ago. Fighting to Protect the Highlands (Elkinton, 2007) describes the first forty years of our history. These battles may seem familiar (because we are still fighting them) and include protecting the Highlands through the Wilderness Act, fighting for clean and free-flowing rivers, to stop or reroute Corridor H, against Mountaintop Removal, against the Davis Power Project (and the establishment of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge) and much more. The book describes events through the mid-2000s. We have done a lot since then; if anyone is interested in continuing this research and updating the history, please let me know.
The Hiking Guide to the Monongahela National Forest was published in the early 1970s. Fifty years later, it is still considered a premier resource for hikers in the Mon. It is updated every few years, republished, and now in its ninth edition.
A new project for WVHC is the publication of Jim Van Gundy’s The Nature and Scenery of the West Virginia Highlands: A Motorists Guide (2022). The first part describes the geology, flora, fauna, and history of the Highlands. The second section details specific highway sections and their attractions. An updated version will be available soon. All of this and more is available through our online store.
April was a busy month for our Program and Membership directors and the Board and Committee chairs. Many folks worked many hours on a grant for the Dolly Sods Backcountry Stewards through the Appalachian Stewards Foundation. The grant was awarded and will fund the new program. An application for an Americorps Member to help with outings and other outreach was submitted. We also received funding from the American Water Charitable Foundation to support our West Virginia Mountain Odyssey Program: Outings, Outreach and Beyond program. We will kick off the outings program on Sunday, May 12 in Davis. We will be gathering at the Allegheny Trail trailhead (River Road Trail) at 10 a.m. Casey Rucker will lead the walk. We hope to see you there!
The Board meeting was held in April. Many issues were discussed, including the formation of a Climate Change/Renewable Energy Committee and a Board Resources Committee. We hope all directors (and members) can join us at our July meeting, which will be held at Blackwater Falls State Park on July 13. Planning is also happening for our next Fall Review, which will be at Cacapon State Park on October 18-20. The theme will be “The State of the Highlands” and will include many presentations on different aspects of the current state of the Highlands.
See you in the mountains!