The week of September 19, 2005, the Forest Service launched a series of open houses to talk about the planned revisions to the Monongahela National Forest's management plan. The West Virginia Wilderness Coalition attended all of the open houses encouraging people to support alternative 3, which includes the largest number of wilderness recommendations.

While turn out at many of the meetings was light, the vast major of people attending the open houses were supporters of designating more wilderness on the Mon.

Journalists in each of these towns attended the meetings including the Charleston Gazette. To read an article on one of the hearings, go to: http://wvgazette.com/section/Today/2005092149  

Background
For more than a year, West Virginia conservationists have been working hard to educate the public and decision makers about the 15 potential new wilderness areas in the Monongahela National Forest ("the Mon") as identified by a citizens' wilderness inventory. The West Virginia Wilderness Coalition's citizens' wilderness proposal has been gaining momentum as the Forest Service has begun the final phases of its planning process for the Mon.

West Virginia conservationists have criticized the Forest Service's new draft plan for the Monongahela National Forest since its release last month saying it rolls back current protections on the Forest and threatens the future of the Mon's world-class hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. Conservationists and local volunteers have been working to generate comments on the draft Forest plan in favor of increased protections including wilderness designation for 15 of the forest's remaining roadless areas.

For More Information

• Matt Keller, West Virginia Wilderness Coalition, 304-864-5530