Gaudineer Scenic Area. Photo by wvlandtrust.org.

Senator Manchin’s LWCF funding bill will make sure West Virginia’s public lands will receive a generous slice of the LWCF funding pie and West Virginia’s congressional delegation has prioritized two projects to receive LWCF funds.

In Pocahontas County, the US Forest Service has proposed to purchase 367-acres of land to expand the Monongahela National Forest. This land is located near the Gaudineer Scenic Area, a slice of old-growth forest.

As he advocated to expand the Monongahela National Forest, Senator Manchin told the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, “The Monongahela National Forest is a West Virginia treasure, and a national treasure.  The Land and Water Conservation Fund made many of our wild and wonderful corners of West Virginia possible and this is no exception.  This expansion and investment in the Monongahela will ensure generations to come will continue to explore and enjoy our national forest.”

The second proposed project would expand sections of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest that straddle the West Virginia and Virginia boarder.

The forests of West Virginia are special places that need to be preserved and protected from threats like industrial development, climate change, pollution, and poor management practices. That’s why a fully funded Land and Water Conservation Fund is so important for West Virginia.

Stay tuned! We’re going to need your help to make sure a strong LWCF funding bill is passed by Congress.