<![CDATA[Virginia Wilderness Committee

<![CDATA[Virginia Wilderness Committee - News]]>Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:21:52 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[NEWS FLASH: Due to pressure from forest advocates, including Virginia Wilderness Committee, the agency has extended the public comment period to October 6.]]>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:02:52 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/news-flash-due-to-pressure-from-forest-advocates-including-virginia-wilderness-committee-the-agency-has-extended-the-public-comment-period-to-october-6<![CDATA[Virginia, West Virginia Groups File Injunction to Stop Corridor H]]>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 17:35:38 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/virginia-west-virginia-groups-file-injunction-to-stop-corridor-hFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2026

CONTACT:
Bonni McKeown, Stewards of the Potomac Highlands, 773-209-4712, barrelhbonni@yahoo.com
Andrew W. Young, Virginia Wilderness Committee, 434-202-4397, AndrewWYoung1993@gmail.com

Citizens groups in West Virginia and Virginia have filed an injunction in federal court to stop any Corridor H construction on the 6.8 mile-section from Wardensville, W.Va. to the Virginia line.

Stewards of the Potomac Highlands and Virginia Wilderness Committee had challenged WV Division of Highways and Federal Highway Administration in a federal lawsuit in April, saying the agencies’ environmental studies failed to consider the option of spot safety improvements to existing two lane Route 48/55.

In June, WVDOH let out bids anyway for the section’s first phase of construction, leaving the groups with no other option. Represented by attorneys Andrea Ferster and Brad Stephens, the two groups filed the injunction in federal court in the Northern District of West Virginia on August 28.

“Since Virginia declared it won’t build its originally planned section of Corridor H to I-66 and I-81, it just doesn’t make sense to run an overbuilt four-lane in West Virginia to the state line,” said Bonni McKeown, president of Stewards of the Potomac Highlands president.

“Rich forest ecosystems, wildlife habitat, native trout streams, and many outdoor recreational resources of this Allegheny Mountain region are all threatened by the Corridor H boondoggle,” said Virginia Wilderness Committee board member Andrew Young.

Corridor H would cut a wide 2.4-mile long swath through a part of the George Washington National Forest that sits in West Virginia. The groups say that that section alone would destroy 300 acres of intact older-growth forest and fragment a crucial corridor for the struggling Wood turtle, currently being considered for federal listing as an endangered species. Further, cutting into the national forest, owned by all Americans, would set a dangerous precedent for opening up more of Virginia’s national forest – including the Jefferson National Forest – for development.

“We are suing to force public officials to take another look before spending $540 million here,” Young said.

“Virginia is widening Route 55 and plans to improve safety in the hills and curves by adding some left turn lanes and passing lanes. Why can’t West Virginia do the same?” McKeown said. “It would save taxpayer money, preserve 2.4 miles of intact George Washington National Forest land, keep tourist traffic flowing through Main Street in Wardensville, and avoid bridge-building damage to trout streams in the Cacapon River watershed.”

Find more background on this Myths & Facts fact sheet and elsewhere at HighwaytoNoWhere.org

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Organized in 1969, the Virginia Wilderness Committee works to permanently protect the best of Virginia’s wild places for future generations, foster understanding and appreciation of Wilderness, and promote enjoyment and stewardship of our last remaining wildlands. The Virginia Wilderness Committee is a 501(c)3 non-profit citizens group.

Economically and culturally, our area has a proud tradition of small farm and forest ownership and historic towns. Stewards of the Potomac Highlands, a 501(c)4 nonprofit citizens group, networks in West Virginia’s northeastern counties to protect this heritage and support an environmentally and socially sustainable, locally controlled economy.

