Empowering West Virginia Landowners: Resources for Protecting Your Land and Water

Owning land in West Virginia comes with both privileges and responsibilities. Whether you’re managing forests, protecting waterways, or simply looking to understand your rights, having access to the right resources can make all the difference. Below, we’ve compiled essential tools and programs designed to help private landowners make informed decisions about conservation, land health, and legal rights.

Know Your Rights

Understanding your rights as a landowner is crucial, especially when it comes to mineral rights and surface ownership. The WV Surface Owners’ Rights Organization provides guidance on dealing with oil and gas activities on your land, ensuring that your rights are recognized and respected.

Land and Water Conservation Tools

  • West Virginia Wild Yards Program – Helps landowners create and maintain wildlife-friendly landscapes, supporting conservation efforts while enhancing your property’s natural beauty. Learn more.
  • West Virginia Division of Forestry – Offers assistance for sustainable woodland management, including invasive species control and timberland programs. Explore resources.
  • How’s My Waterway – Provides water quality data to help landowners understand the condition of local waterways. Check your waterway.
  • DEP Planting Tool – Recommends native species for habitat restoration and erosion control projects. Find native plants.

Citizen Science & Monitoring Programs

  • iNaturalist & Seek – Identify plants and animals while contributing to conservation research. Join the community.
  • Merlin Bird ID – Helps landowners recognize birds by sound and sight, supporting local wildlife monitoring. Discover birds.

Financial Assistance & Cost-Share Programs

Managing land can be costly, but several programs offer financial support:

  • USDA Programs for Private Landowners – Provides funding for conservation and land management projects. Find a program.
  • West Virginia Forest Stewardship Program – Offers technical and financial assistance for sustainable forestry. Learn more.

Take Action Today

West Virginia’s natural beauty depends on the stewardship of its landowners. Whether you’re restoring habitats, monitoring water quality, or protecting your property rights, these resources can help you make informed decisions.

Have questions or need guidance? Reach out to local experts and organizations to get started on your conservation journey. Let’s work together to protect West Virginia’s land and water for generations to come!

The Importance of Ecosystem Monitoring and Local Collaboration

Ecosystem monitoring is a critical tool for understanding environmental changes, tracking wildlife populations, and predicting ecological shifts. Scientists rely on long-term data collection to assess biodiversity, detect pollution, and measure the effects of climate change. However, recent funding cuts to federal monitoring programs have weakened our ability to study these trends.

At Guardians of the West Fork, we recognize the importance of environmental monitoring and collaboration. Our network of partners—including state agencies, nonprofits, and local organizations—works to safeguard our watershed and promote sustainable practices. Groups like the West Virginia Water Research Institute (WVWRI) and WVDEP Abandoned Mine Lands provide scientific skills and funding opportunities, ensuring that restoration projects remain effective. Meanwhile, organizations such as American Rivers and Save the Tygart Watershed Association advocate for stronger protections and community engagement.

The loss of federal ecosystem monitoring programs underscores the need for local action. By strengthening partnerships with groups like Stewards Individual Placement, Coal River Group, and West Fork Conservation District, we can continue gathering critical environmental data and implementing conservation strategies. Additionally, educational institutions such as WVU Extension and Clarksburg Public Library play a vital role in raising awareness and empowering future environmental leaders.

While policy changes at the federal level shift priorities, local organizations remain committed to protecting our natural spaces. Through collaboration, research, and advocacy, we can ensure that our watershed remains healthy for generations to come.

https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/414626/ecosystems-mission-area-trump-cuts-wildlife-monitoring

🚧 Exciting News for Lambert Run! 🚧

Last week, we took a huge step forward in restoring Lambert Site 4! 🎉 Our preconstruction meeting with WV Water Research Institute engineers, project managers, and our contractor/property owner set the stage for a wetland that will help remove iron pollution from a mine seep in an unnamed tributary. Construction kicks off in late June or July, and we can’t wait to see the improvements!

