During 2010, the West Virginia Division of Forestry (DOF) continued its plans for timbering in the Scott Run area of Coopers Rock State Forest (CRSF). It fell to the Coopers Rock Foundation (CRF), with the support of other environmental groups, to keep discussions focused on the issues.
As part of its advocacy to protect the CRSF, CRF undertook several initiatives. Early in 2010, a letter was sent to US Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the WV Attorney General (among others), requesting plans for timbering at CRSF be put on hold until environmental concerns were addressed and protections put in place for two endangered species that call the Forest home – the Cheat Three-tooth Snail and the Indiana bat.
CRF also organized walkthroughs so community members could see first-hand areas to be impacted by the timbering project. DOF also held a walkthrough late in the year, at the request of CRF, to explain its plans and to answer questions.
In addition to the risk to endangered species, the main concerns CRF has are the potential for the project to cause stream degradation in the Scott Run and its tributaries and the impact of the project on recreation on Raven Rock Trail, one of the most visible and utilized parts of the forest
CRF requested:
- 50 foot no-cut buffer zones for trails and streams
- Maintain the integrity of the trails and the viewshed, as visible from the main road and Raven Rock Trail
- 200 foot buffer zone for both existing and potential snail habitat areas
To provide education and information on the project, CRF created a Scott Run II Timbering Project Fact Sheet, that is available to interested individuals through the organization and on its website, http://coopersrock.org.
In response to CRF efforts, DOF has agreed to remove the Raven Rock Trail from being designated as a timber haul road and to conduct additional research on the snail habitats.
As we move into 2011, CRF will continue to work on the remaining critical issue – the lack of protection for the streams.