]]><![CDATA[Join us for a picnic lunch and rally in support of the Roadless Rule at the Braley Pond Day Use Area.]]>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:54:47 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/join-us-for-a-picnic-lunch-and-rally-in-support-of-the-roadless-ruleat-the-braley-pond-day-use-areaWHAT: Picnic at the Braley Pond Day Use Area with a special focus on a current threat to our national forests - rescission of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Bring your picnic lunch and lawn chair and enjoy this public recreation area just west of Churchville in the George Washington National Forest.
Immediately following the picnic and program, you are invited to go on an easy guided nature walk at the pond and take in its beauty, including late-summer wildflowers, butterflies, and mushrooms.

WHEN: Saturday, September 12, at 12:00 PM with a guided Nature Walk immediately following the program at 1:30 PM.

WHERE: Meet at the Braley Pond Day Use Area. Shady setting with picnic tables and public restrooms available.
DETAILS:
On September 12 at 12 noon, join members of the Shenandoah Group of the Sierra Club, the Friends of Shenandoah Mountain, and the Virginia Wilderness Committee at the Braley Pond Day Use Area for a picnic and social to celebrate our national forests at a beautiful recreation area surrounded by roadless areas and learn more about what you can do to help preserve the “Roadless Rule.”

Today, 640 million acres—nearly one-third of the United States—are designated as federal public lands, managed by the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Fish and Wildlife Service. In a recent publication, the Sierra Club noted that as the United States celebrates 250 years, these public lands are a uniquely American ideal and that wild places need to be protected and free to all.

Hailed as one of America’s most successful conservation measures, the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects drinking water, wildlife habitat, and world-class recreation opportunities across 58.5 million acres of our national forests and supports hundreds of local economies. The Roadless Rule protects over 100,000 acres of national forest on Shenandoah Mountain and Great North Mountain. Braley Pond is a scenic spot in the midst of the largest concentration of roadless areas in the eastern US.

Last June, the Trump administration announced plans to revoke the Roadless Rule–a decision that would threaten hundreds of millions of acres of national forest land that provides wildlife habitat, clean drinking water, old forests, and the outdoor spaces that millions of Americans rely on. The Sierra Club, the Friends of Shenandoah Mountain, and the Virginia Wilderness Committee are working to get the word out to recreators of all kinds here in Virginia about the details of proposed changes to the Roadless Rule and the potential impacts these changes will bring. We hope you will attend to share your thoughts and concerns.

After lunch and the program, you are invited to take a guided nature hike to enjoy the natural beauty of this special place. See wildflowers, butterflies, and mushrooms and perhaps an osprey or bald eagle.

Schedule of Events
12:00-12:30 pm: Enjoy your lunch and make new friends; Welcome and Introductions from hosts
12:30-1:30 pm: Speakers and Q & A
1:30 pm: Optional guided nature walk at Braley Pond

Level: Easy
Cost: None
Signup Instructions: Please register so we can plan for the number of attendees
Recommended Items: Picnic lunch, lawn chairs or make use of the available picnic tables.
Cancellation Policy: Activity is held rain or shine, but may be altered due to inclement weather]]><![CDATA[Drastic Revisions to the Travel Management Rule Announced]]>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 23:15:02 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/drastic-revisions-to-the-travel-management-rule-announcedThe USDA has announced plans to drastically revise the Travel Management Rule (TMR). Created during the Bush Administration in 2005 to manage off-road vehicle use on national forest land to provide access while preventing damage to geologically sensitive areas, wildlife, and other visitors.

Following two executive orders in May of this year regarding motorized vehicle use on public land, two existing Executive Orders issued over 50 years ago by Presidents Nixon and Carter were effectively rescinded. This led to the proposed revisions of the TMR.

Highlights of proposed changes to the TMR include:

Currently, trails on public lands are closed to motorized vehicles unless marked open to motorized use (Motor Vehicle Use Maps). With the repeal of the TMR, this would flip to an open unless marked closed baseline.
This proposed rule would eliminate National Minimization Criteria, which guide land managers to reduce negative impacts on soil, vegetation, and wildlife.
Restrict, or vastly reduce, the public participation in rulemaking. Even though the USFS recently repealed the regulation that requires public input and engagement on the majority of its projects (NEPA procedure overhaul (April 2026) and Directive System Rewrite in July 2026)).
Exclude e-bikes from motorized classification, allowing them on all trails where regular bicycles ride.

