Wildlife / Conservancy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 170 miles of West Virginia mountain streams that support the state’s native brook trout have been newly recognized as protected “trout waters,” expanding safeguards for some of Appalachia’s coldest and cleanest waterways. The designation, announced through a partnership involving Trout Unlimited, the W.Va. Rivers Coalition, the W.Va. Division of Natural … Read more

BECKLEY, W.Va. — West Virginia contains the finest remaining temperate hardwood forests in the eastern United States, according to the executive director of a national conservation organization that recently invested nearly $2.8 million to help protect them. That conviction led the Arc of Appalachia to purchase nearly 2,000 acres bordering the New River Gorge National … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia wildlife officials are proposing new regulations to slow the spread of diseases such as chronic wasting disease, with changes that could affect how hunters, landowners, and even backyard wildlife enthusiasts feed wildlife and transport harvested deer. The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources is accepting public comments through July 27 on … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Warm evenings, lush forests, and some of the darkest skies in the eastern United States are combining to create one of West Virginia’s most enchanting summer spectacles. Across much of the Mountain State, late June and early July typically mark the peak of firefly season, when thousands of lightning bugs emerge after … Read more

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — For many visitors, the New River begins and ends at the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in southern West Virginia. They come to see the soaring steel arch of the New River Gorge Bridge, raft some of the most renowned whitewater in the eastern United States, and hike trails overlooking … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is not the largest state east of the Mississippi River. It does not have the region’s tallest mountains, largest national park, or most extensive wilderness system. Even so, the Mountain State can make a strong case as one of the wildest places in the eastern United States. Nearly four-fifths of … Read more

WATOGA, W.Va. — As fireflies begin their annual summer display across West Virginia, scientists say one of the insects’ greatest allies may be something many residents take for granted—darkness. Across much of the eastern U.S., artificial lighting continues to expand as development spreads into rural areas. Streetlights, security lighting, and commercial development have transformed nightscapes … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Across West Virginia’s mountains, valleys, farm fields, and suburban neighborhoods, a new generation of baby deer is quietly entering the world. June is the peak month for fawning season in the Mountain State, and residents are increasingly encountering spotted fawns curled motionless in tall grass, woodland edges, hayfields, and even backyards. While … Read more

LEWISBURG, W.Va. — Few summer experiences are as deeply woven into the culture of the eastern United States as watching fireflies flicker across a meadow after sunset. For generations, children spent warm evenings chasing “lightning bugs” through fields, collecting the glowing insects in mason jars before releasing them into the darkness. Those memories remain vivid … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources are reminding the public to leave young wildlife alone, noting that handling wild animals can harm them, spread disease, and violate state law. Brett McMillion, director of the Canada geese groom at the McClintic Wildlife Management Area. (Photo courtesy West Virginia Dept. of Commerce)[/caption] … Read more