Photo By/Credit
Brett Billings/USFWS

Help Protect the Monarch Butterfly!

Monarch butterfly populations are plummeting. In just one year, their overwintering habitat shrank by 59%, now covering only 2.2 acres in Mexico. Habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and other threats are pushing these iconic pollinators toward extinction.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed listing Monarchs as threatened and designating 4,395 acres of critical habitat in California—a crucial step for their survival. Friends of Blackwater urges supporters to submit a comment before March 12, 2025.

Key points for your comment:

  • Support the threatened listing and advocate for expanding critical habitat.

  • Call for stronger pesticide regulations to protect milkweed, Monarchs’ key food source.

  • Demand better protections for overwintering sites in Mexico and California.

  • Highlight the urgent need to address climate change, which disrupts migration.

You can also help by planting native milkweed and avoiding pesticides. Submit your comment today!

We Are Proud to Announce…

The Blackwater Loop Trail has officially entered USDA’s Forest Service Scoping. This is an important next step to developing the Blackwater Loop Trail and connecting communities to the canyon. Click below to learn more or provide comment

Moonshine Memories

Spring 2025 Film Showings


The public is invited to attend three March 2025 public showings in Tucker County, West Virginia of "Moonshine Memories," an entertaining community history film, with a great local cast!

Film Showings

Saturday, March 15, at 6:00-7:00 PM, at the Canaan Valley Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Sunday, March 16, at 2:00-3:00 PM, at the Historic Railroad Depot in Parsons, WV

Saturday, March 22, at 2:00-3:00 PM, at the Buxton and Landstreet Building in Coketon, WV (near Thomas)

Admission is free and tickets are not necessary. To help the organizers plan, please RSVP using the button below and indicate which showing you plan to attend (you can change that plan and attend any or all!)

Celebrating the Full Protection of West Virginia’s Crown Jewel: 25 years in the making

Thanks to a historic agreement spearheaded by outgoing U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, over 2,700 acres of privately owned forest and river corridor in the Blackwater Canyon have been transferred to the Monongahela National Forest. This brings the 10,000-acre canyon, which includes iconic Blackwater Falls State Park, under public ownership—ensuring its beauty, biodiversity, and recreational opportunities will be preserved for generations to come.

To learn more — Click here!

Blackwater River Watershed Field Guide + Virtual Trail Explorer Now Available

The Blackwater River Watershed Field Guide The Blackwater River Watershed Field Guide
The Blackwater River Watershed Field Guide
$35.00

Eco Tours are Back!

Embark on an unforgettable adventure with us this year! Starting in April, join our eco-tours as we explore the stunning Blackwater River Watershed and the majestic Allegheny Highlands. We can't wait to share these incredible experiences with you!

Fall 2024 Newsletter

Our Fall 2024 Newsletter is here! Click the button below to download your free copy! Inside you will find updates on all of our current projects and gratitude towards our amazing partners!

Take Action!

Help Make a Difference

Your support helps our non-profit continue to protect and promote the Blackwater River Watershed for all!

Friends of Blackwater in the Spotlight!

Friends of Blackwater in the Spotlight!

Our Projects

Subscribe To Our eNews