Without the TMR, there is no guarantee that the public will know of or be able to engage in decisions regarding the future of motorized vehicles on public lands.

Public comments accepted through September 23, 2026: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FS-2026-0100-0001

]]><![CDATA[Press Release on Roadless Repeal]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:05:50 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/press-release-on-roadless-repealFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 19, 2026
FROM: Virginia Wilderness Committee

Rollback of federal rule threatens Virginia waters, wildlife, nature, and recreation

CONTACT:
Ellen Stuart-Haentjens, Executive Director
estuarthaentjens@vawilderness.org, 804-814-8927

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced yesterday that, despite strong public opposition, the U.S. Forest Service plans to rescind the long-standing Roadless Rule, which has protected more than 45 million acres of undeveloped national forest lands for 25 years.

The agency characterized the rollback as a wildfire-prevention measure, even though the Roadless Rule already allows fuel reduction, small tree thinning, and other wildfire-prevention management work. In Appalachia, more than 80 percent of wildfires are human caused; nationwide, 90 percent of wildfire ignitions occur within half a mile of roads. From 1992 to 2024, wildfires were four times as likely to start in roaded areas than in roadless forest tracts. Given that evidence, the claim that building more roads in forests would reduce wildfire risk is misleading–so much so that wildland firefighters across the country have opposed repealing the Roadless Rule.

In Virginia, the repeal would affect 84 percent of the roughly 394,000 acres on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests currently protected by the Roadless Rule– the largest share of any Eastern state.

Since 2001, roadless areas in Virginia and across the country have been recognized as some of the last wild national forest lands not already protected as congressionally designated Wilderness. By remaining closed to roadbuilding, mining, commercial logging and other development allowed elsewhere in national forests, these areas help protect drinking water, provide essential habitat for wildlife and native plants, and support sustainable economic benefits for rural communities.

Statement from the Virginia Wilderness Committee’s Executive Director Ellen Stuart-Haentjens:

“These landscapes quietly perform some of the most important environmental services Virginians rely on every day – most importantly, they provide clean drinking water. The clear mountain streams that rise in our roadless areas flow into the James, Potomac, and Shenandoah rivers that help sustain communities and our natural heritage all the way to the Chesapeake Bay.”

“If we cut roads into these areas and allow for mining, commercial logging and other development, we trade long-term clean water security for short-term extraction. Not a good deal for Virginians.”

“Generations of hunters, hikers, anglers, birders and other outdoor enthusiasts have treasured roadless areas for their beauty, healthy forests, and ample wildlife. These places are on public land and belong to all of us; we cannot allow them to be offered up to the highest bidder who would squander our children’s future enjoyment of some of nature’s finest wild places.”

Fast Facts

The Roadless Area Conservation Rule passed in 2001, following years of scientific study, policy debate, and public review that included 1.6 million public comments, the most ever at the time, with the vast majority in favor of the rule.

National forest Roadless Areas in Virginia:

Comprise about 22% of the total 1.8 million acres of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests combined
75% contain native brook trout watersheds
Safeguard nearly 545 miles of rivers
Harbor 43 at-risk species
One quarter of the Appalachian Trail runs through Virginia, much of it through roadless areas when on the national forest

Nationally:

Roadless areas encompass 354 municipal watersheds that provide clean water for 60 million Americans in 3,400 communities
Provide world-class outdoor recreational opportunities on 43,000 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, climbers, birders, horseback riders, backpackers, hunters, anglers, and backcountry skiers
Generate a significant portion of the outdoor recreation industry’s $730 billion in annual revenue and 6.5 million jobs
Provide habitat for more than 1,600 threatened or endangered plant and animal species

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Organized in 1969, the Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) works to permanently protect the best of Virginia's wild places for future generations, foster understanding and appreciation of Wilderness, and promote enjoyment and stewardship of our last remaining wildlands. The Virginia Wilderness Committee is a 501(C)3 non-profit citizens' group.

