Summer 2017 Newsletter
YOU’RE INVITED to the VWC Annual Meeting on August 5
All members are invited on Saturday, August 5 at 10 am to the Dickerman Farm, 228 Old Parkersburg Turnpike, Swoope, VA 24479
The meeting will include the election of officers, the annual report, a review of our by-laws, and updates on our Wilderness efforts. Bring lunch, a folding chair, and a thirst for the inspiration of wild places!
The George Washington National Forest Stakeholder Collaborative Update
While Wilderness legislation has never been easy to push through Congress, it has become much more challenging with the constantly changing political climate. The Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) has adapted its thinking and strategies to move legislation forward in spite of this challenge. In 1992, VWC helped draft language for Virginia’s first Congressional-designated National Scenic Area. In 2000, VWC reached out to local government officials to garner their support for legislation for the Priest and Three Ridges Wildernesses. During the eight years it took to pass the Ridge and Valley Act, a bill designating 43,000 acres of Wilderness and two National Scenic Areas totaling almost 10,000 acres, VWC worked with local government and the mountain bike community to secure the necessary support to win passage of this bill.
As a founding member of the George Washington National Forest Stakeholder Collaborative (SC), VWC began working with other groups interested in protecting National Forests in 2010 to develop a shared vision for the management of National Forests. This shared vision, much of which was adopted in the new Management Plan for the George Washington National Forest, included active management activities like prescribed fire and timber harvesting. It also included Wilderness designations and the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area.
Prior to the development of the Stakeholder Collaborative, VWC reached out to the mountain bike community in the Shenandoah Valley to develop a path for the protection of Shenandoah Mountain that would include traditional activities such as mountain biking, while still protecting the area at large. The resulting Shenandoah Mountain Proposal accomplished both goals. A slightly smaller National Scenic Area was recommended by the SC, and the new Forest Plan for the George Washington National Forest was adopted.
While submitting joint recommendations for the new Forest Plan was a step in the right direction, the SC decided that collaboration at the project level would be beneficial. Over the past three years, VWC has been an active participant in The Lower Cowpasture Restoration and Management Project. This project is now being implemented. Working with timber and game interests is yet another step in the evolution of Wilderness advocacy in Virginia. The support of these groups is vital to gain the traction necessary to push legislation through Congress. Through the SC, VWC has been able to forge new alliances and cultivate new allies in its efforts to designate new Wilderness.
The Lower Cowpasture project represents a new opportunity for Wilderness. Both the Rich Hole and Rough Mountain Wildernesses are encompassed within this project area. Each Wilderness has an addition that is supported by the SC and is recommended in the Forest Plan. These additions would bring both Wildernesses to over 10,000 acres and create a nearly contiguous 20,000 acre block of Wilderness. The North Shenandoah Mountain Restoration and Management Project also has a Wilderness component. This project area includes the 5,200 acre Beech Lick Knob Wilderness Study Area that is supported by the SC and is recommended in the Forest Plan.
It is essential to note that these projects and their companion Wilderness recommendations are necessarily bundled: without the support of local government, timber and game interests, and recreational enthusiasts, Wilderness legislation in Virginia would be virtually impracticable. VWC supports these large landscape-scale projects as they include a host of other activities beyond active management, such as the removal of non-native invasive species, chestnut restoration, stream rehabilitation and restoration, and culvert removals and repairs, among others, that help to restore our forests. Most importantly, we have the support of many non-traditional allies in our efforts to protect some of the best lands Virginia has to offer.
New Presentation Available for Groups
Lacey Dean, our Outreach Coordinator, has developed a powerful and engaging presentation titled, Changing Strategies for Changing Times, to introduce civic, educational, and faith groups to the concept of Wilderness. Contact her at [email protected] to schedule an illustrated talk for your group.
Shenandoah Mountain Proposal Continues to Gain Momentum
Friends of Shenandoah Mountain (FOSM) has continued to build public support for the proposed 90,000-acre National Scenic Area with embedded Wilderness areas. Friends Co-Chair Lynn Cameron has made presentations to the Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners, Headwaters Master Naturalists, and a JMU Humanities class. Endorsements have swelled to 286 businesses and organizations with the following new additions:
This spring, FOSM collaborated with Macson McGuigan, Eastern Mennonite University environmental sustainability and digital media senior, who produced a film on Shenandoah Mountain for his senior project. The film, which will be released soon, features several adjacent landowners, University professors, and community leaders talking about the benefits of protecting Shenandoah Mountain.
