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A Fantastic Weekend for West Virginia Wilderness
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by Matt Keller | 2004

Summary: The best way to get more Wilderness in West Virginia is to learn by doing.

Over the July 31/August 1 weekend, a group of 30 new and veteran wilderness activists gathered in the mountains of Pocahontas County to learn more about wilderness, how we get more of it protected and how we can all work together to assure we get more on the Mon National Forest in the very near future. The event was held at High Rocks Academy near Hillsboro.

The group heard from several excellent presenters, saw a slideshow of proposed Wilderness areas, went on two outings and discussed the methods we will use to get more Wilderness designated on our national forest. Doug Scott, noted Wilderness historian and author, gave two separate talks about the history of Wilderness in West Virginia and the important role activists in our state played in the passage of the 1975 Eastern Wilderness Areas Act (the one that gave us Dolly Sods and Otter Creek).

Anna Sale gave an update on the Mon Forest Plan Revision and how it relates to the Wilderness Campaign. The U.S. Forest Service, as part of its plan revision, must take a look at new Wilderness areas. Their process in running parallel, but not linked to, the work of the West Virginia Wilderness Coalition. The coalition has been working closely with the Elkins office to ensure we’re all looking at the same places.

Dave Saville presented information about the history of Wilderness activism on the Mon including the formation of the West Virginia Wilderness Coalition. Helen McGinnis shared stories about West Virginia’s first Wilderness movement and her personal involvement in the designation of Dolly Sods and Otter Creek.

Mary Wimmer, chair of the wilderness planning committee, gave folks an update on the work the coalition has done since its formation, and the work we have planned together with Wilderness advocates across the state and region to ensure we get more areas protected.

Brian O’Donnell and Michael Carroll of the Wilderness Support Center (a branch of the Wilderness Society) conducted a training on the politics of Wilderness (in West Virginia and across the nation) and grassroots organizing with an emphasis on what we all need to do to protect more areas. The most important thing that we all can do right now is to write a letter to our Representative and Senators in Washington, D.C., and tell them we want more Wilderness on the Mon. You can do so from our website: www.wvwild.org.

After a hike and a belly-busting dinner, the group was treated to Doug Scott’s main presentation on the history of the Wilderness Act and the movement in general, as well as the roots of Wilderness in West Virginia. Following that, professional photographer Jonathan Jessup did a presentation of his photography featuring proposed Wilderness areas on the Mon. Jonathan regularly donates his work for use in protecting these special places and it can be viewed at his website www.jonathanjessup.com.

On Sunday after a delicious buckwheat cake breakfast courtesy of Dave Saville, the group spent some time discussing actions we can all take to move the campaign forward. We wrapped up and headed out for a hike in the Cranberry Wilderness in gorgeous 75-degree weather with lunch at Elephant Rocks.