VWC Newsletter September 2010
COME ONE, COME ALL !
Faithful Wilderness advocates will be gathering for the annual meeting of the Virginia Wilderness Committee on October 16th. As is often the case, we will be getting together on a site of special interest to the group. This year the focus will be on the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal (see below), and the location will be Braley Pond. So come one, come all. Bring your ideas for Virginia Wilderness and bring your lunch:
Where: Braley Pond Campground
When: Saturday, October 16th, 10:00 a.m.
What: The agenda will include discussion of the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal, progress on
land use planning in the George Washington National Forest, and election of officers for
the coming year. If you would like to make nominations, send them to Laura Neale
(address below)..
Directions to Braley Pond: Take US 250 west until you cross the divide between Jennings Creek and the Calfpasture River. Just after crossing the Calfpasture, turn right (>90 degrees) onto Rt. 715. Look for signs to Braley Pond on the left.
Shenandoah Mountain Proposal Gaining Steam
By Lynn Cameron
We continue to work on building support for the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal. The response has been very positive. Many people from outside the regular conservation community see the benefits of protecting Shenandoah Mountain as a National Scenic Area with core areas designated as Wilderness. Of course, our beloved Laurel Fork, that VWC and others fought hard to protect from gas development in the 1990s, is recommended for Wilderness designation in the Proposal, while Kelley Mountain is recommended as a National Scenic Area. New threats posed by hydrofracking for natural gas and industrial wind development are forcing people to think about what might happen to these special places and how quickly and easily their values could be degraded or destroyed.
We are focusing our efforts on endorsements by businesses, organizations, and faith groups. Just this summer several new endorsements were added for restaurants in Staunton and Harrisonburg, as well as for the Bridgewater Rotary Club. For a complete list of endorsements, go to the Friends website: http://www.friendsofshenandoahmountain.org/. Carol Lena Miller and Lynn Cameron have scheduled several presentations to Valley organizations this fall with the hope of reaching out to others. We welcome additional invitations. Perhaps you belong to a civic or faith group that has not endorsed yet and could arrange for a presentation. We are also specially interested in reaching out to sportsmen and would welcome an opportunity to meet with hunters or hunting groups.
A colorful new brochure on the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal, printed with financial help from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, is of great help in our efforts. We are indebted to several excellent photographers who donated their work for the brochure, including Jim Waite, Dave Wendelken, and Dwight Dyke. If you wish to receive a copy of the brochure, contact Lynn Cameron:slynncameron@gmail.com.
Get Out and See For Yourselves
Are you looking for a family friendly way to see some of these great places that we keep talking about? Carol Lena Miller has posted on the VWC website directions to a monthly series of not-too-taxing walks to wonderful places in the forest. This month the emphasis is on Shenandoah Mountain. Go to www.vawilderness.org/hikes.
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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.
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)
Faithful Wilderness advocates will be gathering for the annual meeting of the Virginia Wilderness Committee on October 16th. As is often the case, we will be getting together on a site of special interest to the group. This year the focus will be on the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal (see below), and the location will be Braley Pond. So come one, come all. Bring your ideas for Virginia Wilderness and bring your lunch:
Where: Braley Pond Campground
When: Saturday, October 16th, 10:00 a.m.
What: The agenda will include discussion of the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal, progress on
land use planning in the George Washington National Forest, and election of officers for
the coming year. If you would like to make nominations, send them to Laura Neale
(address below)..
Directions to Braley Pond: Take US 250 west until you cross the divide between Jennings Creek and the Calfpasture River. Just after crossing the Calfpasture, turn right (>90 degrees) onto Rt. 715. Look for signs to Braley Pond on the left.
Shenandoah Mountain Proposal Gaining Steam
By Lynn Cameron
We continue to work on building support for the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal. The response has been very positive. Many people from outside the regular conservation community see the benefits of protecting Shenandoah Mountain as a National Scenic Area with core areas designated as Wilderness. Of course, our beloved Laurel Fork, that VWC and others fought hard to protect from gas development in the 1990s, is recommended for Wilderness designation in the Proposal, while Kelley Mountain is recommended as a National Scenic Area. New threats posed by hydrofracking for natural gas and industrial wind development are forcing people to think about what might happen to these special places and how quickly and easily their values could be degraded or destroyed.
We are focusing our efforts on endorsements by businesses, organizations, and faith groups. Just this summer several new endorsements were added for restaurants in Staunton and Harrisonburg, as well as for the Bridgewater Rotary Club. For a complete list of endorsements, go to the Friends website: http://www.friendsofshenandoahmountain.org/. Carol Lena Miller and Lynn Cameron have scheduled several presentations to Valley organizations this fall with the hope of reaching out to others. We welcome additional invitations. Perhaps you belong to a civic or faith group that has not endorsed yet and could arrange for a presentation. We are also specially interested in reaching out to sportsmen and would welcome an opportunity to meet with hunters or hunting groups.
A colorful new brochure on the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal, printed with financial help from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, is of great help in our efforts. We are indebted to several excellent photographers who donated their work for the brochure, including Jim Waite, Dave Wendelken, and Dwight Dyke. If you wish to receive a copy of the brochure, contact Lynn Cameron:slynncameron@gmail.com.
Get Out and See For Yourselves
Are you looking for a family friendly way to see some of these great places that we keep talking about? Carol Lena Miller has posted on the VWC website directions to a monthly series of not-too-taxing walks to wonderful places in the forest. This month the emphasis is on Shenandoah Mountain. Go to www.vawilderness.org/hikes.
*************************************
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.
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)