]]><![CDATA[VWC Annual Meeting, August 15, Join us!]]>Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:17:27 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/vwc-annual-meeting-august-15-join-us

]]><![CDATA[VWC 2027 Calendar Photo Contest - Closes 9/15]]>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:03:54 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/vwc-2027-calendar-photo-contest-starts-731Virginia Wilderness Photo Contest, July 31 - September 15, 2026

It's time to tell your story. Show us what Virginia Wilderness means to you.

Enter our 2027 Calendar Photo Contest for a chance to be one of three photos featured in the 2027 VWC Calendar at this link.

Contest Rules:
Open to all skill levels
Photos must be taken in or be related to federally designated Wilderness or Roadless Areas in Virginia
Minimum resolution of 300dpi at 3000 pixels on the longest edge
No AI-generated imagery

]]><![CDATA[UPDATED WITH VIDEOS & NEW PHOTOS: We Rallied for Roadless Areas]]>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:27:02 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/we-rallied-for-roadless-areasOn Saturday, June 6, National Trails Day, VWC gathered with the Sierra Club of Virginia, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, and a large crowd at Briery Branch Dam on the George Washington National Forest. This area is completed surrounded by some of the nearly 400K acres of Roadless Areas in Virginia, including the largest, Little River. After words of history, values, and action, the group headed to the top of Reddish Knob, where President Bill Clinton announced Inventoried Roadless Areas in 1999.

]]><![CDATA[Press Release: VDOT study affirms no need in Virginia for Corridor H]]>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:28:06 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/press-release-vdot-study-affirms-no-need-in-virginia-for-corridor-hCitizen groups call for an end to the “Highway to Nowhere” project

For Immediate Release
June 4, 2026
Contacts:

Virginia Wilderness Committee, Ellen Stuart-Haentjens, 804-814-8927 estuarthaentjens@vawilderness.org (Friday, June 5: Lynn Cameron, slynncameron@gmail.com)
Stewards of the Potomac Highlands, Bonni McKeown, 773-209-4712 barrelhbonni@yahoo.com

A new study by the Virginia Department of Transportation finds there is no operational need in Virginia for a four- to five-lane highway from the West Virginia state line to I-81 near Strasburg, confirming a decision the state made 30 years ago to not extend West Virginia’s Corridor H into the commonwealth.

The study comes at a time when West Virginia officials plan to issue contracts to build the $542 million, 7.5-mile eastern-most segment of its highway from Wardensville, W.Va., across Great North Mountain and stop at the state line. Two citizen groups filed a federal lawsuit last month to block the project, saying it is unneeded and threatens natural and historic resources. They argue that state and federal highway agencies failed to consider less expensive and less harmful alternatives, and call for safety improvements to the existing two-lane Route 55 in West Virginia.

“VDOT’s study affirms that this ‘highway to nowhere’ is utter folly,” said Ellen Stuart-Haentjens, executive director of the Virginia Wilderness Committee. “Aside from the astronomical price tag, other costs include polluted drinking water supplies, degraded outdoor recreation assets, and ruined wildlife habitat, including some of the best native brook trout streams in this region.” The highway would cut through 2.4 miles of the George Washington National Forest, potentially setting a precedent for further harmful development of the nation’s protected public lands, she said.

“West Virginia’s state and federal leaders need to stop throwing away taxpayer money on this boondoggle. We have urgent needs in West Virginia, which ranks among the worst in the country for safe roads and bridges,” said Bonni McKeown, president of Stewards of the Potomac Highlands. “Given Virginia’s position, the West Virginia Department of Highways should consider spot safety improvements to Route 55 instead of building Corridor H.”

A report from a national transportation organization last year found that one-third of West Virginia’s major roads are in “poor or mediocre” condition, and the number of bridges rated “poor or structurally deficient” is the highest in the U.S.

