Virginia Forest Watch



Schedule of events:


Upcoming Events



North Mountain Trail Hike: Saturday, September 6

Download our brochure highlighting our June 28, Sept. 6 & Oct. 4 hikes


We'll hike a superb ridgetop trail surrounded by spectacular views of the northern Shenandoah Valley. Enjoy high grassy ridges, rock formations of a a variety of colors and sizes, and wooded groves atop North Mountain in Shenandoah County. The trails overlooks the site of the future Laurel Run/Road timber sale, the the Forest Service plans to cut 484 acres of the forest in 22 separate even-aged cutting units. In addition, a 15 mile long industrial wind turbine development is proposed on the very ridge where we will hike, and other remote areas just to the south of us. More Details









Archived Events



October 6, 2007 Tour de Cut hike

On October 6, we are planning a Tour de Cut hike in the Alleghany Highlands, a beautiful area in mountainous Virginia’s famed warm springs and resorts region. The Tour de Cut is a hiking event highlighting the threats on our Virginia public lands and the outstanding features on these lands. The theme of the Tour de Cut this year is "The George Washington National Forest: Protecting the Forest in Your Backyard." It is a great opportunity to learn more about the George Washington National Forest (GWNF) and to learn how you can personally make a difference in protecting the GWNF. This is the last of 3 special hiking events this year celebrating the GWNF so don’t miss out on our fall hike!

Meeting Time: 9:30AM

Meeting Location: From I-64, take Exit 55 (Lexington, Va.). Go north on Rt. 11, North Lee Highway (away from Lexington). We will meet at the parking lot in front of the Dollar Tree store along US 11, located just beyond the turn-off to US 39.

Let us know if you are interested or have questions. Contact Sherman Bamford at (540) 343-6359, bamford2@verizon.net, and watch the Sierra Club-Virginia Chapter website for updates. People with a wide range of hiking skills can participate in these events, but there will be some short steep or rough sections. Most of the hike is classified as moderately strenuous, with some short strenuous sections. As always, bring sturdy boots, water, food for lunch, and rain gear.

More Details and Photos


Low-impact Sustainable Forestry Demonstration
On Saturday, March 24, 2007 please join Jason Rutledge, the Healing Harvest Forest Foundation, and Virginia Forest Watch for a demonstration of what it means to be a Biological Woodsman. Meet at Apple Ridge Farm on Pine Forest Rd in Copper Hill at 1 PM.
More Details: Read March 15, 2007 The Floyd Press article | Directions to Apple Ridge Farm



Sustainable Forestry Seminar
Saturday - November 11, 2006

Ottari Boy Scout Camp, South of Radford, Virginia

Sponsored by: Virginia Forest Watch
and Blue Ridge Forest Cooperative

Jason Rutledge presents
at a previous field day.

More Details (including agenda, registration form, flyer, map)



Forever Wild—2006

The Roanoke Valley will have a rare opportunity to meet America's one-of-a-kind wilderness troubadour Walkin' Jim Stoltz when Forever Wild—2006 comes to the Hollins University Chapel at 7 pm on October 14th. The show also features local recording artist "Earth Mama" Rouse www.earthmama.org, storyteller, Kim Weitkamp www.justkissthefrog.com, and a tantalizing Virginia wild lands slide show promoting opportunities to protect the National Forests in Virginia. Admission is free for this community-sponsored event!
Walkin' Jim Stoltz has covered North America by boot. Hiking 26,000 miles has given him a great love and respect for America's natural beauty. He shares that appreciation in his celebratory show, Forever Wild—2006. Walkin' Jim sings in a deep bass voice, plays guitar, and tells stories about his travels while projecting spectacular images of the wilderness he has photographed on his travels.
Forever Wild—2006 is a major outreach program working for the protection of America's wild lands, lives, and waters, the three pillars of our wilderness heritage. Walkin' Jim encourages people who hear about his tour to learn more about his "Call for Wild" program and how they can help by visiting www.foreverwild.info.
View event poster




Forests below
Signal Corps Knob

2006 "Tour de Cut"
July 15th & 16th

Tour de Cut – On July 15, 2006 Virginia Forest Watch joined with Sierra Club-Virginia Chapter, and Wild Virginia, to lead hikers on the third ”Tour de Cut”. The Tour de Cut is a once-a-year Saturday walking tour of some of the beauty spots of our national forests, contrasted with a hike through some areas where inappropriate logging and roadbuilding has harmed national forests. In the morning we visited the site of the Liptrap timber sale near Elliott Knob roadless area, where the Forest Service logged an extensive tract of forest close to scenic Montgomery Run. Then in the afternoon we led concerned citizens on an afternoon hike to Signal Corps Knob, an area that was saved from logging, thanks to diligent work by conservationists and thanks to our environmental laws.
Note: Photos to be added soon. View flyer for Tour de Cut 2006





John McCutcheon Earth Day Benefit Concert
7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 22
Blackwell Auditorium
Randolph-Macon Center for the Performing Arts
205 Henry Street
Ashland, VA
Read Press Release | Concert Poster




Nov. 19-20, 2005 - Sustainable Forestry Seminar - How to Have Your Trees and Cut Them Too. A two-day learning event about Sustainable Forestry Practices which was held at Holiday Trails Camp, Charlottesville, Virginia

June 18, 2005 - June 2005 "Tour de Cut" Hikers to View Old Growth and Roadless Forests: Vanishing Landscapes on Virginia's National Forests | UPDATED with pictures (June 21, 2005)

May 19-22, 2005 - Model Forest Policy Program's 4th Annual Forest Summit to be held at Hungry Mother State Park, Marion, VA

April 22, 2005 - Earth Day Benefit with John McCutcheon, Ashland, VA | UPDATED with pictures from concert (May 19, 2005)



 

Please contact us for further information on any of the events or meetings listed above at bamford@rev.net or vafw@mounet.com