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THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN
FA L L / W I N T E R 2 014 N E W S L E T T E R
Wildlife on the Brink
Saving species from extinction
BY JE S SICA K EI T H
T
he West Virginia northern flying squirrel is inherently hard to find.
Strictly nocturnal and existing only atop some of the highest mountains in the state, the animal also relies on spruce forests—an ecosystem
that in the past was in fast decline. So when it was removed from the
Endangered Species List last year, it didn’t mean that suddenly the woods
were filled with them. But it did mean the squirrel’s fate had improved—
a great success considering the plight of the species just over 40 years ago,
when the Endangered Species Act went into effect.
West Virginia northern flying squirrel
status |
Vulnerable
conservancy- protected habitats |
Mt. Porte Crayon
Preser ve, Cheat Mountain, Dolly Sods
Quite a lot can happen in 40 years. Consider: It took just 40 years,
beginning around 1880, for people to destroy through logging and fire nearly all the spruce forest
habitat upon which the West Virginia northern flying squirrel relies. Alternatively, the recovery of a
species can take at least that long. The challenging and expensive process of habitat protection, and
in many cases, restoration, can span many decades.
That makes the story of the West Virginia northern flying squirrel all the more inspiring. At the
time the Endangered Species Act was created, the squirrel’s future wasn’t so bright. But a conservation program developed by The Nature Conservancy and partners helped turn things around. The
program protected, connected and restored much of the spruce forest that had been missing from
the landscape. While the squirrel still faces challenges like climate change, real progress has been
made, and the flying squirrel no longer is on the brink of extinction. That should be celebrated.
Above: Spruce forest © KENT MASON; West Virginia northern flying squirrel © PATRICK CAVAN BROWN
IN THIS ISSUE
2
Director’s Message
2-3Conservation
Highlights
4
Wildlife on the Brink
6
Faces of
Conservation
7 Donors
Continued on Page 4
DI R ECTOR’S M ESSAG E
CONSE RVATION H IG H LIG HTS
A
fter more than 20 years as a Nature Conservancy employee, including 12 as
state director, Rodney Bartgis announced earlier this summer he would be
stepping down. His last day with us was July 19.
Thunderstruck Project Complete
As we look to fill the position of state director, we’re celebrating Rodney’s many
accomplishments as a Conservancy employee and, really, his entire adult life as an
advocate for West Virginia’s natural areas.
This past summer, the final 75-acre parcel of a larger 2,000acre project came under protection, officially completing the
10-year-long Thunderstruck project. The effort was first
envisioned by Conservancy staff more than a dozen years ago
during biological surveys conducted for its former owner,
MeadWestvaco. The findings? The project area not only
featured red spruce and northern hardwoods from the valley
floor to the ridgeline on the western slope of Mount Porte
Crayon, it also boasted a labyrinth of subterranean sinkholes,
threatened and endangered animals like the Cheat Mountain
salamander and the Virginia big-eared bat, and the globally
rare white monkshood.
His accomplishments include helping to conserve some of West Virginia’s most
iconic places, including: areas in Cheat Canyon, the New River Gorge, Canaan
Valley, the Smoke Hole Canyon, Cheat Mountain, Bear Rocks, Panther Knob and
Pike Knob. For his tireless devotion to conservation, Rodney was included as one of
the “Inspiring West Virginians” in a feature last year on West Virginia Public Radio.
West Virginia Board of Trustees Chair
Bob Steptoe © STEPTOE
West Virginia
Board of Trustees
Robert M. Steptoe, Jr., Chair
Pamela Byrne, Vice Chair
Robert E. Lannan, Vice Chair
Robert Nutting, Vice Chair
David W. Gerhardt
Rodney leaves big shoes to fill, but among his many accomplishments has been the
development of a passionate and professional staff who will maintain the conservation
momentum established in recent years by ensuring the success of projects under
way, including:
The 3,800-acre Cheat Canyon conservation project, formally dedicated
to the public in September. We continue to complete fundraising for the
remaining $450,000.
