West Virginia Highlands Conservancy

06/06/2026

06/06/2026

🌲 Happy National Trails Day!
Grateful for wild places, fresh air, new adventures, and the trails that remind me why nature is my refuge. 🌿 Today I’m excited to experience a hike in Dolly Sods alongside the dedicated stewards and volunteers of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. Looking forward to learning more about this unique wilderness. Here’s to leaving the trail a little better than we found it. 🥾 📸 🌿

06/04/2026

“Do we bow down because the odds are stacked against us, or do we stay firm with integrity and challenge Goliath head-on? For me, the answer is clear. We stand!” -Shaena M. Crossland, featured in The Parsons Advocate

The fight for Tucker County’s future is far from over. Stay informed, stay engaged, and keep standing up for the places and communities we love. 💪

06/03/2026

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has granted “advanced approval” for two companies to operate a 3,600-acre mining complex near the Monongahela National Forest, despite unresolved permit requirements.

A complaint filed by Appalachian Voices, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, and the Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance says the companies lack key federal authorizations for work in the national forest and protections for endangered species, including the candy darter.

The project includes the Rocky Run Surface Mine and a haul road that crosses the Monongahela National Forest, affecting streams in the Cherry River watershed.

Read the full press release here: https://bit.ly/439amni

06/01/2026

The West Virginia Rivers Coalition and the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy have filed a lawsuit against Amsted Graphite Materials LLC, alleging repeated violations of the Clean Water Act at the company’s Anmoore graphite manufacturing facility.

“West Virginians have a right to clean water, and companies that discharge into our streams have a responsibility to follow the law,” said Olivia Miller, interim executive director of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. “This case is about protecting Anmoore Run, Elk Creek, the West Fork River and the communities and people downstream who rely on healthy waterways.”

Read more below:

West Virginia Rivers Coalition and the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy filed a lawsuit in April against Armsted Graphite Materials LLC, alleging repeated Clean Water Act violations.

05/31/2026

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Rafe Pomerance, a longtime member and dear friend of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy.

Rafe’s life and work helped shape the modern climate movement. From his early advocacy for clean air protections to his role in bringing climate change to the forefront of national and international policy discussions, Rafe spent decades pushing the world to face hard truths and act with courage.

Here in West Virginia, we were fortunate to know Rafe not only as a national leader, but as a trusted colleague, teacher, and friend. In recent years, he lent his wisdom, persistence, and steady guidance to the Go North Alliance and our shared work to secure a northern route for Corridor H. He brought the same clarity and determination to that fight that defined his life’s work: a belief that big challenges are worth taking on, and that people working together can still change the course of things.

Last fall, Rafe joined us at the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy’s Fall Review to give a presentation titled “The Launch of the Climate Movement and Where We Go From Here.” In that presentation, he left us with a simple and powerful charge: “Don’t mourn. Organize.”

We are grateful to have had the chance to learn from him, and the full recording of his presentation is now available on the WVHC's YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/MG2VKdVtVrI).

Rafe’s legacy is enormous. He helped pave the way for generations of climate advocates, organizers, scientists, and conservationists. We are grateful for his friendship, his leadership, and his lifetime of advocacy for a just and livable future.

We will miss him deeply, and we will continue this work in his footsteps.

05/30/2026

Welcome the Dolly Sods Wilderness Stewards Class of 2026! 🌲🧡

The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and Monongahela National Forest recently hosted a training at the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center for new Wilderness Trailhead Stewards, followed by the annual stewards picnic and volunteer recognition program.

If you’ve visited Dolly Sods, chances are you’ve met these dedicated volunteers in their green vests at trailheads like Red Creek, Blackbird K**b, and Sundew Trail. From helping first-time hikers with maps and trail suggestions to promoting Leave No Trace principles and wilderness stewardship, these volunteers play an important role in protecting and preserving one of West Virginia’s most unique landscapes.

Thank you to all of the stewards, trail crews, and backcountry volunteers who give their time, skills, and energy to care for Dolly Sods Wilderness. Here’s to another great year celebrating and protecting the Sods! 🥾⛰️

05/29/2026

Tucker County deserves a voice.

Here’s how you can get involved:
June 2 — Attend the legislative update with Senators Randy Smith ([email protected]) and Jay Taylor ([email protected]) at the Parsons Senior Center from 5–7 p.m. and ask them to stand up for local control and community input.

June 14–15 — Join Tucker United’s Community Voices Solidarity Picnic at Canaan Valley Resort State Park for food, music, community, and opportunities to get involved.

If you can’t attend, send an email, share this video, and help spread the word.

And if you believe in protecting West Virginia’s future, become a member of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. More information via the link in bio.

05/29/2026