Monongahela National Forest Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

All Of Blackwater Canyon Now Public Land

The 10,000-acre Blackwater Canyon is now wholly publicly owned after a transfer of private land.

The conservation group Friends of Blackwater announced in a press release that 2,700 acres of privately owned forest and river corridor in the Blackwater Canyon have been transferred to the Monongahela National Forest.

The Crites family, which owns the hardwood manufacturer Allegheny Wood Products, announced plans to sell the property in Tucker County to the U.S. Forest Service in August.

“This is a victory for the people of West Virginia — and our many friends around the nation — who have supported this campaign, and who treasure the Mountain State’s natural beauty,” said Judy Rodd, director of Friends of Blackwater. “Friends of Blackwater remains committed to supporting ongoing conservation efforts and ensuring that Blackwater Canyon thrives as a haven for recreation, biodiversity, heritage tourism, and inspiration.”

Friends of Blackwater said in a statement that the agreement, forged by outgoing U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, is the culmination of a 25-year campaign to protect rare habitats for future generations.

Manchin mentioned the acquisition in his farewell speech on the Senate floor Dec. 4.

“The New River Gorge became a National Park, and we just agreed to acquire 2,700 acres at the Blackwater Canyon, which is the most beautiful venue,” he said. “We’ve been trying for 20 years to make this happen, and it’s finally coming to fruition, and this is gonna be so the whole country can enjoy something that just can’t believe how pretty it is.”

Rodd told WVPB that the sale was delayed in part due to the Crites family’s desire to have the land renamed. In December, Manchin introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate to officially name the Crites family acreage as “Patsye Crites Forest” but it failed to pass the House.

Blackwater Falls, at the head of the canyon, is one of the most photographed sites in West Virginia according to West Virginia State Parks.

Investigating Timber Theft And The Beyond Coal Campaign, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, U.S. attorneys investigate a suspected timber theft and a discussion about West Virginia’s energy future.

On this West Virginia Morning, a West Virginia logging firm has been accused of stealing ten acres of timber – some of it from trees estimated to be 100 years old – from the Monongahela National Forest. Maria Young caught up with U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld of the Northern District of West Virginia, whose office has filed suit against the firm, to find out what happened and what outdoor enthusiasts can do if they come across something that looks suspicious.

Also, Mary Anne Hitt led the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign for a decade. As West Virginians grapple with the rising cost of maintaining coal’s dominance over the state’s electricity supply, she spoke with Curtis Tate about what’s changed and what hasn’t.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University and Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Maria Young produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Red Spruce Restoration Plan Would Revitalize Native Tree Coverage Across Appalachia

One tree species native to Appalachia can grow 75 feet tall and live more than 350 years. But the species saw a decline in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries due to logging, forest fires and acid rain.

Red spruce trees once grew abundantly across the Appalachian Mountains. The native species can grow 75 feet tall and live for more than 350 years.

But red spruce in Appalachia experienced a sharp population decline in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In West Virginia, logging, forest fires and acid rain sliced the population to just 10 percent of its peak coverage.

Last month, the United States Forest Service (USFS) proposed a new red spruce restoration plan for the central Appalachian region. The plan includes planting new red spruce in open fields, old mine lands and hardwood forests across North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

If undertaken, the project would bring new red spruce to West Virginia woodlands, including Washington National Forest, Jefferson National Forest and Monongahela National Forest.

The USFS is accepting public feedback on the proposed plan until Sept. 5. To provide a comment on the project, visit the agency’s website.

Legislative Interims, Fighting Miners’ Lung Disease And Protecting Our Forests This West Virginia Week

On this West Virginia Week, we’ll review some of the top stories from legislative interims – to find out some of the issues lawmakers are working on.

Plus delve into how nature lovers can help protect forests from illegal activities.

We’ll also take a look at the latest hurdle for a program designed to make coal mines safer place to work.

Maria Young is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week’s biggest news in the Mountain State. It’s produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Jack Walker, Liz McCormick and Maria Young.
Learn more about West Virginia Week.

W.Va. Logging Firm Accused Of Stealing Timber From National Forest

Federal authorities accuse the logging company of cutting down valuable trees like these.

Ten acres of timber from the Monongahela National Forest near Slaty Fork has been stolen, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.

The civil complaint charges John Fox and Fox Logging, LLC, of Valley Bend, with trespassing and taking nearly $28,000 of mature trees.

U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld’s office investigated a complaint in the case and filed suit this week.

“We do not believe this was an innocent mistake. What we believe is that he was just adjacent to the national forest. He observed large, healthy and valuable trees, and decided to take advantage of being deep in the forest, in an area that’s hard to get to, and timber 10 additional acres,” Ihlenfeld said.

He also said the secret logging was done in a destructive manner that can harm wildlife and the public.

“There’s a greater impact than just the removal of 100-year-old trees. It causes sediment to run off and go into streams, and ultimately impacts the wildlife that are found in those streams,” Ihlenfeld added.

Many of the trees cut down were estimated to be 100 years old – not easy to replace or repair the damage. But any punitive damages collected from the case could be used toward restoration efforts.

Greenbrier Off The Auction Block, An HIV Mystery And A Camping Ban That Targets The Homeless This West Virginia Week

On this West Virginia Week, we’ll hear from Governor Jim Justice about efforts to auction off his Greenbrier Resort – and what he says is behind it all.

Plus, why health officials worry that HIV infections in rural West Virginia are going undetected – and spreading.

We’ll also take a look at a proposed camping ban some say targets the homeless in Morgantown.

Maria Young is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.