WVFA Mountain State Forestry Fall 2020

I N D U S T R Y N E W S www.wvfa.org Fall 2020 |  West Virginia Forestry Association Mountain State Forestry 7 By Joe Hankins, West Virginia State Director, The Conservation Fund IN WEST VIRGINIA, WE KNOW WE HAVE WEALTH in what we treasure most—our beautiful lands and our abundant forests in particular. As West Virginia Director for The Conservation Fund, I am gratified to be part of our long history here. The Fund has a unique and singular focus: environmental protection and economic development. We believe the two go hand-in-hand. When natural resources are used sustainably, not depleted, communities can thrive for short- and long-term. We are committed to our state’s conservation and economic health, as evidenced by more than 10% of our entire nationwide staff who work and reside here. Our state has long relied on natural resources as the basis for its economy. The abundant natural resources of timber, coal, water, petroleum, and now shale gas encouraged exploration, settlement, investment, and development for more than a century. We know that all economies must evolve or pivot to adapt to changing circumstances. As we continue to move toward a more multi-faceted economy in the Mountain State, we believe our natural resources remain our greatest strength. Sustainable management and use of our state’s unique lands and abundant timberlands are critical to our future. We work with West Virginia landowners in a number of ways. Working forests exemplify our approach. A high priority for the Fund, we aim to protect five million acres of working forests throughout the nation, is maintaining and generating good jobs while keeping forests healthy and open for recreation. A few years ago, we purchased 32,396 acres of working forestland in southern West Virginia as the core for a large conserved block of prime habitat for elk restoration, all done in partnership with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR). The timber and reclaimed mine lands associated with this acquisition effort are located in Lincoln, Logan, and Mingo counties. They provide ideal grassland and forest habitat for a variety of wildlife species, including elk, white-tailed deer, quail, wild turkey, and a long list of non-game grassland bird species and pollinators. A conservation easement placed on a portion of the property and held by the WVDNR provides for perpetual public access and allows the agency to manage wildlife with a long view at a lower cost than full value acquisition. Our model—called the Working Forest Fund (WFF)—is simple: we identify and buy the most important at-risk private forests with Working Forests and New Economic Promise ©Frank Ceravalo/Courtesy of The Conservation Fund (Tomblin WMA)