VWC Newsletter - June 2011
GW PLANNING HEATS UP
The long-awaited Draft Plan for the management of the George Washington National Forest is here. You can access the Plan and the Environmental Impact Statement, in all their excruciating detail, if you google ‘GW Plan Revision Home', or you can attend one of the information meetings that will be held by the Forest Service over the next two months:
Monday, June 20, 6:30-9:00 pm Fairfax County Government Center
Wednesday, June 22, 6:30-9:00 pm Woodstock National Guard Armory
Thursday, June 30, 6:30-9:00 pm Rockbridge County High School
143 Greenhouse Road, Lexington, VA
Tuesday, July 12, 6:30-9:00 pm East Hardy High School
259 Cougar Drive, Baker, WV
Monday, July 18, 6:30-9:00 pm Augusta County Government Center
18 Government Center Lane, Verona, VA
Wednesday, July 27, 6:30-9:00 Valley Elementary School
98 Panther Drive, Hot Springs, VA
Wilderness advocates will be disappointed by the recommendations for Wilderness Study Areas in the Preferred Alternative (Alternative G). Only one new area is proposed, Little River, along with three additions, to St. Mary's, Rich Hole, and Ramsey's Draft, for a total of about 20,000 acres. It is important to have a good turn-out of wilderness supporters at the workshops, and, of course, to generate a substantial flood of comments in support of more Areas. Comments may be submitted up to September 1st to:
George Washington Plan Revision
George Washington & Jefferson National Forests
5612 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019
Or email: [email protected]
Meanwhile the VWC is involved in an unusual initiative to increase the degree of understanding and to lower the level of conflict over issues in public land planning. Our own Mark Miller and Westvaco's John Hancock agreed to convene a group of "stakeholders" in the National Forest planning effort. The premise is that within the National Forests in Virginia there should be enough land to satisfy the interests of almost all the users. The aim is to craft an agreement that would be acceptable to wilderness advocates, loggers, game managers, bicycle riders, horsemen, hunters, fishermen, hikers, campers, and naturalists. Participants have been meeting since last fall in plenary session and smaller groups working towards a joint statement to offer to the planning staff of the George Washington National Forest. A level of trust has been established among the various constituencies that we believe is unprecedented. Anyone who wishes to participate in this effort or to stay informed of progress is welcome to attend the next plenary meeting on June 30th, time and place to be announced at a later date.
Go WILD
VWC has embarked on a new program to get students into Virginia's wilderness areas and candidates. The 2011 launch of our Go WILD (Wilderness in Learning Development) grant program invites faculty/staff from local colleges and universities to apply for funding for wilderness excursions and related education. For this pilot year, the grants have been offered to Mary Baldwin College and Bridgewater College, with the intent to expand the offer to other Shenandoah Valley institutions next year. The grants are funded by generous donations made in memory of Julianna Mulqueen. See our website listed below for more information.
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Check the date stamp on your label. It shows the date of your latest contribution. Are you up to date? Checks to VWC, 229 Cranberry Drive, Stuarts Draft, VA 24477-3047. Contributions may also be made via the website; see below.
Virginia Wilderness Committee: www.vawilderness.org
President: Laura Neale, 423 Sheep Creek Lane, Fairfield, VA 24435 (540-261-1909)
Vice-Pres: Mark Miller, 62 Big Hill Rd., Lexington, VA 24450 (540-464-3110)
Treasurer: Karen Waterman, 229 Cranberry Drive, Stuarts Draft, VA 24477-3047
Secretary: Pete Bsumek, 485 W. Bruce St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540-421-4105)
Wilderness Coordinator: Carol Lena Miller, 460 Ohio Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540-578-0275)
The long-awaited Draft Plan for the management of the George Washington National Forest is here. You can access the Plan and the Environmental Impact Statement, in all their excruciating detail, if you google ‘GW Plan Revision Home', or you can attend one of the information meetings that will be held by the Forest Service over the next two months:
Monday, June 20, 6:30-9:00 pm Fairfax County Government Center
Wednesday, June 22, 6:30-9:00 pm Woodstock National Guard Armory
Thursday, June 30, 6:30-9:00 pm Rockbridge County High School
143 Greenhouse Road, Lexington, VA
Tuesday, July 12, 6:30-9:00 pm East Hardy High School
259 Cougar Drive, Baker, WV
Monday, July 18, 6:30-9:00 pm Augusta County Government Center
18 Government Center Lane, Verona, VA
Wednesday, July 27, 6:30-9:00 Valley Elementary School
98 Panther Drive, Hot Springs, VA
Wilderness advocates will be disappointed by the recommendations for Wilderness Study Areas in the Preferred Alternative (Alternative G). Only one new area is proposed, Little River, along with three additions, to St. Mary's, Rich Hole, and Ramsey's Draft, for a total of about 20,000 acres. It is important to have a good turn-out of wilderness supporters at the workshops, and, of course, to generate a substantial flood of comments in support of more Areas. Comments may be submitted up to September 1st to:
George Washington Plan Revision
George Washington & Jefferson National Forests
5612 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019
Or email: [email protected]
Meanwhile the VWC is involved in an unusual initiative to increase the degree of understanding and to lower the level of conflict over issues in public land planning. Our own Mark Miller and Westvaco's John Hancock agreed to convene a group of "stakeholders" in the National Forest planning effort. The premise is that within the National Forests in Virginia there should be enough land to satisfy the interests of almost all the users. The aim is to craft an agreement that would be acceptable to wilderness advocates, loggers, game managers, bicycle riders, horsemen, hunters, fishermen, hikers, campers, and naturalists. Participants have been meeting since last fall in plenary session and smaller groups working towards a joint statement to offer to the planning staff of the George Washington National Forest. A level of trust has been established among the various constituencies that we believe is unprecedented. Anyone who wishes to participate in this effort or to stay informed of progress is welcome to attend the next plenary meeting on June 30th, time and place to be announced at a later date.
Go WILD
VWC has embarked on a new program to get students into Virginia's wilderness areas and candidates. The 2011 launch of our Go WILD (Wilderness in Learning Development) grant program invites faculty/staff from local colleges and universities to apply for funding for wilderness excursions and related education. For this pilot year, the grants have been offered to Mary Baldwin College and Bridgewater College, with the intent to expand the offer to other Shenandoah Valley institutions next year. The grants are funded by generous donations made in memory of Julianna Mulqueen. See our website listed below for more information.
*************************************
Check the date stamp on your label. It shows the date of your latest contribution. Are you up to date? Checks to VWC, 229 Cranberry Drive, Stuarts Draft, VA 24477-3047. Contributions may also be made via the website; see below.
Virginia Wilderness Committee: www.vawilderness.org
President: Laura Neale, 423 Sheep Creek Lane, Fairfield, VA 24435 (540-261-1909)
Vice-Pres: Mark Miller, 62 Big Hill Rd., Lexington, VA 24450 (540-464-3110)
Treasurer: Karen Waterman, 229 Cranberry Drive, Stuarts Draft, VA 24477-3047
Secretary: Pete Bsumek, 485 W. Bruce St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540-421-4105)
Wilderness Coordinator: Carol Lena Miller, 460 Ohio Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540-578-0275)