Summer 2025 Newsletter
Newsletter Highlights
- Spring Events Recap
- Prescribed Burning on Shenandoah Mountain Crest
- Corridor H Rears its Head
- Virginia Public Lands at Risk – Learn More from VWC Executive Director
- Annual Meeting Invitation
- 2026 VWC Calendar Photo Contest Information
- Suggested Listening
- What the Roadless Rule Means to You
From the President
Since President Donald Trump took office in January, every day seems to bring about a new policy declaration. President Trump has issued 162 executive orders as I write this, many of them involving the environment, ranging from upping timber production on the national forests to withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement.
Executive orders set administration policy, but they do not change current law or regulations. Removed from the media attention that follows an executive announcement, it is the provisions in the reconciliation legislation—the President’s “one big, beautiful bill” that may bring irreparable harm to the environment.
According to the National Wilderness Coalition, the recently passed and signed reconciliation package includes:
But there is good news. Lands already protected by the Wilderness Preservation System (WPS) would not be affected as they are protected by law. In Virginia, nearly 218,000 acres are included in the WPS. In addition, there have been recent victories:
Together, we can make a difference.
Sincerely,
Tim Mahoney, VWC President
Executive orders set administration policy, but they do not change current law or regulations. Removed from the media attention that follows an executive announcement, it is the provisions in the reconciliation legislation—the President’s “one big, beautiful bill” that may bring irreparable harm to the environment.
According to the National Wilderness Coalition, the recently passed and signed reconciliation package includes:
- Paving the way for devastating drilling and development in Alaskan wild lands.
- Establishing a pay-to-play system that allows corporations to buy their way through environmental review processes.
- Mandating dramatically increased timber volume sold and long-term logging contracts for US Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
- Fast-tracking the expansion of coal leasing on federal lands.
- Slashing critical funding for National Park Service and BLM.
But there is good news. Lands already protected by the Wilderness Preservation System (WPS) would not be affected as they are protected by law. In Virginia, nearly 218,000 acres are included in the WPS. In addition, there have been recent victories:
- Through our collective urging, the provision forcing the sale of 2-3 million acres of treasured public lands has been removed from the Senate’s budget reconciliation package!
- Both the VA Wilderness Additions Act and the Shenandoah Mountain Mountain Act have been reintroduced in the Senate by Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.
Together, we can make a difference.
Sincerely,
Tim Mahoney, VWC President
Spring Recap
What a spring we had! Our staff tabled at Earth Day Staunton and Riverfest in Waynesboro meeting public lands loving Virginians from all over the Commonwealth, led invasive species activities at Cub Run Elementary School in Penn Laird and water quality activities at Bessie Weller Elementary in Staunton, gave presentations on native plants to the Lake Monticello Wildlife Committee and on public lands to the Wilderness Coalition, led wildflower walks in Ramseys Draft Wilderness and near Braley Pond, organized invasive species pulls at Hone Quarry and Ramseys Draft Wilderness, worked with our friends in West Virginia and other conservation groups to raise concerns about Corridor H, and made numerous visits to D.C. to advocate for our public lands and our two proposed bills, as well as to discuss the reconciliation package. Did we mention we are a staff of two?
Left: VWC board member Anders Reynolds, Legislative Correspondent Elizabeth Cooper, and VWC Executive Director Ellen Stuart-Haentjens meeting with numerous Congressional members in D.C.; Middle: participant at Earth Day Staunton “finding” Virginia Wilderness; Right: National Honor Society members from Buffalo Gap High School and Staunton High School removing numerous trash bags of Garlic Mustard from Ramseys Draft Wilderness
Prescribed Burning on Shenandoah Mountain Crest By Lynn Cameron
Patch of Least trilliums by Steven David Johnson
The Shenandoah Mountain area on the border of VA and WV has long been recognized for its exceptional biodiversity. The higher elevations are home to a variety of threatened, endangered, and sensitive species, including at least 15 species of plants and 13 species of animals. Plus, the Virginia Natural Heritage program has identified several Conservation Sites on Shenandoah Mountain: Cow Knob, Laurel Run, Middle Mountain, Bother Knob/High Knob, Little Bald Knob, and Reddish Knob. Most of the special species are found on the Crest, defined as 3,000 feet and above, with the highest point being Reddish Knob at 4,397 ft.