The restoration of high-elevation spruce forests at places like Gandy Ranch,
a conservation project announced last December.
And that’s just the start of it. The Chapter has a bright future ahead of it, and
I look forward to working with the team to build on our success. We know that
with your continued dedication, we’ll make great strides in protecting our
natural heritage for future generations.
Yours in Conservation,
Benjamin A. Hardesty
Brooks F. McCabe
Dan O’Hanlon
Robert O. Orders, Jr.
Daniel A. Weekley
Bob Steptoe
Chair, Board of Trustees
The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia
Catherine G. Abbott, Emerita
Edward C. Armbrecht, Jr., Emeritus
Judith D. Dumke, Emerita
Charles Jones, Emeritus
Printed on 90% recycled (including 30% PCW), process chlorine-free paper, creating the following benefits:
3.6 trees preserved for
the future
10.4 lbs. waterborne
waste not produced
Ronald R. Potesta, Emeritus
The Nature Conservancy is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3)
international membership organization. Its mission is to
conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. An
annual membership fee of $25 includes membership to the
Pennsylvania Chapter and the worldwide organization.
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Standards for Charity Accountability established
by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. The BBB Wise
Giving Alliance is a national charity watchdog
affiliated with the Better Business Bureau.
2 FALL/ WINTER 2014
Three-fourths of the property has been transferred to the
Monongahela National Forest, and there’s intent to transfer
the remaining 450 acres—including the last 75-acre parcel.
Together with the Forest Service, the Conservancy will help to
restore the high-elevation landscape by planting red spruce trees.
Red Spruce Restoration and Invasive
Species Removal Efforts Get Boost
Grant enables restoration and management on
thousands of acres
James E. Grey
Joyce McConnell
Last 75 acres of 2,000-acre parcel now under protection
On September 12, The Nature Conservancy, The
Conservation Fund and the West Virginia Division
of Natural Resources—allies in the permanent
conservation of West Virginia’s Cheat Canyon—
gathered with funding partners and the
community to dedicate the canyon to the people
of West Virginia. The new Cheat Canyon Wildlife
Management Area protects 3,800 acres of remote
canyon forest surrounding seven miles of roaring
whitewater. Pictured (from left to right): Senator
Joe Manchin, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, WV
Division of Natural Resources Director Frank
Jezioro and Nature Conservancy Chief External
Affairs Officer Glenn Prickett.
© SAMUEL TAYLOR PHOTOGR APHY
168.9 lbs. solid waste
not generated
333 lbs. net greenhouse
gases prevented
The Nature Conservancy recently was awarded a $285,000
grant from the United States Department of Agriculture
through a partnership agreement with the Monongahela
National Forest to help implement its red spruce restoration
and invasive species eradication efforts on public and private
lands in the Cheat, Greenbrier and Potomac River watersheds
in the Central Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.
Two AmeriCorps service members and a new, two-year-term
Conservancy employee will be secured to serve as the
Ecological Restoration Team to implement work under the
agreement. As part of the project, 2,700 acres will be treated
for invasive species while another 2,000 acres will be
managed and restored to nurture red spruce ecosystems.
The Conservancy intends to restore red spruce on 150,000
acres throughout the Central Appalachian Mountains.
Currently, less than 50,000 acres are forested with red
spruce, which as a system supports 240 rare species.
In addition to red spruce restoration and invasive species
removal, the team also will focus on river riparian improvements, native seed collecting, wetland monitoring and
running buffalo clover restoration.
Clockwise from top: Thunderstruck
© KENT MASON; Monongahela River
© RUST YOILER /IMGUR.COM; red spruce
forest © KENT MASON
Conservancy Studies Effects of
Dam Operations
Results to inform flow recommendations in Monongahela
River Basin
The Nature Conservancy is working with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers to assess how operations at three dams
impact stream flows in the Monongahela River basin. Results
will be used to create flow recommendations aimed at
improving conditions for fish, mussels, amphibians, aquatic
insects and vegetation. The Corps is in the process of
updating its Water Control Plans, which dictate how each
dam will be operated.