We’re grateful for our partners at WVWRI, and WV DEP Abandoned Mine Lands for stepping in to cover our construction costs—ensuring this vital project moves ahead smoothly. Their support has been instrumental in keeping our timeline on track and ensuring that essential watershed restoration efforts continue uninterrupted.

💧 What does this mean for our community?
✔️ Cleaner water for Lambert Run
✔️ Healthier ecosystems for fish and wildlife
✔️ Long-term restoration of our local tributaries

And to celebrate these improvements, we’re planning a community barbecue later this summer! 🍔🌿 Stay tuned for details—we want YOU to be a part of this milestone.

Your support and engagement make all the difference. Let’s protect our watershed together! 💙

Guardians Enhance Community Engagement with New Grant

The Guardians of the West Fork Watershed are pleased to announce that we were awarded a $15,000 grant from the Ohio River Valley Participatory Fund of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies to support critical environmental efforts in North Central West Virginia, marking a milestone in our mission to preserve and improve the ecological integrity of the West Fork River and its watershed.

For over 25 years, we have worked to remediate abandoned mine drainage, promote waterway stewardship, and foster environmental education. A decline in volunteer participation has hurt our ability to maintain widespread community engagement. The grant has enabled us to bring on a full-time Stewards VISTA volunteer, Hannah Blakely, who will help us with planning, administration, and outreach. Her main priority is focusing on recruiting younger members, expanding volunteer collaboration, and enhancing public education initiatives. Hannah, a Wheeling native, has previously done a VISTA term with the AmeriCorps NCCC in California, and is currently finishing a degree in Environmental Soil and Water Science at WVU.

The Guardians have been committed to protecting and restoring the watershed for decades. This grant will allow us to build lasting partnerships, increase community involvement, and ensure a healthier future for the West Fork River Watershed.

The funds will let us expand educational events, strengthen relationships with local governments and nonprofits, and develop volunteer-driven conservation projects.

We are excited to welcome Hannah, who will be reaching out to members, partners, and the community soon.

Regular Meeting Wednesday 16 Mar 2025

The Guardians Board will meet at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, 16 Mar 2025 at the Clarksburg Water Board and online, with membership meeting for electing board and officers following.

We have exciting opportunities this year; please come and join us.
Approval of February Minutes (5 minutes)
Treasurer’s Report (5 minutes)

Old Business

State of federal funding
Lambert Run Project Update (10 minutes) 
Stream Partners Grant Review of work (15 minutes)
Ohio River Valley Participatory Fund Startup (funding for VISTA) (15 minutes)

Discussion

Possible sale of Farmington donated property
Water Trail

Membership
Board and officers election

If you are interested in attending online and are not on the email list, please email admin@guardiansofthewestfork.org for the meeting logon information.

The Guardians Need Your Help!

It will be paddling season soon, and we have no volunteers to lead paddles at the VA or elsewhere in the watershed, or a coordinator for paddles. If you can lead a paddle for a week or two a month, or take a whole month, or can coordinate who is leading, please email admin@guardiansofthewestfork.org.

Regular Meeting Wednesday 19 Feb 2025

The Guardians Board will meet at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, 19 Feb 2025 at the Clarksburg Water Board and online.

Our Board will meet 6 p.m. at the Clarksburg Water Board and online.

We have exciting opportunities this year; please come and join us.

Approval of January Minutes (5 minutes)
Treasurer’s Report (5 minutes)

Old Business

State of federal funding
Lambert Run Project Update (10 minutes) 
Stream Partners Grant Review of work and acceptance of 2025 grant (15 minutes)
Ohio River Valley Participatory Fund Startup (funding for VISTA) (15 minutes)

Discussion

Possible sale of Farmington donated property
Water Trail

If you are interested in attending online and are not on the email list, please email admin@guardiansofthewestfork.org for the meeting logon information.