Calendar

June 14 thru 20
- Service Outing, Blackwater Area. Join in for a day or more! We'll be relocating the beginning part of Mountainside Trail near the south rim of Blackwater Canyon, and working to clear and restore the historic coke ovens along the Blackwater Canyon Rail Trail beside the North Fork of the Blackwater River near Thomas. No previous experience required. Call Jim Sconyers 789-6277.

June 20 and 21
- Botanizing weekend at Canaan Valley sponsored by the Tri-State Chapter of the WV Native Plant Society. The weekend will consist of several small field trips in and around Canaan Valley. Some will be easy while others more difficult. Lodging can be arranged at Canaan Valley State Park at the lodge or at a campground by calling 1-800-CALL WVA. Make reservations ASAP. Romie Hughart, President of the Tri-State Chapter, has secured the DNR cabin at Laneville near Dolly Sods - cost, $10 night. To stay at the cabin register with Romie at 429-7358. Meals on your own. Board of Directors meeting scheduled for the afternoon of the 20th. Questions? Call Steve Mace at 882-2450 or E-mail at sdmace@citynet.net, or call Romie.

June 22 thru July 19
- Mon Trail Assessment Project, a cooperative project sponsored by the Mon Nat Forest and the Forest Watch Coalition. Call the FWC for info at 637-4082

June 26 thru 28
- The 2nd Ecological Integrity Conference will be held at Davis and Elkins College in Elkins. The theme, Defining Problems and Solutions for Appalachian Restoration. Keynote speakers will be Orie Loucks of Miami U. and John Cairns of VPI. Workshops will include Central Appalachian Forest Mortality, Soil Nutrient Losses and Forest Health, National Forest Management Issues, Urban Sprawl in Appalachia, Central Appalachian Reserve Design, Applying Geographic Information System Mapping to Conservation Problems, Conservation Easement Programs in Appalachia and Ecoforestry and Timber Certification Issues. Field Trips will be scheduled for Otter Creek Wilderness, Shaver's Fork and the Blackwater Canyon (within the Mon Forest). Contact Than Hitt at POB 5541, Athens OH 45701, (740) 592-3968, arc@frognet.net. This program is sponsored by Heartwood.

June 27.
"Turning Down the Heat" at the Southern Appalachian Labor School at their Beards Fork community building in Fayette County. This community forum will bring together representatives from the labor, environment and the religious communities to discuss the challenge of global warming, the Kyoto treaty, and their effects on the land, people and economic well being of West Virginia. For more information contact John David at the Southern Appalachian Labor School at 304-779-2772 or write to SALS, POB 127, Kincaid WV 25119 or contact Gary Zuckett at gzuckett@wvwise.org

July 11
- WVHC Summer Board Meeting.

July 18 and 19
- Blackwater Canyon Backpack. We'll take our time on this leisure trip down the Blackwater Canyon Rail Trail, and it's downhill all the way! With an overnight along the way we have time to explore and enjoy the Blackwater Canyon. And it should be hot enough to appreciate a dip in one or more of the gorgeous falls and pools of the side streams. Listen to the river below all night as we camp deep in the Canyon. This is an excellent "starter" outing for those new to backpacking. Call Jim Sconyers 789-6277.

August 7 thru 9
- Middle Mountain Cabins. Don't sweat the dog days of August - It's cool in Laurel Fork Wilderness, where the Middle Mountain Cabins are nestled. These rustic, historic buildings include two bunkhouses and the main cabin with kitchen and refrigerator, hand-pumped water, and a great porch for sitting. We drive right to the cabins, and enjoy streams, beaver ponds, miles of maintained trails, and thousands of acres of West Virginia wilderness. Be as laid back or dynamic as you want - sit back and take it easy or explore from one end to the other! We will share kitchen duties. There is a modest charge for cabin rental and meal ingredients. Call Jim Sconyers 789-6277.

September 6
- Bike the Blackwater Canyon. We'll go the whole 9 yards (actually a bit more). Start in Thomas, a charming little West Virginia mountain town. From there we ride the entire Blackwater Canyon Rail Trail, passing through Thomas, Coketon, Douglas, Big Run, Lime Rock, and Hendricks, where we finish. Fourteen miles of level or downhill on a good trail surface - with lots to see along the way. Waterfalls, coke ovens, wildflowers, the wild Blackwater Canyon - come see what all the fuss has been about! Shuttle back to Thomas from Hendricks. Bring your bike, or rent one in Thomas or Davis. (Note: the rail trail guide rates the trail II on a difficulty scale of I - IV, because of some bumpiness due to the ballast stones left in the trail when the tracks were removed.) Call Jim Sconyers 789-6277.

September 7
- Bike the Blackwater Canyon. This is a repeat of the September 6 trip. See it for description.

September 26
- Blackwater Canyon Walk-Through. Be in the front row as fall foliage tunes up for its riot of color. We will take a leisurely pace as we walk the entire Blackwater Canyon Rail Trail - the way to really SEE the Canyon! Catch the last of the fall wildflowers, and the middle of foliage season. Downhill all the way with a shuttle back from the trail terminus in Hendricks. Call Jim Sconyers 789-6277. October 4 - Fall Spectacle. We move from overlook to overlook for one spectacular fall foliage scene after another. Some are popular lookouts, others are less familiar. The Canyon puts on its finery for us! Meet at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge at 9:30 AM. Bring camera(!), lunch, walking shoes, etc. Call Jim Sconyers 789-6277.

October 9 thru 11
- WVHC Fall Review ?