The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia | nature.org/explorewv 3
WI LDLI FE ON TH E B R I N K (continued from Page 1)
In addition to the West Virginia northern flying squirrel, here’s a look at some
of the other threatened or endangered species in West Virginia that the Conservancy
helps to protect.
“Nothing is more priceless and more worthy
of preservation than the rich array of animal
life with which our country has been blessed.
It is a many-faceted treasure, of value to
scholars, scientists and nature lovers alike,
and it forms a vital part of the heritage
we all share as Americans.”
—PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON
Statement upon signing the Endangered Species Act, December 28, 1973.
Virginia big-eared ba
t
En
status |
Cheat Mountain salamander
Threatened
conservancy- protected habitats | Cheat Mountain,
Dolly Sods, Mt. Porte Crayon
status |
da ngered
conservancy- pro
Smoke Hole bergamot
status |
tected habitats
Thorn Creek Wild life
| Smoke Hole Ca nyon,
Ma nagement Area
Species of Concern
conservancy- protected habitats |
Smoke Hole Canyon
cerulean warbler
status |
Species of Concern
conservancy- protected habitats |
Smoke Hole Canyon
New River Gorge,
Cheat three-toothed snail
status |
Threatened
tnc- protected habitats |
Cheat Canyon
(in fact the only place this species is found)
Barbara’s buttons
status |
Species of Concern
conservancy- protected habitats |
Cheat Mountain
Virginia spiraea
Threatened
eek Preserve,
ats | Br ush Cr
protected habit
conservancyGauley Ca nyon
status |
Clockwise from top left: © KENT MASON, © CR AIG W. STIHLER, © COPPERHEAD CONSULTING, © GLEN DANILES AND ELIZABETH BYERS, © MARJA BAKERMANS,
© GEORGE ROGERS USFWS, © ELEANORD43 / FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS, © COPPERHEAD CONSULTING
running buffalo clover
status |
Endangered
conservancy- protected habitats |
Gauley Canyon
4 FALL/ WINTER 2014
New River Gorge,
The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia | nature.org/explorewv 5
FACES OF CONSE RVATION
DONORS
Staff Spotlight: Mike Powell
The following list recognizes donors who have given $1,000 or more during this
past fiscal year (July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014). We thank you for your support!
JESSICA KEITH
A
s stewardship manager for The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia, Mike
Powell has what a lot of nature lovers would consider a dream job. I sat down
with the eight-year Conservancy veteran to learn more about his role.
First off, what exactly do you do in
your role, and why is it important?
Mike: I manage our network of
preserves and conservation easements.
The Conservancy protects natural areas
for a particular reason, like their plant
and animal composition. If, for example,
we let invasive species take over, then
even though the land is protected, our
conservation target is jeopardized.
What types of activities do you
typically engage in during the
outdoor field season?
Mike: Invasive species management,
preserve monitoring and a lot of red
spruce restoration—especially this past
year, during which we planted about
14,000 red spruce trees at our Gandy
Ranch project in Randolph County.
In-Kind Services
$5,000–$9,999
Ms. Judith C. Baldassare
Mr. Jeffrey Wimsatt & Ms. Karen Innes
Adventures on the Gorge
Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Abbott
Joan T. Bastable
Roger & Joyce Zipfel
Lowell Greenwood, Esq.
Mr. & Mrs. Edward C. Armbrecht, Jr.
Ms. Jeanette Berning
What are some other recent highlights?
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Mrs. Margaret A. Biggs
Evan & Theresa Buck
Ms. Pamela M. Byrne &
Mike: We’ve been doing a lot of
In-Kind Gifts
Steve & Amanda Cherry
research at Pike Knob Preserve to help
inform our management practices. We
set up transects to monitor plants,
analyzed soil chemistry and completed a
germination study.
You also recently hosted students
through the Conservancy’s Leaders
in Environmental Action for the
Future (LEAF) program, right?
Mike: Yes, this was our sixth year
supporting the program, which offers
urban students an opportunity to learn
about environmental careers while
working to support our efforts. These
students are extremely bright, motivated and curious. Their enthusiasm for
the outdoor world is really refreshing.