Endemic species found on the 58,000-acre Crest include the Cow Knob (CKS) and Shenandoah Mountain salamanders and the Least trillium. In 1994, the Forest Service signed a Conservation Agreement with US Fish & Wildlife to avoid listing the CKS as an Endangered Species. To reinforce this agreement the George Washington National Forest (GWNF) management plan specifies that the Crest area is to be managed to protect the CKS and other special species that live there. Much of the Crest area has a full canopy mesic Northern hardwood and Eastern hemlock forest that provides shade, moist soil, decaying logs, and leaf litter that support healthy CKS populations and other special species.
For about 40 years, the Forest Service has been using prescribed burning as a management tool on Shenandoah Mountain, in some cases repeatedly burning tracts up to 6,000 acres at a time. Because of the steep terrain and unpredictable weather, these prescribed burns have sometimes gotten too hot, burning the leaf litter and duff down to mineral soil and killing large areas of older growth forest. CKS move only a few feet in a lifetime. Prescribed fires that burn the leaf litter greatly reduce their food source and leave their habitat exposed to the sun, ultimately diminishing the species’ chance for survival.
In April, the GWNF conducted a prescribed fire that burned about 50% of the Least trillium populations. These beautiful little flowers were in full bloom. To make matters worse, the fire “slopped over”, and the fire crew bulldozed three new fire lines through the Least trillium patch to contain the fire. We don’t know yet if the trilliums will survive the fire, but it is unlikely they will survive the dozer lines.
The Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) has been following this issue for years. In April, we wrote to the GWNF Forest Supervisor asking the Forest Service to reconsider their expansive burn program on the Shenandoah Mountain Crest and to adhere to the GW Management Plan and the CKS Agreement. Surely there are other places in the GWNF where fire management goals can be met without harming the special habitat the Forest Service has agreed to protect. VWC will continue to advocate for the CKS and will monitor the effects of burns on their habitat.
Endemic species found on the 58,000-acre Crest include the Cow Knob (CKS) and Shenandoah Mountain salamanders and the Least trillium. In 1994, the Forest Service signed a Conservation Agreement with US Fish & Wildlife to avoid listing the CKS as an Endangered Species. To reinforce this agreement the George Washington National Forest (GWNF) management plan specifies that the Crest area is to be managed to protect the CKS and other special species that live there. Much of the Crest area has a full canopy mesic Northern hardwood and Eastern hemlock forest that provides shade, moist soil, decaying logs, and leaf litter that support healthy CKS populations and other special species.
For about 40 years, the Forest Service has been using prescribed burning as a management tool on Shenandoah Mountain, in some cases repeatedly burning tracts up to 6,000 acres at a time. Because of the steep terrain and unpredictable weather, these prescribed burns have sometimes gotten too hot, burning the leaf litter and duff down to mineral soil and killing large areas of older growth forest. CKS move only a few feet in a lifetime. Prescribed fires that burn the leaf litter greatly reduce their food source and leave their habitat exposed to the sun, ultimately diminishing the species’ chance for survival.
In April, the GWNF conducted a prescribed fire that burned about 50% of the Least trillium populations. These beautiful little flowers were in full bloom. To make matters worse, the fire “slopped over”, and the fire crew bulldozed three new fire lines through the Least trillium patch to contain the fire. We don’t know yet if the trilliums will survive the fire, but it is unlikely they will survive the dozer lines.
The Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) has been following this issue for years. In April, we wrote to the GWNF Forest Supervisor asking the Forest Service to reconsider their expansive burn program on the Shenandoah Mountain Crest and to adhere to the GW Management Plan and the CKS Agreement. Surely there are other places in the GWNF where fire management goals can be met without harming the special habitat the Forest Service has agreed to protect. VWC will continue to advocate for the CKS and will monitor the effects of burns on their habitat.
Left: Dozer line through the Least trillium patch on Shenandoah Mountain.
Right: A prescribed burn converted a full canopy of older growth forest that was CKS habitat to this early successional habitat.
Right: A prescribed burn converted a full canopy of older growth forest that was CKS habitat to this early successional habitat.
Corridor H Rears its Head – Again, By Lynn Cameron
West Virginia could create traffic and safety problems on Virginia’s narrow Route 55 with road construction and expansion.
WV Department of Highways (WVDOH) is once again pushing to build the section of Corridor H from Wardensville, WV to the VA state line near where Rt. 55 crosses Great North Mountain. This push is happening despite a lack of interest by VDOT in extending the road from the crest of the mountain to I-81 at Strasburg. WVDOH released an Environmental Assessment (EA) in April that analyzed impacts of Corridor H on Wardensville, private land, and the George Washington National Forest (GWNF).
The Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) has an interest in the impacts of this Interstate-level construction because it cuts through the northern end of our Big Schloss National Scenic Area proposal. The project would be a 5-lane, divided highway built on a new route through a GWNF Scenic Corridor, which is managed for scenic qualities, recreation and wildlife. For some reason the Forest Service (FS) decided not to require a Special Use Permit (SUP) even though the route would cause fragmentation of mature forest that is Wood turtle habitat. This means no scoping notice was issued by the FS to give the public a chance to comment on the project and the harm it could cause. The FS will issue a Letter of Consent instead. The VWC is disappointed in: 1) the FS decision not to require the normal SUP and 2) the lack of an adequate analysis of impacts to the Forest in the EA. Working with partner organizations in VA and WV, VWC took the lead in writing the letter, which was signed by 13 partner organizations in WV and VA, including Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, Allegheny Blue Ridge Alliance, Wild Virginia, and Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. It was sent to the GWNF and to WVDOH as comments. For more details, read the letter we and our partners submitted jointly on our website, www.vawilderness.org.
The Virginia Wilderness Committee (VWC) has an interest in the impacts of this Interstate-level construction because it cuts through the northern end of our Big Schloss National Scenic Area proposal. The project would be a 5-lane, divided highway built on a new route through a GWNF Scenic Corridor, which is managed for scenic qualities, recreation and wildlife. For some reason the Forest Service (FS) decided not to require a Special Use Permit (SUP) even though the route would cause fragmentation of mature forest that is Wood turtle habitat. This means no scoping notice was issued by the FS to give the public a chance to comment on the project and the harm it could cause. The FS will issue a Letter of Consent instead. The VWC is disappointed in: 1) the FS decision not to require the normal SUP and 2) the lack of an adequate analysis of impacts to the Forest in the EA. Working with partner organizations in VA and WV, VWC took the lead in writing the letter, which was signed by 13 partner organizations in WV and VA, including Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, Allegheny Blue Ridge Alliance, Wild Virginia, and Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. It was sent to the GWNF and to WVDOH as comments. For more details, read the letter we and our partners submitted jointly on our website, www.vawilderness.org.
Virginia Public Lands at Risk – Learn More from VWC Executive Director
Exceptional public lands that filter our water, harbor at-risk wildlife, and provide outstanding recreation need our collective support; particularly those lined up for protection under the Wilderness Act. In April Secretary Rollin’s released an Emergency Situation Determination that put nearly 60% of our nation’s national forests, including the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area, Rich Hole Wilderness addition, Rough Mountain Wilderness addition, and recreational areas Hone Quarry and Sherando Lake, at risk of streamlined logging activities. This memo uses the excuse of insect and disease infestations and wildfire to rapidly increase the quantity of, and shorten the review timeline for, timber projects following reduced environmental assessment and minimal to no public input.
We took a closer look at the data used to justify this action; our findings were troubling. Much of the data used to deem highlighted forests a danger to “American lives and communities” does not reflect this wildly inappropriate conclusion. In many instances, less than 5 percent of a highlighted “at risk” forest stand contained infection or disease. Increased logging of the George Washington National Forest and Jefferson National Forest will worsen soil erosion and flood risks, both very real and immediate threats to the communities surrounding and downstream of our forests.
To learn more about this memo and the datasets that went into its determination, VWC Executive Director, Ellen Stuart-Haentjens will be offering a virtual presentation. Keep an eye on our website www.vawilderness.org for more information.
We took a closer look at the data used to justify this action; our findings were troubling. Much of the data used to deem highlighted forests a danger to “American lives and communities” does not reflect this wildly inappropriate conclusion. In many instances, less than 5 percent of a highlighted “at risk” forest stand contained infection or disease. Increased logging of the George Washington National Forest and Jefferson National Forest will worsen soil erosion and flood risks, both very real and immediate threats to the communities surrounding and downstream of our forests.
To learn more about this memo and the datasets that went into its determination, VWC Executive Director, Ellen Stuart-Haentjens will be offering a virtual presentation. Keep an eye on our website www.vawilderness.org for more information.
Suggested Listening
If you haven’t found it already, be sure to check out the podcast, The Wild Idea, co-hosted by Bill Hodge and VWC board member Anders Reynolds. Found everywhere you can listen to podcasts.
