VWC Newsletter - February 2001
We are still on cloud nine after the successful passage last year of the Virginia Wilderness Act of 2000. We hope that all VWC members and supporters will have a chance to visit The Priest and Three Ridges, the two fine mountains that this bill places in the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Appalachian Trail goes over both mountains, crossing the Tye River and Rt. 56 between them. You can park there and climb either one, long pulls but beautiful. A shorter way up Three Ridges is to take the AT south from Reed's Gap. Even shorter is the access road from Love Gap (mp 15.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway) joining the AT at Maupin Fields. For The Priest, the shortest way is from Crabtree Meadows, where there is parking, but only after a rough road from Route 56 below Montebello.
But we must not rest on our laurels. There is work to be done and wilderness to be won. Our VWC loyalists in the Valley continue to raise the issue wherever they see a chink in the armor of 6th District Congressman Goodlatte. Several of them are ready to give an illustrated presentation to your group, if you will let us know.
In the Jefferson, we have re-opened the dialog with 9th District Congressman Rick Boucher, who has long been a faithful supporter of wilderness. On January 19th Jim and Bess Murray had breakfast with Mr. Boucher in Blacksburg, together with Dave and Lindsay West, strong supporters of Mr. Boucher (AND wilderness). He re-affirmed his commitment to protection of the wildest areas in the National Forest areas in his district, but he also gave us a reality check on specifics. It is clear that the VWC is going to have to do much of the legwork on this issue, especially if we want to have our chosen areas as wilderness rather than some lesser category of protection. So everyone needs to get going. Here are your orders:
On January 23rd, Jim and Bess Murray went to Washington with SELC lawyer David Carr to visit Senator John Warner. David presented him with a framed photo of The Priest and a citation of thanks for last year's bill. Mr. Warner was extremely cordial and expressed his unqualified support for further wilderness designations in Virginia. He said that he would be talking with both Bill Damon and Bob Goodlatte. We also had a substantive meeting with Ann Loomis, his legislative aide, who came up Three Ridges with us last fall. We also touched base with Rick Boucher's aide. Senator Allen's office has yet to get organized, but we left a note, re-introducing ourselves and reminding Allen of his support of the 1984 Virginia Wilderness Bill.
*************************************
The VWC website is up and running. You will soon be able to view it at the new connection:
www.vawilderness.org
*************************************
Finally, please remember that we don't quite run on air. Our organization is lean and mean but there are costs. Check your label to see when was the last you made a contribution. No fancy offers, just hard work for new wilderness.
Virginia Wilderness Committee Officers
President: Jim Murray, 1601 Bentivar Farm Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22911 (804-973-6693)
Vice-Pres: John Rice
Treasurer: Juliana Simpson, 11 E. Monmouth, Winchester, VA 22601 (540-662-7043)
Secretary: Mark Miller, 62 Big Hill Rd., Lexington, VA 24450 (540-464-3110)
But we must not rest on our laurels. There is work to be done and wilderness to be won. Our VWC loyalists in the Valley continue to raise the issue wherever they see a chink in the armor of 6th District Congressman Goodlatte. Several of them are ready to give an illustrated presentation to your group, if you will let us know.
In the Jefferson, we have re-opened the dialog with 9th District Congressman Rick Boucher, who has long been a faithful supporter of wilderness. On January 19th Jim and Bess Murray had breakfast with Mr. Boucher in Blacksburg, together with Dave and Lindsay West, strong supporters of Mr. Boucher (AND wilderness). He re-affirmed his commitment to protection of the wildest areas in the National Forest areas in his district, but he also gave us a reality check on specifics. It is clear that the VWC is going to have to do much of the legwork on this issue, especially if we want to have our chosen areas as wilderness rather than some lesser category of protection. So everyone needs to get going. Here are your orders:
- Choose your favorite area in the 9th District. (Hint - look in Virginia's Mountain Treasures for a start.) Let Jim Murray know what you want to work on.
- Explore, prospect boundaries, list the attractions (geology, plants, animals, history), document with slides, and pass your findings along to the VWC for collation.
- Get to know the local residents, hunters, fishermen, hikers, and boards of supervisors. Probe for support and also for potential trouble spots.
- Distribute information to counter the usual distortions and disinformation.
On January 23rd, Jim and Bess Murray went to Washington with SELC lawyer David Carr to visit Senator John Warner. David presented him with a framed photo of The Priest and a citation of thanks for last year's bill. Mr. Warner was extremely cordial and expressed his unqualified support for further wilderness designations in Virginia. He said that he would be talking with both Bill Damon and Bob Goodlatte. We also had a substantive meeting with Ann Loomis, his legislative aide, who came up Three Ridges with us last fall. We also touched base with Rick Boucher's aide. Senator Allen's office has yet to get organized, but we left a note, re-introducing ourselves and reminding Allen of his support of the 1984 Virginia Wilderness Bill.
*************************************
The VWC website is up and running. You will soon be able to view it at the new connection:
www.vawilderness.org
*************************************
Finally, please remember that we don't quite run on air. Our organization is lean and mean but there are costs. Check your label to see when was the last you made a contribution. No fancy offers, just hard work for new wilderness.
Virginia Wilderness Committee Officers
President: Jim Murray, 1601 Bentivar Farm Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22911 (804-973-6693)
Vice-Pres: John Rice
Treasurer: Juliana Simpson, 11 E. Monmouth, Winchester, VA 22601 (540-662-7043)
Secretary: Mark Miller, 62 Big Hill Rd., Lexington, VA 24450 (540-464-3110)