Stan & Sarah Corwin-Roach
Mr. Christopher Carr
$200,000+
General Electric Foundation
Ms. Rashenya C. Craig
Antero Resources
Matching Gifts Program
John & Maxine Denham
Eugene A. Nojek
Mrs. Giovanna Deveny
Leslie & Robert Nutting
Mrs. Robert F. Reusche,
Mr. & Mrs. Robert O. Orders, Jr.
Ms. Emily Selbe & Mr. Michael Lavelle
$50,000–$99,999
Margaret Decker
Mr. & Mrs. H. T. Grimes
$100,000–$199,999
Frances Hamilton White
Ms. Kathryn K. Powers
Larry & Ann Hargrove
Margaret H. Hitchman
Mr. & Mrs. Richard W. Humphreys
Ms. Jennifer Sims
Kurt & Carla Jaenicke
Mr. Henry K. Willard II
Mr. & Mrs. Eugene L. Jeffus
Timothy B. Kline
Sophie A. & Harry F. Nojek
Clark H. Reed
Mr. Robert F. Reusche
CORPORATE COUNCIL FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT
Leadership Council ($25,000+)
Joyce E. McConnell & Vincent Trivelli
Ann C. & Robert O. Orders, Jr.
Dominion Resources
Sue & Jerry Dorsch
Mr. Lee T. Paules
Triana Energy
Gat Creek
Judge Dan P. O’Hanlon &
Family Foundation
$10,000–$24,999
ANONYMOUS
Debra Auble & Rodney Bartgis
Kathleen M. Brown
Mr. & Mrs. David W. Gerhardt
Dr. Kathy O’Hanlon
John & Judith Hall
Dr. Leslie Petteys
Charles T. & Mary Ellen Jones
Rafe & Lenore Pomerance
Dr. & Mrs. Robert L. Kendall
Ms. Janis Reynolds & Douglas Kilmer
Leslie S. Mead & Jeffrey P. Petrich
Trustee Spotlight: Board of Trustees Chair Bob Steptoe
Dr. Christopher D. Earl &
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald R. Potesta
Dr. & Mrs. Harlan M. Smith II
JE S SICA K EI T H
Ben & Jeanie Hardesty
Annette Tanner
P
Jessie M. Harris & Woody Cunningham
6 FALL/ WINTER 2014
Dr. Charles H. Baer
Dr. F.K. Millar
The Chingos Foundation
“As chair, my job is to develop the board
in size and diversity, as well as create
broader financial support for our
conservation work,” he says. “And in
recent months I’ve been helping the
Chapter work through a transitional
Mrs. Dianna L. Barnosky
Ms. Nelle Ratrie Chilton
Senator & Mrs. John D. Rockefeller IV
This appreciation for nature was
sustained into adulthood, during which
time Bob’s interest grew to include
mountain climbing, which he’s enjoyed
with long-time friend Ben Hardesty. It
was Ben, a Conservancy trustee both
Received Memorial Tribute
$25,000–$49,999
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas W. Richards
“I grew up on a farm outside of
Martinsburg in Berkeley County, so I
spent a lot of time outside,” Bob says. “I
was active in the Boy Scouts, and loved
to camp, horseback ride, and quail hunt.”
Bob & Ann Orders
Mr. & Mrs. Kent W. Mason
Mrs. Catherine Lyons
Since then, Bob has become increasingly
involved, joining the board in 2005 and
ultimately stepping up as chair in 2008.
While he’s supported a number of
protection efforts over the years, it’s his
work as board chair that’s been especially important to the Chapter.
Karen S. & Paul Miller
Mr. Jerry R. Brooks
Mrs. Angus E. Peyton
Steve & Marjorie Lewellen
Director’s Circle
($10,000–$24,999)
Appalachian Power Co.
Charleston Newspapers
Orders Construction
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Founder ($5,000–$9,999)
Mr. Thomas Z. Srnak
Dingess-Rum Properties
Mr. Edward W. Stifel III
Partner ($2,500–$4,999)
Kevin Stiles
Amherst Madison, Inc.