On the June 27th episode, they check in with VWC Executive Director Ellen Stuart-Haentjens about her recent meetings with members of Virginia’s Congressional delegation.
“We’ve been advocating for the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area and the Virginia Wilderness Additions Act. While these areas are in western Virginia, they protect headwaters that feed the Chesapeake Bay, impacting water quality across the state and into Maryland. This legislation matters well beyond the districts where the lands are located.
At the same time, the Forest Service is being told to increase timber sales while facing hiring freezes and staff losses. In Virginia, we’ve lost 22 percent of Forest Service staff—double the national average. That makes it incredibly difficult to implement new guidance or manage forests responsibly.” – VWC Executive Director Ellen Stuart-Haentjens
On the June 27th episode, they check in with VWC Executive Director Ellen Stuart-Haentjens about her recent meetings with members of Virginia’s Congressional delegation.
“We’ve been advocating for the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area and the Virginia Wilderness Additions Act. While these areas are in western Virginia, they protect headwaters that feed the Chesapeake Bay, impacting water quality across the state and into Maryland. This legislation matters well beyond the districts where the lands are located.
At the same time, the Forest Service is being told to increase timber sales while facing hiring freezes and staff losses. In Virginia, we’ve lost 22 percent of Forest Service staff—double the national average. That makes it incredibly difficult to implement new guidance or manage forests responsibly.” – VWC Executive Director Ellen Stuart-Haentjens
What the Roadless Rule Means to You
Little River Roadless Area by Lynn Cameron
The Roadless Rule protects an inventoried acreage of mostly intact, undeveloped public forest land. It is a bedrock rule written into all of the United States Forest Service (USFS) plans and a critical protective backstop for decision making. Rescinding it will hurt Americans, hurt wildlife, and make wildfires worse.
The Roadless Rule formed as a direct result of a tremendous outpouring of public support. More than 600 public hearings were held around the nation, and the public provided more than 1.6 million comments - more comments than any other rule in the nation's history.
The proposed rollback of the 2001 Roadless Rule jeopardizes nearly 58 million acres of undeveloped backcountry forestland managed by the USFS, comprising around a third of the territory in our national forest system. These forests have only remained intact because of the Forest Service's nearly 25-year-old commitment not to build roads in these areas for harmful activities like major logging operations or oil-and-gas drilling.
In Virginia, the Roadless Rule protects 394,000 acres. It generates tourism, outdoor recreation, and hunting opportunities in the Commonwealth and nationwide. Roadless Areas are important for our watersheds, filtering our drinking water. They also include huge amounts of our remaining mature and old growth trees.
This announcement represents yet another attempt by the administration to sell off and sell out our public lands under the guise of forest management and economic development. Under a repeal, 58.5 million acres will be vulnerable to private logging interests.
The decision to rescind the Roadless Rule is not about fire safety, new research from The Wilderness Society, now in peer review, shows that from 1992-2024, wildfires were nearly four times more likely to start in areas that have roads. You can act today! Call your members of Congress to oppose and condemn this latest attack on public lands.
The Roadless Rule formed as a direct result of a tremendous outpouring of public support. More than 600 public hearings were held around the nation, and the public provided more than 1.6 million comments - more comments than any other rule in the nation's history.
The proposed rollback of the 2001 Roadless Rule jeopardizes nearly 58 million acres of undeveloped backcountry forestland managed by the USFS, comprising around a third of the territory in our national forest system. These forests have only remained intact because of the Forest Service's nearly 25-year-old commitment not to build roads in these areas for harmful activities like major logging operations or oil-and-gas drilling.
In Virginia, the Roadless Rule protects 394,000 acres. It generates tourism, outdoor recreation, and hunting opportunities in the Commonwealth and nationwide. Roadless Areas are important for our watersheds, filtering our drinking water. They also include huge amounts of our remaining mature and old growth trees.
This announcement represents yet another attempt by the administration to sell off and sell out our public lands under the guise of forest management and economic development. Under a repeal, 58.5 million acres will be vulnerable to private logging interests.
The decision to rescind the Roadless Rule is not about fire safety, new research from The Wilderness Society, now in peer review, shows that from 1992-2024, wildfires were nearly four times more likely to start in areas that have roads. You can act today! Call your members of Congress to oppose and condemn this latest attack on public lands.