MASONTOWN (January 29, 2008) – The West Virginia Wilderness Coalition praised the West Virginia Congressional delegation today for introducing legislation to protect new wilderness areas in the Monongahela National Forest. Coalition leaders celebrated the bill’s introduction and vowed to support the effort, but lamented the fact that the delegation is missing an opportunity to include some of the forest’s most popular and spectacular areas in the bill. Groups encouraged lawmakers to amend the legislation and include important areas like Seneca Creek, all of Roaring Plains and the East Fork of the Greenbrier areas.

Hikers in proposed Big Draft Wilderness area, included in delegation's bill, WV. Photo copyright Beth Little.

“We have a long proud tradition of protecting our state’s wild and wonderful forests and we owe a great debt of gratitude to our Congressional delegation for coming together to protect these special places,” said Dave Saville, Coordinator of the West Virginia Wilderness Coalition. “While we support this new legislation, we are deeply disappointed that special areas like Seneca Creek, Roaring Plains East and North and the East Fork of the Greenbrier areas have been left out of this proposal. These special places can’t wait another 25 years for protection and we hope that the delegation will amend their proposal to include these places before the bill passes.”

The Wild Monongahela Act will protect over 47,000 acres of forest as wilderness – expanding Dolly Sods, Cranberry and Otter Creek Wilderness Areas as well as protecting 4 new wilderness areas across the forest. A wide array of local groups, individuals and businesses are supportive of the legislation. However, it has been initially criticized because it falls far short of the wilderness proposal put forth by local West Virginian’s by nearly 100,000 acres. Since 2004 local wilderness supporters, including sportsmen, business owners, local lawmakers, religious and union leaders and others across the state, have successfully demonstrated their support for the citizen’s proposal.

Despite the disappointment, conservationists are excited about this historic effort and look forward to seeing it become law. It’s been 25 years since the designation of Cranberry and Laurel Fork Wilderness Areas and in that time the Monongahela National Forest’s popularity has continued to grow, becoming one of the East’s premier recreation destinations for hunters, anglers, hikers, campers, whitewater paddlers, skiers and hundreds of thousands of other outdoor enthusiasts.

Allen Johnson, founder of Christians for the Mountains emphasized the religious values of wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest. “My organization not only supports wilderness, but has been working for the past year to convey to other faith based organizations and congregations the spiritual value these places hold. Protecting Wilderness, however, is more than about what it can do for humans. Wilderness is space for God's untrammeled creation. Wilderness is a reminder that ‘The Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it belongs to God’ (Psalm 24: I). Wilderness is an ecological yardstick to measure our ability to use the rest of the earth well.”

Wilderness is also critical in protecting our native trout streams. “Wilderness is the watershed management most conducive to healing and recovery of trout streams.” stated Don Gasper, retired DNR fisheries biologist and long-time fisheries manager on the Monongahela National Forest. In a poll conducted on wilderness in West Virginia in 2006, 90% of respondents who identified themselves as hunters or anglers supported wilderness for the Seneca Creek area which has been rated as one of America’s top 100 trout streams.

Both the Greenbrier and Pocahontas County Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus as well as over 100 West Virginia businesses have voiced their support for more wilderness. “I think our congressional delegation deserves a lot of credit for thinking not only about our environment, but also our state’s economic future,” said Bruce Summers, owner of Pathfinder Outdoors in Morgantown, one of the state’s largest bicycle and outdoor outfitters. “I believe additional Wilderness designations on the Mon National Forest is a good thing for West Virginia all around.” Beyond tourism dollars, more protected land for West Virginians to enjoy simply leads to an increased quality of life for all who call the Mountain State home.