CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources is working with West Virginia youth to help restore stream habitat in the state and has completed two projects in Mercer and Pocahontas counties.
The division recently hosted cadets from the Mountaineer Challenge Academy at Pipestem Resort State Park for a day of learning and activities. The event celebrated their upcoming graduation and numerous acts of service, including giving back to the community and West Virginia’s natural resources.
On June 7, 40 cadets participated in a bucket-brigade stream restoration project at the headwaters of the middle fork of the Williams River, where they helped division staff and volunteers from Trout Unlimited dump more than 1,000 buckets, or 10 tons, of limestone gravel along the stream in four hours.
The limestone helps improve water quality and aquatic habitat for native fish species, according to Brett McMillion, director of the division.
On June 11, the division likewise hosted a field day for 78 cadets and 15 academy staff members at Pipestem Resort State Park.
“We’re proud to support the mission of the Mountaineer Challenge Academy and help these kids become responsible young adults who are also enthusiastic about stewarding West Virginia’s incredible natural resources,” McMillion said.
Long-Standing Partnership with the Mountaineer Challenge Academy
The division's partnership with the academy began in 2009 with hunter education classes and has since grown into a collaboration that spans across the agency’s law enforcement, wildlife resources, and state parks sections.
McMillion said such partnerships offer cadets hands-on learning experiences that reinforce the program’s eight core components, which include academic excellence, health and hygiene, job skills, leadership, life-coping, physical fitness, responsible citizenship, and community service.
Cadets Contribute to Conservation Across West Virginia
Beyond this year’s stream project and field day, cadets have worked alongside division staff on several conservation and improvement projects across the state, he said.
Past efforts include cleanup projects at Kanawha Falls and Plum Orchard Lake, trout fingerling stocking and stream cleanups in Kanawha and Fayette counties, as well as the construction of more than 60 picnic tables now used at West Virginia state parks.
McMillion said cadets have also participated in guided deer hunts with natural resources police officers.
“These experiences not only strengthen the cadets’ personal development but also create opportunities for mentorship and career exploration,” he said.
“Several graduates of the program have gone on to pursue careers with the West Virginia DNR, inspired by the relationships they built with agency staff and the pride they took in contributing to their state’s natural resources.”
About the Mountaineer Challenge Academy
The Mountaineer Challenge Academy is a residential program operated by the W.Va. National Guard, with campuses in Preston and Fayette counties.
Since 1993, more than 5,000 West Virginia teens have completed the program, with more than 2,000 earning a high school diploma. The academy places at-risk youth in a structured, quasi-military environment designed to help them develop into productive, responsible, and successful members of their communities.
To learn more about the Mountaineer Challenge Academy, visit WVChallenge.org.
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