Imagine a wild trout-filled river roaring and foaming through a misty valley. Steep ridges soar above the river, covered with giant trees that tower over a thick understory of rhododendrons and ferns. Moss and lichen covered boulders lie tumbled about on thick, humus-rich soil. This was Blackwater Canyon less than 100 years ago, before the railroads and sawmills arrived. By the nineteen-teens, the trees of Blackwater Canyon had been cut to the ground.

Since then the Canyon has recovered some of its former splendor. To us today, it offers one of the most fabulous vistas in Eastern America. Yet, the Canyon is far removed from its original splendor. We celebrate the Canyon and work to save it, because in our wilderness-deprived age this is the one of the very best places we have left. Most people living now will never know first-hand the awesome cathedral that is old growth forest. We will never know what we have lost in terms of beauty, species diversity and ecological balance. For decades, as the Canyon began partial recovery, Allegheny Power Systems (APS) owned it. The public had access to its spectacular views and numerous recreational opportunities.

Most folks who hunted, fished, hiked, kayaked or even got married in its environs, thought the Canyon, surrounded by state park and national forest, was protected through public ownership-the access was there, and the grandeur so obvious, it HAD TO BE protected.

Now the refrain, "But it’s private property!" has become the rallying whine of those who would timber and develop the Canyon. Never mind that the legality of APS’s sale of the Canyon has yet to be decided by the WV Supreme Court. Never mind the historical precedence of public use. Never mind the economic benefits Canyon tourism brings to Tucker County. Never mind our country’s historical precedence of protecting spectacular natural areas for future generations.

Cutting a few trees won’t hurt the Canyon, says Allegheny Wood Products owner John Crites. After all, he wants the Canyon to be a source of lumber for years to come. He and his allies in the State Division of Forestry repeatedly proclaim that "emotional, misinformed environmentalists," if permitted to save Blackwater Canyon, will usurp every last right of woodlands owners. Industrial foresters, self-proclaimed "scientific resource management professionals," tell us they know how to manage the Canyon for the long term. In fact, forests just couldn"t make it without those knowledgeable professionals.

For whom do these folks claim to be managing Blackwater Canyon? Will they manage for the return of old growth? For the endangered species who live there?

Many state parks and national forest officials know the Canyon is an extremely special place, vital to the health of an ecosystem and vital to the economic health of Tucker County. They agree with thousands of Canyon visitors that here is one spot that must be left alone, saved from any further logging, development and "professional management."

If West Virginia is truly as important to Mr. Crites as he says it is, then he will sell the Canyon back to the public, make his profit, and buy the trees he needs in other, less spectacular and biologically important areas of the state.

Private property is central to American culture. But absolutely no one can do whatever he or she wants at the cost of the greater societal good. Also central to our culture is the idea that some places are so sacred they must be preserved. Blackwater Canyon is one of these sacred places.