Rich Hole & Rough Mountain Wilderness Additions Bill![]() In October 2017, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine first introduced an important bill, co-sponsored by Senator Mark Warner, that was cause for celebration. The Virginia Wilderness Additions Act of 2017 called for designating an additional 5,600 acres of the George Washington (GW) National Forest as Wilderness. Those lands, which are already part of the GW, would be added to two existing Wilderness areas, expanding protections for this remarkable area to nearly 21,000 acres, located in the rugged territory in southeastern Bath County. The bill was wrapped up into the 2018 Farm Bill, but did not make it into the final piece of legislation. In January 2019, Senator Kaine and Senator Warner re-introduced S.247 - Virginia Wilderness Additions Act of 2019; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. In January 2020, the bill passes the Senate. See Senator Kaine's press release. In February 2021, Representatives Abigail Spanberger and Donald McEachin, co-sponsored the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act H.R. 803. This bill passed the House and now moves on to the Senate. In March 2021, Senators Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner reintroduced the Virginia Wilderness Additions Act. If you are interested in learning more about this bill, the Lower Cowpasture project, and the work we've done, along with many partners, over several years to make it happen, click here. See Rich Hole & Rough Mountain Wilderness Additions Brochure. |
Upcoming EventsGarlic Mustard Pull at Hone Quarry GWNF
Saturday, April 26, 10a - 12p Join forces with Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Virginia Native Plant Society, Headwaters Master Naturalists, Virginia Wilderness Committee, and Friends of Shenandoah Mountain for a day of service and fun. Our goal is to protect native spring wildflowers at Hone Quarry Day Use Area by pulling garlic mustard, an aggressive nonnative invasive that crowds our native wildflowers and poisons the soil. Come and pull garlic mustard for an hour or two and view native wildflowers. Click here to register. Registration required, space limited. Earth Day Staunton, Gypsy Hill Park Saturday, April 26, 11a - 3p Riverfest, Constitution Park, Waynesboro Saturday, May 3, 9a - 4p Wildflower Walk, Ramseys Draft Wilderness, GWNF Friday, May 9, 10a - 12p. Click here to register. Registration required. space limited. Shenandoah Mountain
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Help us protect Virginia's wild places!
Wilderness designation on federal lands assures that exceptional wildlife habitat, clean drinking water, clean air, and unique recreation will remain for future generations.