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Ccwc cameron
1. Lynn Cameron
Friends of Shenandoah Mountain
Shenandoah MountainShenandoah Mountain
Collaborating to Protect Our Natural HeritageCollaborating to Protect Our Natural Heritage
2. Friends of Shenandoah Mountain
Our mission:
– to permanently protect the wild heritage of Shenandoah Mountain
Our mission:
to permanently protect the wild heritage of Shenandoah Mountain
8. Clean Water
Aquatic life
• Native brook trout
Municipal water
• Harrisonburg
• Staunton
• Cities and towns
downstream
Elkhorn Lake
9. Recreation on Shenandoah Mountain
Network of over 150 miles of trails
– Wild Oak National Recreation Trail
– Great Eastern Trail
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
11. Forest Stakeholders
A New Model of Cooperation
Timber
Game organizations and
managers
Recreation
Wilderness preservation
12. Joint recommendationJoint recommendation to Forestto Forest
Service for new PlanService for new Plan
The GWNF is big enough to achieve a good balance between both goals: 1.1
million acres
Management for
game
Protection of core
forested areas
14. Stakeholders Agreement
Signatories Additional Endorsements
• Back County Horsemen (VA)
• Shenandoah Riverkeeper
• SSVC of PATC
• VA Native Plant Society
• VA Society of Ornithology
Non-signatoriesNon-signatories whowho
agree with philosophy andagree with philosophy and
concepts of stakeholderconcepts of stakeholder
processprocess
VDGIFVDGIF
Sierra Club – VA ChapterSierra Club – VA Chapter
The Wilderness SocietyThe Wilderness Society
Southern Environmental LawSouthern Environmental Law
CenterCenter
15. Reaching out
to Stakeholders
• Timber industry
• Game managers (VDGIF)
• Game organizations
• Recreation organizations
• Wilderness advocates • 2010 – 2011
• Meetings
• Field trips
• Negotiation
• Compromise
18. • Build local support
– Endorsements from businesses, organizations,
faith groups, landowners, individuals
– Collaborating with other forest stakeholders
– Endorsements by City and County governments
• Work with Congressman and Senators to write Federal
legislation
• Introduction of bill into House or Senate
• Bill passes House and Senate
• Bill is signed into Law by President
Permanent Protection:Permanent Protection:
Making it happen…Making it happen…
Notes de l'éditeur
Bobby has just talked about agriculture and water. Much of the water used by farms and communities comes from the GWNF.
I’m going to talk about a local grassroots effort to protect a very special place within the GWNF and the ongoing collaborative efforts among diverse interests.
standing atop Reddish Knob the highest point on SM, you can look north or south and see unfragmented forestland like this.
This vantage point puts you in the heart of the area we are trying to protect. Keep this view in mind as I give my presentation.
FOSM a working coalition of organizations, businesses, and faith groups with a single mission – to permanently protect the Shenandoah Mountain area for future generations. We have proposed a 90,000-acre tract of SM be designated as a combination of National Scenic Area and Wilderness. All NF land. No private.
GW largest NF in East, Most roadless areas. Note that SM has several roadless areas clustered together. Largest concentration of roadless areas on public land in the East. Our area of interest is the central part of Shenandoah Mountain where most of the roadless areas are concentrated. This is between Rt. 33 and Rt. 250.
Closest NF to major population center of the mid-Atlantic, therefore important for water and recreation.
Shenandoah Mountain is one of the highest parts of Virginia. It has the headwaters of both the Potomac and James Rivers.
Shenandoah Mountain provides mature forest habitat for a variety of plant and animal species of animals. 250 species of birds. Breeding populations of black bear, salamanders found no where else
Great variety of wildflowers, butterflies, too.
TNC has identified biodiversity hotspots. Shenandoah Mountain lies on the north end of one of them!
SM has also been identified as an “outstanding ecological core” by the Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation.
Shenandoah Mountain provides clean, reliable source of water for both Staunton and Harrisonburg and many other towns and communities downstream along the Potomac and James Rivers.
SM is one of the last regional strongholds for native brook trout.
About 150 miles of trail on Shenandoah Mountain – used by hikers, mountain bikers, hunters, horseback riders, and more. Very popular.
The new GET, America’s newest long trail, goes from NY to AL, goes down the crest of Shenandoah Mountain.
These trails draw many to our area, which supports our local tourism-based economy.
Unfortunately, the entire Shenandoah Mountain area is underlain by Marcellus Shale and is therefore at risk for industrial gas development.
Our campaign strategy is to build local grassroots support for eventual federal legislation to designate the area.
We have well over 200 endorsements from a variety of organizations and businesses.
A wide variety of groups has endorsed: Bird clubs, hiking clubs, mountain biking, horseback riding, but also Ruritans and Rotary, the Shenandoah Valley Travel Association, Valley Conservation Council, Friends of the Middle River,, and the local military officers association, and the Rawley Springs Homeowners assn.
The business community has been very positive toward the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal. Include many restaurants, b & bs outdoor stores, agritourism businesses, vineyards, bookstores, and even the American Shakespeare Center next door, .
We have also been working in close collaboration with national forest stakeholders that don’t ordinarily work together: timber industry, VDGIF and wildlife organizations, such as National Wild Turkey Federation and Ruffed Grouse Society, recreation orgs, and Wilderness advocates. . We met, pored over maps, went on field trips, negotiated and compromised.
We found more in common than we expected. WE have been able to balance needs and interests and reach compromise. We have modified our proposal to address stakeholders concerns, and this has strengthened our proposal.
During the process, we have gotten to know each other and have gained a deeper understanding and respect for each other’s goals.
The forest stakeholders were able to make a joint recommendation to the GWNF
- to protect the Shenandoah Mountain area and a couple more special places and
- work toward an increase in management activities, such as cutting timber, to benefit deer, turkey and grouse.
This balanced approach has been a win-win for all.
We plan to continue working together, keeping local governments informed and involved, and continue talking to groups and individuals to educate them about the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal.
This is a long-term campaign. It will take several more years before we are ready to ask for legislation and only then if we can demonstrate adequate public support for it.
To summarize, our goal is to protect a very special place in terms of water, plant and animal habitat, and recreation. we have been working in collaboration with diverse groups to find common ground.
We stakeholders have been keeping local governments informed and involved. We will continue to move forward with stakeholders and will also continue to reach out and educate organizations, businesses and landowners.
Our proposal is in Virginia only. A combination of National Scenic Area and Wilderness designation, both of which require an Act of Congress. Came about as a collaboration between Wilderness advocates and mountain bikers.
The Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation has identified “ecological cores”. Red indicates “outstanding ecological cores”. Shenandoah Mountain is the largest of these.
Our campaign strategy is to build local grassroots support for eventual federal legislation to designate the area.
We have well over 200 endorsements from a variety of organizations and businesses.
A wide variety of groups has endorsed: Bird clubs, hiking clubs, mountain biking, horseback riding, but also Ruritans and Rotary, the Shenandoah Valley Travel Association, Valley Conservation Council, Friends of the Middle River,, and the local military officers association, and the Rawley Springs Homeowners assn.
The business community has been very positive toward the Shenandoah Mountain Proposal. Include many restaurants, b & bs outdoor stores, agritourism businesses, vineyards, bookstores, and even the American Shakespeare Center next door, .