$1,000–$2,499
Mr. James R. Stultz
Dow West Virginia Operations
Ms. Veda R. Lewis
ANONYMOUS
Shelby Vaughn
Mead Westvaco
Mr. & Mrs. John W. Streeter, Jr.
Charles & Elizabeth Agle
Mr. Robert Walkingshaw
Potesta & Associates, Inc.
Walbridge Family Foundation Inc
Allied Realty Company
Ms. Ann L. Wardwell
Snowshoe Mountain Resort
Dr. Abby Telfer
“Right away I was struck by the
Conservancy’s high-quality conservation work, which is always rooted in
science” Bob says. “And I respected its
non confrontational approach.”
Ruth K. Heal, James E. Heal & Jay Heal
ANONYMOUS
Mike: I love working with nature and
then and now, who first introduced
Bob to the organization in 2001.
Mr. & Mrs. James Keisfer
Mr. Thomas Lampron
ANONYMOUS
Mr. Stephen J. Callen
art of Bob Steptoe’s job as chair of
the board of trustees for The
Nature Conservancy in West Virginia
is to persuade others to care about
conservation as much as he does. It’s an
easy sell for Bob, former CEO of law
firm Steptoe & Johnson, who says he’s
always had an interest in the outdoors.
Dr. David Kappel
$2,500–$4,999
Sounds like they have a good mentor
in you, because you also are full of
enthusiasm for the outdoor world.
sharing what I know. And I feel fortunate
to do it for the Conservancy, which has a
global vision, but at the same time really
values how the boots-on-the-ground
work I do locally fits into the big picture.
Mr. John Huerta
Appalachian Forest Restoration LLC
Warburg Pincus, LLC
Mike Powell © ANDREA BR ANDON/ TNC
Donna T. & Carroll B. Cook
Received Honorarium Tribute
Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Steptoe, Jr.
Do You Cherish the Cheat?
Bob Steptoe climbing the Matterhorn
© COURTESY OF BOB STEPTOE
period as we look to build on the legacy
of Rodney Bartgis, who stepped down
as director in July.”
Steptoe says he’s been impressed with
the great strides staff has made. “We
have such a strong team here,” he says.
“And I’m proud to be part of it.”
We were thrilled to announce in April that, together with partners, we’ve taken
action to permanently protect nearly 4,000 acres along a seven-mile stretch of
the Cheat River. Acquiring a land and river tract of this magnitude, which
encompasses most of the Canyon between Coopers Rock State Forest and
the Snake Hill Wildlife Management Area, is incredibly rare and represents a
significant victory for this beautiful state and the people who love it.
As part of our goal to protect Cheat Canyon for generations to come, Steptoe
& Johnson PLLC has challenged the community to join them in supporting
this project through a special campaign. Individual gifts up to $25,000 for
Cheat Canyon will be matched 1:1 for a total of $50,000. Help us leverage
additional funding for the protection and stewardship of this cherished
landscape by making a gift in support of Cheat Canyon today!
Go to nature.org/cherishthecheat to make your gift!
The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia | nature.org/explorewv 7
The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia
194 Airport Rd.
Elkins, WV 26241
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PA S S O N
YOUR
VA L U E S
Leave a lasting legacy
for conservation.
in this issue »
The Nature Conservancy helped
improve the fate of the West
Virginia northern flying squirrel.
Discover the other species we’re helping to save
from extinction.
Making a bequest to The Nature Conservancy
is a simple way to protect the places you value.
You can name the Conservancy as a beneficiary
of your will, trust, retirement plan, life insurance
policy or financial accounts. Anyone can make
a bequest and no amount is too small.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Amy Martin
(304) 637-0160 | [email protected]
nature.org/bequestad
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PLEASE CONSULT YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR BEFORE MAKING A GIFT.
IMAGE CREDIT: © KENT MASON. PWVPM141101001
Left: West Virginia northern flying squirrel © PATRICK CAVAN BROWN