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Botany and Forestry

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Botany and forestry in West Virginia are vital to the state’s natural heritage, economy, and outdoor recreation. With lush forests covering nearly 80% of its landscape, West Virginia is home to diverse plant species, old-growth woodlands, and thriving hardwood industries. The study of botany helps preserve native flora and supports conservation efforts, while sustainable forestry practices ensure healthy forests for wildlife, timber production, and scenic beauty. Visitors and researchers alike explore West Virginia’s state forests, botanical gardens, and nature trails to experience the state’s remarkable biodiversity and learn about responsible forest management that keeps West Virginia green and vibrant for generations to come.

A hiker overlooks fall color from the high-elevation landscape of Dolly Sods Wilderness in eastern West Virginia. The region is among the first areas of the state to show autumn color. (Photo courtesy West Virginia Department of Tourism)
Botany and Forestry

West Virginia’s first fall colors are appearing in these high mountain areas

by David Sibray

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The first fall colors of 2026 are beginning to appear in West Virginia’s mountains, with the earliest changes being witnessed in some of the state’s highest-elevation destinations. The W.Va. Department of Tourism reports that early color is emerging in Tucker and Pocahontas counties, where cooler mountain conditions typically give visitors some of … Read more

Sunlight filters through a forest canopy. WVU researchers are using artificial intelligence to help scientists understand how forests respond to environmental change in near real time. Photo by John Towner
Botany and Forestry

Forests ‘breathe’ 24 hours a day; West Virginia scientists want to watch it happen

by Clyde Craig

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Across the Appalachians, forests that can appear timeless are constantly changing, exchanging carbon, water and energy with the atmosphere as trees and other vegetation respond to sunlight, rain, drought and changing weather. Scientists can measure that activity as often as 20 times every second. Understanding what all those measurements mean, however, can … Read more

August wildflowers in West Virginia: A butterfly feeds on blooming goldenrod during peak wildflower season in West Virginia. Goldenrod is among the state's most abundant late-summer native wildflowers, providing an important source of nectar for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators as autumn approaches. (Photo courtesy Michael Barrick)
Botany and Forestry

Peak summer wildflowers are blooming across West Virginia; Where to find them this August

by Bianca Bosworth

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For many travelers, spring gets all the attention when it comes to wildflowers. Yet some of West Virginia’s most spectacular wildflowers don’t arrive until summer is nearly over. As August settles across the Mountain State, hillsides, mountain meadows, wetlands, and stream banks burst with a final wave of color. Brilliant reds, deep … Read more

Smoke gathers above the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve during a wildfire. Researchers at West Virginia University are developing an artificial intelligence system that could help satellites detect and track wildfires more quickly across rugged, heavily forested landscapes.
Botany and Forestry

WVU develops AI wildfire detection system for one of America’s most forested states

by Clyde Craig

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In West Virginia, where forests cover nearly four of every five acres, a wildfire can ignite on a remote mountainside far from roads, fire stations, cameras, or anyone likely to report the first signs of smoke. Engineers at West Virginia University are developing a satellite-based artificial intelligence system that could help change … Read more

Pawpaws are among the shade-loving plants that thrive beneath Appalachian hardwood canopies. (WVU Photo/ Raymond Thompson)
Botany and Forestry

Appalachian medicinal plants and edibles can support rural economies, says WVU professor

by Clyde Craig

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — If carefully managed, Appalachian medicinal plants and edibles can help support rural economies and preserve centuries of traditional knowledge, says a West Virginia University professor. Kirsten Stephan, program coordinator of forestry at the Kirsten Stephan, teaching professor of forest resources management and program coordinator of forestry (WVU Photo)[/caption] “By cultivating high-value botanicals … Read more