Forest Watch

What is it?

Forest Watch is not just “watching” the forest. Through our Forest Watch Program Wild Virginia participates in the management process of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest to achieve our stated goal of preservation of these critical forestlands. Forest watch involves a lot of hiking, studying, map making, analysis of management plans, proposed timber sales or other projects, and writing. There are many opportunities to volunteer.

Our Forest Watch goals are:

To monitor and minimize the damage caused to forests, water and wildlife by US Forest Service extractive activities such as timber sales, road building, and management decisions    

To prevent construction of new roads that further fragment forests and decrease interior forest habitat

To actively reduce road densities in specific management areas adjacent to special biologic areas, Wilderness areas, and roadless areas

To protect Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive and Locally Rare (TESLR) species

To secure legislated protection for existing roadless areas

We do this through a variety of tactics and strategies including commenting on timber sales and other projects, encouraging and educating the public to voice their opinion, hiking and studying threatened areas, and in some cases litigating to protect critical habitat. We also organize trips to Washington, D.C. and protests when needed.

For more information or to help, please go to: Comments & Appeals and GWNF Forest Planning