The group Friends of Blackwater is asking West Virginia
Senators Byrd and Rockefeller to protect a popular scenic and historic
trail through the Blackwater Canyon.
In May of 2002, timber company owner John Crites asked
the U.S. Forest Service to let Crites turn the Blackwater Canyon Trail,
located on National Forest land in the Blackwater Canyon, into a
commercial logging road. Friends of Blackwater is asking Byrd and
Rockefeller to tell the Forest Service to refuse Crites’ request. As an
adjacent landowner, Crites may ask to use National Forest land for a
private purpose. The proposed logging road would go to a site for which
Crites has filed condominium plans.
The Blackwater Canyon Trail runs for ten miles
alongside the Blackwater River. The trail passes over unique cut-stone
arches and crosses dozens of dramatic waterfalls. Senator Robert C. Byrd
has recognized the Blackwater Canyon as a “unique treasure” of West
Virginia. West Virginia Governor Bob Wise has endorsed public protection
of the entire Blackwater Canyon; Wise announced in his 2002 State of the
State address that he was adding 500 acres to Blackwater Falls State Park.
Judy Rodd, Director of Friends of Blackwater, said:
“This is an urgent situation. Everyone who loves the Blackwater Canyon
should contact Senators Byrd and Rockefeller right away. People can send
an e-mail or fax from our website at www.saveblackwater.org. The message
is simple: the Forest Service must not turn this popular hiking trail --
on our public land -- into an ugly commercial road to condominium sites.”
“Real progress is being made on protecting the entire
Canyon. This is not the time to move in the entirely wrong direction.
Building a logging road on this lovely trail would be criminal,” said Rodd.
Rodd said, “The Blackwater Canyon is a special place
for all West Virginians. Our officials need to keep moving forward to get
the entire Canyon into public ownership. We represent tens of thousands of
West Virginia voters who care strongly about the Blackwater Canyon. We
want our Senators to take the message to the Forest Service: no logging
road on the Blackwater Canyon Trail.”
Advocates for the Canyon successfully sued Governor
Cecil Underwood in 2000, blocking a plan to give Crites a road through
Blackwater Falls State Park.
