The Old Growth Amendment
Thousands of acres of mature and old-growth forests are on the chopping block.
The Upper Cheat River is a treasure within the Monongahela National Forest. The forest provides clean drinking water and flood protection for communities, wildlife habitat for endangered species, and miles of trails to explore the outdoors. Despite that, the Forest Service is pushing forward a poorly-planned project that would clear-cut large swaths of this critical area.
The project would log forests on very steep slopes, leading to increased risk of flooding and sediment deposition in the rivers and streams. In addition, opening the canopy will increase temperatures in cold-water streams that native brook trout require for their survival. It would also adversely impact important habitat for other species like long-eared bats and hellbender salamanders.
Now is the time to preserve mature and #OldGrowth trees - which store much higher amounts of carbon and help fight climate change. These mature #ClimateForests are #WorthMoreStanding.
Save. These. Things.
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Climate Mitigation
Large, Mature & Old-Growth Trees would be cut that are most vital for Climate Mitigation via their Large Carbon-Storing Capacity. (Yes, literally that one)
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Northern Long-Eared Bat
Endangered species that would endure habitat loss.
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Green Salamander
Near-threatened species that could endure habitat loss.
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Rivers & Streams
Flooding & Sedimentation would be caused by Clear-Cutting along Steep Slopes.
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Brook Trout
Native species that would be adversely impacted by warming of cold-water streams due to cutting shade trees.
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West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel
Protected Species that would be negatively impacted by Habitat-Loss due to this project.
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Cumulative Impacts
The Cutting done by this project would only add to the Private Logging and Previous Forest Service Projects that have already been done.
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Eastern Hellbenders
Endangered Species that will be adversely impacted by Stream Sedimentation, Warming, & Flooding from this project.
Hellbenders
80-90% of hellbenders are already gone. They are at risk of habitat-loss due to sedimentation in their rivers & streams. This project would serve to increase sedimentation in Eastern hellbender habitat.
R45 - A Planned Cut for the Upper Cheat River Project
(cut highlighted in blue)
Check out the map of planned cuts by clicking the button below:
Horseshoe Run before and after flooding.
(this will only get worse with more cutting from this project)
Elkins Rally Recap
11-14-22
Sierra Club West Virginia, Speak For The Trees Too, West Virginia Environmental Council, and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy co-hosted a rally with Friends of Blackwater to protect the Upper Cheat Old-Growth.
Judy Rodd (FOB’s Executive Director), John Coleman (Landowner in project area), Pamela Moe (Resident in project area), and Joe Dumire (lifetime Thomas resident) all spoke about their issues with the project.
We had a great turnout of 33 activists who came out to show their support for preserving and protecting mature & old-growth forests!
Morgantown
Rally Recap
4-21-23
Sierra Club West Virginia and Friends of Blackwater co-hosted a rally with Friends of Blackwater to protect Upper Cheat Mature & Old-Growth Forests.
Judy Rodd (FOB’s Executive Director) and Jim Kotcon (Chair of the West Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club) spoke on their concerns about the project.
We had a great turnout of activists who came out to show their support for preserving and protecting mature & old-growth forests!
