VWC Newsletter - May 2001
2001 Annual Meeting of the VWC - Buffalo Gap - Sunday, June 3rd
Every member of the VWC and everyone else who is a friend of Wilderness in invited to attend the annual meeting at 10 am on Sunday, June 3rd at the Dickerman Farm near Buffalo Gap. Come celebrate our new Wilderness Areas, plan strategy for a new round of designations in the near future, and elect officers for 2001-2002.
Folks who want to arrive on Saturday will find plenty of space for camping. Bring your own food and gear.
Directions to the Site: From Staunton, take Va. Rt. 254 west for about 10 miles to Buffalo Gap. Continue past the junction with Va. Rt. 42 for one mile, looking out for a white church on the right. Just before the church, turn right on Rt. 688 and go one-half mile. Look out for a VWC sign on the left. The Dickerman house sits well back from the road. Drive in and Welcome!
Coalition Leaders Meet to Discuss Priorities
At the call of Steve Brooks of Virginia Forest Watch and Jim Murray of VWC wilderness activists representing a broad selection of environmental groups met in Radford on April 13th to work out a strategy for the developing campaign for new Wilderness Areas in the Jefferson National Forest. Steve welcomed the group and then Jim reviewed the recent campaign for Three Ridges and the Priest, emphasizing the favorable circumstances that led to success - leadership from individuals and groups in Nelson County, acquiescent Supervisors, National Forest support, willing Congressmen, and state and national lobbying.
In a wide-ranging discussion of priorities, strategy, and tactics, individual people were urged to take on primary responsibility for a particular area. Jim pointed out that the best way to ensure that a favorite area made the final cut was for someone to assume responsibility for drawing the map, developing the description, and recruiting local support. The meeting was highly successful in parceling out primary responsibilities to Dave Muhly (Garden Mountain), Bess & Jim Murray (Hunting Camp/Little Wolf Cr.), Dave Richert & Justin Askins (Brush Mt.), Dave West (Brush Mt. East), Mark Miller (Little Walker Mt.), Teresa Martinez (Crawfish Valley and Beartown Additions), Tammy Belinsky (Long Spur), Tom Davenport & Mark Barker (Raccoon Branch, Seng Mt., Little Horse Heaven, and Little Dry Run Addition), Steve Brooks and Dick Austin (Devil's Fork), and Steve Brooks (N. Fork of the Pound). In addition, Jim Loesel and Christina Wulf agreed to look after some of the areas that may not make the cut for this round
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)
Every member of the VWC and everyone else who is a friend of Wilderness in invited to attend the annual meeting at 10 am on Sunday, June 3rd at the Dickerman Farm near Buffalo Gap. Come celebrate our new Wilderness Areas, plan strategy for a new round of designations in the near future, and elect officers for 2001-2002.
Folks who want to arrive on Saturday will find plenty of space for camping. Bring your own food and gear.
Directions to the Site: From Staunton, take Va. Rt. 254 west for about 10 miles to Buffalo Gap. Continue past the junction with Va. Rt. 42 for one mile, looking out for a white church on the right. Just before the church, turn right on Rt. 688 and go one-half mile. Look out for a VWC sign on the left. The Dickerman house sits well back from the road. Drive in and Welcome!
Coalition Leaders Meet to Discuss Priorities
At the call of Steve Brooks of Virginia Forest Watch and Jim Murray of VWC wilderness activists representing a broad selection of environmental groups met in Radford on April 13th to work out a strategy for the developing campaign for new Wilderness Areas in the Jefferson National Forest. Steve welcomed the group and then Jim reviewed the recent campaign for Three Ridges and the Priest, emphasizing the favorable circumstances that led to success - leadership from individuals and groups in Nelson County, acquiescent Supervisors, National Forest support, willing Congressmen, and state and national lobbying.
In a wide-ranging discussion of priorities, strategy, and tactics, individual people were urged to take on primary responsibility for a particular area. Jim pointed out that the best way to ensure that a favorite area made the final cut was for someone to assume responsibility for drawing the map, developing the description, and recruiting local support. The meeting was highly successful in parceling out primary responsibilities to Dave Muhly (Garden Mountain), Bess & Jim Murray (Hunting Camp/Little Wolf Cr.), Dave Richert & Justin Askins (Brush Mt.), Dave West (Brush Mt. East), Mark Miller (Little Walker Mt.), Teresa Martinez (Crawfish Valley and Beartown Additions), Tammy Belinsky (Long Spur), Tom Davenport & Mark Barker (Raccoon Branch, Seng Mt., Little Horse Heaven, and Little Dry Run Addition), Steve Brooks and Dick Austin (Devil's Fork), and Steve Brooks (N. Fork of the Pound). In addition, Jim Loesel and Christina Wulf agreed to look after some of the areas that may not make the cut for this round
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)