​Rich Hole & Rough Mountain Wilderness Additions Bill

PicturePhoto credit: The Pew Charitable Trusts

In October 2017, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine 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.

Shenandoah Mountain
​Act of 2022

Picture
North River by Brad Striebig
In March, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced the Shenandoah Mountain Act of 2022 ​(S.3911), which would designate more than 92,000 acres of the George Washington National Forest as the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area. If enacted, the National Scenic Area will preserve majestic forests, spectacular vistas, and more than 150 miles of trails on the western edge of the Shenandoah Valley. Find out more here.

Collaboration with Stakeholders

VWC's collaboration with GWNF stakeholders
Read about VWC's collaboration with diverse GWNF stakeholders - a win-win strategy that includes protection of Virginia's finest natural areas.
Virginia's Mountain Treasures
Virginia's Mountain Treasures
​VWC's inventory of 63 of the finest wild areas remaining in the GW.  It is from this bountiful reserve that any future additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System must be drawn. Read the full text and see maps.