The project would also threaten historic lands in Virginia. “Not only is Corridor H not needed in Virginia, as the VDOT study affirms, its construction would directly and negatively impact nationally significant historic properties in southern Frederick County and northern Shenandoah County,’ said Kristen Laise, executive director of Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown. Belle Grove is a congressionally legislated partner in Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park.

Corridor H was envisioned in the 1970s as a 157-mile highway to run from I-79 to I-81. Since then, West Virginia has built much of its portion. Although the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board decided more than 30 years ago to not extend Corridor H, West Virginia now plans to build its remaining 7.5- mile segment from the small town of Wardensville east to the state line, where it would funnel traffic onto the two-lane Route 55 / 48, known as the John Marshall Highway.

In its study, VDOT looked at existing traffic and forecasts on Route 55 / 48 and found that conditions would remain acceptable for the next 100 years, even if doubling the traffic growth rate that West Virginia used to justify building its Wardensville segment. The agency concluded that “no operational recommendations are needed or proposed at this time.”

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Organized in 1969, the Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) works to permanently protect the best of Virginia's wild places for future generations, foster understanding and appreciation of Wilderness, and promote enjoyment and stewardship of our last remaining wildlands.The Virginia Wilderness Committee is a 501(C)3 non-profit citizens' group. https://www.vawilderness.org/

Economically and culturally, our area has a proud tradition of small farm and forest ownership and historic towns. Stewards of the Potomac Highlands, a 501c4 nonprofit citizens group, networks in West Virginia’s northeastern counties to protect this heritage and support an environmentally and socially sustainable, locally-controlled economy. https://potomachighlandstewards.org/

]]><![CDATA[Rally for Roadless Rule Event, June 6]]>Fri, 22 May 2026 18:42:14 GMThttps://www.vawilderness.org/news/rally-for-roadless-rule-event-june-6WHAT: Rally with Speakers and optional 6-mile hike immediately following the Rally
WHEN: Saturday, June 6th at 10:00 AM with optional hike at 11:30 AM
WHERE: Briery Branch Reservoir
Schedule of Events:
10:00-10:15 Welcome and Introduction of Event
10:15-11:15 Speakers and Q & A
11:30 Those who are interested can join our shuttle hike down from Reddish Knob back to Briery Branch Reservoir, or carpool to the top of Reddish Knob to continue the conversation while enjoying the iconic views (and a picnic if you like) of Shenandoah Mountain and the George Washington National Forest.
Cost: None
Signup Instructions: click here to register for hike
Additional Directions: Briery Branch Reservoir
Cancellation Policy: Rain location, Hone Quarry Campground Pavillion

Hailed as one of America’s most successful conservation measures, the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects drinking water, wildlife habitat, and world-class recreation opportunities across 58.5 million acres of our national forests and supports hundreds of local economies. Last June the Trump administration announced plans to revoke the Roadless Rule–a decision that would threaten critical wildlife habitat, clean drinking water, old forests, and the outdoor spaces that millions of Americans rely on. Nearly 400,000 acres of national forest are currently protected in Virginia. Our drinking water, wildlife habitat, and most scenic recreational areas are at risk!

In 1999 standing atop Reddish Knob overlooking one of the largest unprotected roadless areas in the eastern United States, President Clinton announced the creation of the “Roadless Rule.” The rule protects millions of acres of national forests and thousands of acres of forest on Shenandoah Mountain including the 29,000-acre Little River Roadless Area, the largest inventoried roadless area on national forest land east of the Mississippi. On June 6, we will return to Reddish Knob to celebrate and enjoy our roadless forests and learn more about what we can do to preserve the “Roadless Rule.

Join the Shenandoah Group and co-sponsors, the PATC North River Group, and the Virginia Wilderness Committee to learn what we can do, and explore, picnic, or hike with us.

If you would like to join our Reddish Knob hike, we plan to shuttle hikers up to Reddish Knob and hike back to Briery Branch Reservoir. Click here for more details and registration.]]>