April, 2014. Cheat River Canyon, West Virginia.
This datum and locale will appear as the opening lines of a victory statement for Appalachians on the front lines in the struggle for environmental conservation. This marks the day that the good guys won the decades-long battle for the Cheat.
The significance of this victory is not to be understated. Ripe on the heels of the chemical spill disaster in Charleston and a gut-wrenching photo expose on mountaintop removal, West Virginians were in dire need of some positive news. And they received it this month when The Nature Conservancy and The Conservation Fund announced the official protection and designation of the Cheat River Canyon as a state Wildlife Management Area.
Through an agreement between those conservation agencies, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR), and previous-owner Forestland Group, a 3,800 acre parcel including the seven-mile stretch of whitewater known to aficionados as "The Canyon" is now protected. This designation will conserve the spectacular scenic qualities and recreation opportunities of the Cheat while improving public access to its steep and forested hillsides.
The Cheat River Canyon is home to bald eagles, bobcats and otters. It represents a biodiversity hotspot for the region's flora. The Canyon also serves as sanctuary for the endangered Indiana bat and the threatened flat-spired three-toothed snail - an endemic species that exists nowhere else on Earth. The river is host to native trout species, and through the efforts of environmental advocacy groups, is improving in its ability to host aquatic life.
Read the official release from The Nature Conservancy here.
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| The area outlined in red represents the now-protected 3,800 acre parcel containing seven miles of the Cheat River Canyon. Source: Friends of the Cheat (FOC) Facebook page. |
From The Nature Conservancy's release:
"After the New and Gauley rivers, the Cheat is the most important stretch of whitewater in West Virginia," said [Rodney] Bartgis. "It's one of the great beloved landscapes in West Virginia and has tremendous beauty, significant plant and animal diversity, and abundant recreation potential."
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| Dylan (front right) and climbing pal Eric Fizer (front left) running the Coliseum Rapid in May, 2012. Photo purchased with use permission from White Water Adventures. |
People are talking. Facebook is abuzz with links directing folks to the good news, and the energy is palpable. It will all culminate in May at the 20th-Annual Cheat River Festival, a whitewater and Appalachian celebration sponsored by Friends of the Cheat (FOC). Like many other "friends of" organizations, FOC is an advocate of the river. While the Cheat's deafening rapids muffle the audible whoops of paddlers and the thrashing green water moves boulders the size of buses, the river cannot speak for itself or resist the encroachment of those looking to seize its treasures. This is where the admirable folks at FOC come in, working tirelessly to mitigate the acid mine drainage that stains boulders orange and make sure the water we love to play in can support aquatic life. Several of my friends work there, and their efforts are laudable considering the state of the river decades ago. Cheat Fest also serves as the major annual fundraiser for the organization, and I encourage all locals to attend - you will not be disappointed.
Others have shared in the joy surrounding this momentous occasion. A local climbing friend and GIS coordinator for Monongalia County stated, "it's the best environmental news on a positive note that I've heard in this state in years."
Another friend and colleague who coordinates West Virginia First, an initiative of the West Virginia Community Development Hub that promotes and connects local businesses, had informed me of her plans to move earlier in the month. The Cheat Canyon news has inspired her to remain in West Virginia. She said, "I've decided not to move, and it's hopefully for the good. It's because of all this potential energy building right now. I want to be part of tipping the ball over the edge."
Potential energy. Angular momentum. Environmental vindication. It's happening, here and now. I'll be the first to admit that I've wavered in my commitment to West Virginia over the years, most recently in my graduate studies at West Virginia University. Environmental policy can, at times, lead one down the dark and dusty rabbit hole of ecological turmoil. Constant news of chemical spills, mountaintop removal, and health defects resulting from these burdens can weigh heavily on one's soul.
Consider it a morale boost for those engaged in the nitty gritty details of conservation. Administrative paper work and red tape can curb the passion and energy of those once devoted to an organization's mission. I, for one, am excited and have a renewed sense of belonging in my personal mission to give back to the ancient mountains that have silently gifted so much to my growth. If a rolling stone gathers no moss, consider the boulders clean. The walls of industry are beginning to crumble.
While companies like Alpha Natural Resources look to level our mountains, we as collective forces have leveled the playing field by ensuring that some natural wonders will remain for our children and for future generations. After all, the ebb and flow of the ancient rivers that have carved these treasured gorges is reflected in the tug-of-war match between conservationists and extractionists. The stakes are high, and the battle will likely continue for decades. Give them an inch, they'll take a mountain. Give us an inch, we'll take seven miles. We must use this victory to rally the troops and pull harder. But for today, we celebrate. Today, we have pulled the dark side 3,800 acres closer to the slurry pit that separates us.
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