by Lillian Anderson This week, the House of Representatives passed a new rules package that places our federal lands at risk. In the past, it has been difficult to transfer federal lands to the control of state governments because the lands hold clear value and generate revenue. If lands were taken out of federal control,… Read more
by Julia Travers A study in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, (PNAS) identifies our very own Blue Ridge Mountains as a recommended priority area for future conservation, along with eight other areas. The study also states that much of the protected lands in the U.S. are… Read more
By Jessie Thuma On September 9th, Wild Virginia’s President, Ernie Reed, and Conservation Director, David Sligh, led a group of hikers on a tour of the proposed route of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP). Participants gathered at Shenandoah Joe’s for some coffee, snacks, and small talk before piling into vans and hitting the road to Nelson County…. Read more
Wild Virginia sent the following letter to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe today: Re: Letter of Support for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Dear Mr. Sitting Bear: Wild Virginia supports the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and joins the tribe in opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline. We join you and many thousands of others who are… Read more
The Wood Turtle inhabits only the northernmost region of Virginia, from the counties of Arlington and Fairfax west through Frederick County and Shenandoah County. A protected species, given a Virginia Wildlife Action Plan rating of Tier 1 – Critical Conservation Need – Glyptemys insculpta faces many threats. Due to continual urbanization and intense habitat destruction,… Read more
On July 9th and 10th, learn first aid for outdoor excursions alongside Wild Virginia’s President, Ernie Reed, in a two-day Outdoor First Aid learning program, taught by Matt Rosefsky. With 10% of the course proceeds going to Wild Virginia, this is a great event to not only support us, but to learn how to take… Read more
It is not too late to become a FERC Intervenor!! The deadline to sign up and comment is June 2nd. Wild Virginia works to keep you informed about when and how you can best make your voice heard. One of those moments is now. 1) Make Comments: The Forest Service is calling for comments on… Read more
A study released on May 18 examines effects on areas close to the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) right-of-way during and after construction. Some of the external costs described would be: lost property value along the right-of-way: $779,400 to $2.4 million reduced tax revenues a decrease in economic development ecosystem damage and loss: $119.1 – $130.8… Read more
Large mammals have roamed the Earth for millions of years. From the lions and elephants of the Serengeti, to the bison and grizzly bears of North America, these animals are essential to their surrounding ecosystems. Many are indicator species that signal the health of their ecosystem simply through their presence. These large organisms often control… Read more
On April 6th, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protected two species of crayfish in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia under the Endangered Species Act. This listing comes in response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity. The Big Sandy crayfish and the Guyandotte River crayfish have lost more than half of their… Read more