• A group of people standing in the woods

    Mushroom Meander 2023: Another Successful Outing

    By Larry Thomas Mushrooms are among the most mysterious life forms, and here in West Virginia, mushrooms are thriving. According to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, nearly 1,700 species of mushrooms and other types of large fungi have been found in our Mountain State. Due to last year’s popularity, the West Virginia Highlands […]

    Continue reading
  • Smokescreen Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate by Chad T. Hanson

    Smokescreen, Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate by Chad Hanson

    Review by John McFerrin This is a book about forest fires—how we talk about them, how we think about them, and, most importantly, public policy toward fire control and suppression. Any discussion about fire inevitably leads to a discussion of logging, including how we manage logging on public lands. The bedrock of the argument is […]

    Continue reading
  • A wilderness trail cuts through an open area in Dolly Sods

    Wilderness Trails (Part Two of Part Two)

    By Dave Johnston In the first part of this series, we looked at how trails–unquestionably a human structure–can be justified, and even encouraged, in Wilderness areas, which by definition are supposed to be free of human manipulation and evidence of their presence. In the second part we examined how trails can be planned to compatibly […]

    Continue reading
  • Spotted Lanternflies on a tree trunk

    Spotted Lanternfly on the Move in West Virginia

    By Olivia Miller In mid-September, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture reported that the invasive spotted lanternfly has been found in two additional West Virginia counties: Grant and Hardy. Grant and Hardy mark the ninth and tenth counties in West Virginia where spotted lanternfly have been detected. The other counties include Hancock, Brooke, Mineral, Hampshire, […]

    Continue reading
  • A Dolly Sods vista with the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy logo overlayed

    A New Project: Highlands Creatures Coloring Book!

    By Olivia Miller The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy has recently been awarded a $4,050 grant from the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area to create an informative 20-page coloring book highlighting the native flora and fauna of the West Virginia highlands. The highlands of West Virginia encapsulate a unique and diverse range of native flora and fauna that […]

    Continue reading
  • Register today! West Virginia Environmental Council Annual Meeting November 3-5

    An Update from the West Virginia Environmental Council

    By Lucia Valentine The West Virginia Environmental Council has been working hard year-round to advance multiple campaigns in preparation for the 2024 legislative session. Whether you have experience or are new to advocacy, we welcome your involvement by filling out our volunteer survey at wvecouncil.org/volunteer.The West Virginia Environmental Council will host their annual meeting November 3-5 […]

    Continue reading
  • A white tailed deer stands in a forest

    Banning Lead Shot, Protecting Wildlife: Is There Hope on the Horizon?

    By John McFerrin We have known for decades, if not centuries, that lead is toxic. Over the past 50 years, we have gone to great lengths to eliminate lead exposure, banning leaded gasoline and lead paint. Most of the lead that is disposed of, whether it be leaded batteries or lead pipes, is regulated. Even […]

    Continue reading
  • Opportunities of a Lifetime: Energy Efficiency in West Virginia under the Inflation Reduction Act 

    By Perry Bryant  The Inflation Reduction Act established two energy efficiency rebate programs to transform households’ energy usage: the Electrification and Appliance Rebate program (referred to as the Electrification program) and the Home Efficiency Rebate program (the Efficiency program). Unlike tax credits, rebates don’t require consumers to pay upfront for home efficiency measures and then […]

    Continue reading
  • A Dolly Sods vista with the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy logo overlayed

    Thoughts From Our President

    By Marilyn Shoenfeld The year is flying by. Leaves are turning and the Fall Review is only two weeks away. We hope you plan to come, October 13-15 at Canaan Valley Resort. The theme is Water in West Virginia, and it will be a weekend of education, environmental activism and fellowship.   On Friday evening there is […]

    Continue reading
  • An aerial photo of the Rocky Run Surface Mine

    Protecting America’s Remaining Biodiversity: How a Coal Company and Regulatory Indifference Jeopardize the Candy Darter

    By Andrew Young Situated just southeast of Richwood, West Virginia, near Cranberry, the Laurel Creek and South Fork of the Cherry River watersheds harbor outstanding ecological character and tremendous beauty. They also provide some of the best remaining habitat for numerous species of concern, most significantly, the stronghold Upper Gauley metapopulation of the critically endangered […]

    Continue reading