Bird Walk and Banding Demo + Old Hemlock Farmhouse Tour, July 14: Spend the morning with us at the Old Hemlock property in Preston County for a bird walk, farmhouse museum tour, and optional bird banding demonstration on Sunday, July 14 from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Old Hemlock was the home of George Bird and Kathryn Harris Evans. The Old Hemlock property contains virgin hemlock trees and is maintained in its natural state with multi-age woodlands as a nature and wildlife preserve. The property was added to the National Register of Historic places in 2015. Learn more about the history of this property at oldhemlock.org
The excursion will include a gentle bird walk (one mile) through mature and young forest habitat, a tour of the historic house, an overview of George and Kay’s life, a short presentation on the scientific management of 232 acres, and visitors may have an option to stay longer to walk the trails, visit the virgin hemlock forest and watch a bird banding demonstration. This tour will be led by LeJay Graffious, administrator of the Old Hemlock Foundation. We suggest you bring a bagged lunch. Restrooms will be available.
Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/OldHemlock
2024 Summer Splash: Paddle the Cheat River! July 28: As warmer weather arrives, we are excited to announce a new stop on this year’s mountain odyssey! Get ready to cool off in this summer heat the right way, and make a real splash of fun with the 2024 Summer Splash on Sunday, July 28!
Start your day at Blackwater Outdoor Adventures (Parsons, WV) at 10 AM to enjoy a breathtaking 4-mile paddle down the scenic waters of the Cheat River. Make sure to keep some dry cash in your car for after the paddle. There will be food, drinks, and all of your favorite WVHC merchandise available for purchase!
We are grateful to announce that, thanks to the generous support from the American Water Charitable Foundation, the Conservancy is able to offer a limited number of sponsored rentals for this incredible adventure! It’s important to note that the number of rentals covered will depend on the types of rentals available and will be offered as long as funding permits. However, you also have the option to rent directly from BOA or bring your own boat! More information is available on the registration page.
Upon completion of registration, we will be in touch to confirm rental arrangements.
We can’t wait to share an incredible day on the water with you! Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/2024SummerSplash
Old Growth Forest Hike and Tree Survey in Tucker County, August 17: Hike to the site of the proposed Upper Cheat River timbering project in the Monongahela National Forest near Parsons, West Virginia, and learn about the old growth characteristics of this site from ecologist and local resident John Coleman of Speak For The Trees Too. We will meet at the Horseshoe Recreation and Campground Area Day Use parking lot at 10 a.m.
The hike will involve measuring trees to determine their age. A small grove of trees documented in this area are over 200 years old. The hike will require a 0.5 mile hike up a steep ridge. Total time for hike and survey 3-4 hours. We suggest you bring a bagged lunch!
Registration links forthcoming. Mark your calendars!
Old Growth Forest Hike at Audra State Park, November 9: Visit the old growth tract in Audra State Park near Phillipi, West Virginia, on November 9 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The old growth tract here is easily reached and explored. Naturalist and ecologist Doug Wood will lead this hike.
The West Virginia Mountain Odyssey is supported by the American Charitable Water Foundation.