Friends of Blackwater works to conserve critical habitat for rare species, and to fight for policies like the Endangered Species Act which will keep West Virginia and the Highlands "wild and wonderful" for future generations.
In June of 2019, Friends of Blackwater, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy filed objections to a large-scale timbering proposal for 171,579 acres on the Monongahela National Forest located near White Sulfur Springs– called the “Panther Ridge Habitat Enhancement Project.” On November 21, 2019, the Forest Service filed their response, […]
By Ashley Archer All of those animal sounds you hear when walking through a forest, like birds calling, frogs croaking, and insects chirping, are used by wildlife to communicate a variety of messages. In addition to sounds that are within the hearing range of your typical human, some wildlife species communicate in the range that […]
Thanks to many generous supporters, Friends of Blackwater is continuing to support research on “Ginny the West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel, conducted by Purdue University researchers on the Monongahela National Forest. The intent of this year’s study was to humanely capture flying squirrels and fit them with radio collars, allowing researchers to then track the […]
The Fish and Wildlife Service recently protected critical habitat for four species of Endangered mussels. Most of us assume that getting a species listed as Endangered means it will automatically be protected, but in reality it can take years for the agency to designate and protect critical habitat. In the case of these species, it […]
On May 16th, Friends of Blackwater visited the Mountain Laurel Learning Cooperative in Thomas to talk about wildlife, in honor of Endangered Species Day. Students ranging from 3 all the way up to 12 listed and classified species, deciding which were domestic, which were wild but common, and which were wild and rare. Domestic animals […]
A new lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity alleges that the federal government is taking far too long to decide whether or not species are Endangered and identify critical habitat. Listing decisions are supposed to be a 2 to 3 year process, but in reality the process takes an average of 12 years. […]
On March 26th, the Charleston Gazette-Mail ran a letter from Friends of Blackwater’s Director Judy Rodd, about the importance of protecting the Endangered Species Act: “The federal Endangered Species Act protects West Virginia’s “wild and wonderful” creatures. Now, proposed regulations from the Trump administration would delay protection, and make other harmful changes. Sens. Manchin and […]
The candy darter, a small colorful fish found only in West Virginia, has been added to the Endangered Species list by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The candy darter gets its name from its bright red stripes, and is found in the Bluestone, Greenbrier, Gauley and New Rivers. It was first documented in 1931 in […]
We got some good news this week, as both of West Virginia’s Senators expressed their support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF supports outdoor recreation and conservation programs around the country, including millions of dollars for projects right here in West Virginia. Both Blackwater Falls State Park and Canaan Valley State […]
Bald Eagles are one of America’s most iconic species. They might not be here today, if it weren’t for the Endangered Species Act. This vital law has protected many species, but the law itself now needs protection. You can send a letter to Congress asking them to maintain protections for the Endangered Species Act from […]