FOSM is also collaborating with James Madison University Professor Brad Striebig on a grant-supported study on water quantity and quality on Shenandoah Mountain. Dr. Striebig and his engineering students are documenting the value of water resources and will make maps and online educational materials to increase awareness.
PATC) – Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter and the George Washington National Forest (GWNF) North River Ranger District to remove blowdowns from trails in Ramseys Draft Wilderness, which lies within the proposed National Scenic Area (NSA). This is challenging, as some are up to 36-inches in diameter. The old growth hemlocks have succumbed to wooly adelgid and have fallen across the trails. Expert sawyers from PATC have been instrumental in removing many blowdowns and opening up the trails for use by hikers, backpackers, fishermen, and hunters. A crew from Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) will be continuing this work in late June and early July.
Headwaters Master Naturalists and FOSM led three Shenandoah Mountain Wildflower Walks on April 29 with over 50 people attending. One group found 50 species of wildflowers, most of which were in bloom. These annual wildflower walks have become a tradition many people look forward to.
Finally, Lynn attended a Meet-and-Greet with Southern Regional Forester Tony Tooke on February 1 and took the opportunity to tell him about the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal and give him a brochure.
2017 Continues to be a Big Year for VWC, and We Need Your help!
We are so grateful for your continued support of the Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC). Your generous contributions enable us to protect and promote Virginia’s most special wild areas, and, more specifically, have recently allowed us to print new signs for the Rich Hole Wilderness and create a new display board. We now hope to accomplish the following goals with your help. Thank you for recognizing and valuing the work of VWC.
FIRST, we hope to see legislation introduced later this year designating additions to the Rich Hole and Rough Mountain Wilderness Areas (5,500 acres in all) and will need to travel to DC numerous times in the next few months to discuss legislation with our representatives.
SECOND, VWC would like to print a second copy of the well-received display board and deliver an increased number of presentations on Wilderness to allow us to reach more audiences across Virginia.
THIRD, we will also bolster our momentum on the Shenandoah Mountain campaign by continuing to seek more endorsements and conduct presentations on the proposed National Scenic Area and embedded Wilderness.
We couldn’t do it without you support- thank you!
All members are invited on Saturday, August 5 at 10 am to the Dickerman Farm, 228 Old Parkersburg Turnpike, Swoope, VA 24479
The meeting will include the election of officers, the annual report, a review of our by-laws, and updates on our Wilderness efforts. Bring lunch, a folding chair, and a thirst for the inspiration of wild places!
The George Washington National Forest Stakeholder Collaborative Update
While Wilderness legislation has never been easy to push through Congress, it has become much more challenging with the constantly changing political climate. The Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) has adapted its thinking and strategies to move legislation forward in spite of this challenge. In 1992, VWC helped draft language for Virginia’s first Congressional-designated National Scenic Area. In 2000, VWC reached out to local government officials to garner their support for legislation for the Priest and Three Ridges Wildernesses. During the eight years it took to pass the Ridge and Valley Act, a bill designating 43,000 acres of Wilderness and two National Scenic Areas totaling almost 10,000 acres, VWC worked with local government and the mountain bike community to secure the necessary support to win passage of this bill.
As a founding member of the George Washington National Forest Stakeholder Collaborative (SC), VWC began working with other groups interested in protecting National Forests in 2010 to develop a shared vision for the management of National Forests. This shared vision, much of which was adopted in the new Management Plan for the George Washington National Forest, included active management activities like prescribed fire and timber harvesting. It also included Wilderness designations and the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area.
Prior to the development of the Stakeholder Collaborative, VWC reached out to the mountain bike community in the Shenandoah Valley to develop a path for the protection of Shenandoah Mountain that would include traditional activities such as mountain biking, while still protecting the area at large. The resulting Shenandoah Mountain Proposal accomplished both goals. A slightly smaller National Scenic Area was recommended by the SC, and the new Forest Plan for the George Washington National Forest was adopted.
While submitting joint recommendations for the new Forest Plan was a step in the right direction, the SC decided that collaboration at the project level would be beneficial. Over the past three years, VWC has been an active participant in The Lower Cowpasture Restoration and Management Project. This project is now being implemented. Working with timber and game interests is yet another step in the evolution of Wilderness advocacy in Virginia. The support of these groups is vital to gain the traction necessary to push legislation through Congress. Through the SC, VWC has been able to forge new alliances and cultivate new allies in its efforts to designate new Wilderness.
The Lower Cowpasture project represents a new opportunity for Wilderness. Both the Rich Hole and Rough Mountain Wildernesses are encompassed within this project area. Each Wilderness has an addition that is supported by the SC and is recommended in the Forest Plan. These additions would bring both Wildernesses to over 10,000 acres and create a nearly contiguous 20,000 acre block of Wilderness. The North Shenandoah Mountain Restoration and Management Project also has a Wilderness component. This project area includes the 5,200 acre Beech Lick Knob Wilderness Study Area that is supported by the SC and is recommended in the Forest Plan.
It is essential to note that these projects and their companion Wilderness recommendations are necessarily bundled: without the support of local government, timber and game interests, and recreational enthusiasts, Wilderness legislation in Virginia would be virtually impracticable. VWC supports these large landscape-scale projects as they include a host of other activities beyond active management, such as the removal of non-native invasive species, chestnut restoration, stream rehabilitation and restoration, and culvert removals and repairs, among others, that help to restore our forests. Most importantly, we have the support of many non-traditional allies in our efforts to protect some of the best lands Virginia has to offer.
New Presentation Available for Groups
Lacey Dean, our Outreach Coordinator, has developed a powerful and engaging presentation titled, Changing Strategies for Changing Times, to introduce civic, educational, and faith groups to the concept of Wilderness. Contact her at [email protected] to schedule an illustrated talk for your group.
Shenandoah Mountain Proposal Continues to Gain Momentum
Friends of Shenandoah Mountain (FOSM) has continued to build public support for the proposed 90,000-acre National Scenic Area with embedded Wilderness areas. Friends Co-Chair Lynn Cameron has made presentations to the Central Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners, Headwaters Master Naturalists, and a JMU Humanities class. Endorsements have swelled to 286 businesses and organizations with the following new additions:
- Mountain Valley Preservation Alliance
- Whites Wayside, Churchville
- Jakes Convenience Store, Churchville
- Lily Title of Staunton
- Fisher Auto Parts (5,000 stores nationwide)
- Harrisonburg Carpet Cleaning
- JMU Astronomy Club
This spring, FOSM collaborated with Macson McGuigan, Eastern Mennonite University environmental sustainability and digital media senior, who produced a film on Shenandoah Mountain for his senior project. The film, which will be released soon, features several adjacent landowners, University professors, and community leaders talking about the benefits of protecting Shenandoah Mountain.
FOSM is also collaborating with James Madison University Professor Brad Striebig on a grant-supported study on water quantity and quality on Shenandoah Mountain. Dr. Striebig and his engineering students are documenting the value of water resources and will make maps and online educational materials to increase awareness.
PATC) – Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter and the George Washington National Forest (GWNF) North River Ranger District to remove blowdowns from trails in Ramseys Draft Wilderness, which lies within the proposed National Scenic Area (NSA). This is challenging, as some are up to 36-inches in diameter. The old growth hemlocks have succumbed to wooly adelgid and have fallen across the trails. Expert sawyers from PATC have been instrumental in removing many blowdowns and opening up the trails for use by hikers, backpackers, fishermen, and hunters. A crew from Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) will be continuing this work in late June and early July.
Headwaters Master Naturalists and FOSM led three Shenandoah Mountain Wildflower Walks on April 29 with over 50 people attending. One group found 50 species of wildflowers, most of which were in bloom. These annual wildflower walks have become a tradition many people look forward to.
Finally, Lynn attended a Meet-and-Greet with Southern Regional Forester Tony Tooke on February 1 and took the opportunity to tell him about the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal and give him a brochure.
2017 Continues to be a Big Year for VWC, and We Need Your help!
We are so grateful for your continued support of the Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC). Your generous contributions enable us to protect and promote Virginia’s most special wild areas, and, more specifically, have recently allowed us to print new signs for the Rich Hole Wilderness and create a new display board. We now hope to accomplish the following goals with your help. Thank you for recognizing and valuing the work of VWC.
FIRST, we hope to see legislation introduced later this year designating additions to the Rich Hole and Rough Mountain Wilderness Areas (5,500 acres in all) and will need to travel to DC numerous times in the next few months to discuss legislation with our representatives.
SECOND, VWC would like to print a second copy of the well-received display board and deliver an increased number of presentations on Wilderness to allow us to reach more audiences across Virginia.
THIRD, we will also bolster our momentum on the Shenandoah Mountain campaign by continuing to seek more endorsements and conduct presentations on the proposed National Scenic Area and embedded Wilderness.
We couldn’t do it without you support- thank you!