Greenspace
The Newsletter of the Kanawha Valley Greenspace Coalition (June 2002)
Greenspace
protection in the Kanawha Valley
The Kanawha Valley Greenspace Coalition (KVGC) works for the preservation and creation of greenspace in the Kanawha Valley. Its founding core included veterans of campaigns such as the banning of logging in the Kanawha State Forest, saving the Capitol trees and creating the North Charleston passive park. Coupled with neighborhood associations and hiking and biking enthusiasts, we are a loosely knit forum for dialogue, vision and action in the valley. The KVGC is decidedly slow in its evolution. Its founding members felt that our focus should be on the boosting of individual group projects and issues while creating a network for responding to future opportunities and challenges. Where will the KVGC go from here? Help us decide! My personal dream is that it eventually becomes the catalyst for developing a long-range action plan that results in the Kanawha valley offering an outstanding array of natural recreation opportunities for our grandchildren. As the Executive Director of West Virginia Citizen Action Group and one of the KVGC's "parents", I am delighted that this new organization is beginning to stretch its wings. Our opportunities are without limits! Please join us by contacting any of the contributors to this newsletter if you'd like to become more involved in our evolution.
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One of the Kanawha Valley Greenspace Coalition's primary goals is to protect existing greenspaces and to create new greenspaces. At our first meeting, it became apparent that in order to protect existing greenspaces we need to locate them. We also realized that detailed maps would be needed to plan new greenspaces and to present ideas at KVGC and other public meetings. Hence, the Mapping Working Group was formed. The Mapping Working Group has obtained a computerized map of the city of Charleston, graciously supplied by the City Engineering Department. We are compiling a list of the existing greenspaces in Charleston, which will be added to the map in color (green, of course). We also plan to research and map possible new greenspaces, including trails such as the Rail Trail from downtown to Coonskin Park along the Elk River and the old Edgewood Trail. The preliminary maps are already being put to use. The Mapping Working Group has provided blow-up maps of East End and West Side areas to individuals interested in protecting greenspace. We can assist other KVGC Working Groups and area organizations by providing maps and research for their projects. If you know of any existing or possible new greenspaces to include on the KVGC's maps, please contact the West Virginia Land Trust at 304-346-7788. We welcome your ideas! |
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by Beth Wheatley, West Virginia Land Trust
"My parents were walkers and often explored new lands," says Elisabeth "Dolly" Wallace Hartman McLaughlin. "On a Sunday in 1938, my parents were walking near Hampton Road. At that time, Hampton was a dirt road with two houses. They saw the land on Sunday and bought it on the following Monday." Dolly's parents are Harry Wallace Jr. (1902- 1987) and Elisabeth Mathews Wallace (1905- 1994). In 1938, they fell in love with a forest of beech, maple, oak, and American chestnut. In 2002, this forest still exists. Thanks to Dolly's foresight and the support and enthusiasm of her children, this forested landscape is now perma-nently protected as the Kanawha Valley’s newest park. Several years ago, Dolly and her children, John Hartman Jr., Elisabeth Hartman Cannell, William Hartman, and Mary Hartman - the family of John M Hartman MD - decided to safeguard the 52-acre family forest. Last December, they turned their idea into action. In memory of Harry and Elisabeth Wallace, they donated the family forest to Kanawha County Parks & Recreation Commission and donated a conservation easement to the West Virginia Land Trust. This forest is now called the Wallace-Hartman Nature Preserve and will soon be open to the public. Dolly and her children want to see families from the Kanawha Valley - and throughout West Virginia - enjoy the forest as their family has enjoyed it for decades. The conservation easement ensures that their goals will be met. The conservation easement, a legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust (or other qualified agency), details how the land will be used while protecting the conservation values. In this case, the land will be used primarily for public recreation and education and to provide wildlife habitat. The natural and scenic values that make the land so valuable for these uses will be permanently protected by the conservation easement. |
The Wallace-Hartman Nature Preserve is adjacent to Hampton and South Ruffner Roads - roads largely traveled by residents making their way between Louden Heights Road and MacCorkle Avenue. The Preserve is only a few minute's drive from many areas of Charleston - Kanawha City, South Hills, and even downtown. Many families living nearby can walk to the Preserve. The public will soon be able to access trails from Ruffner and Adrian Roads. The trails will provide opportunities to explore one of the few forests in the Kanawha Valley that is open to the public. And the Preserve is an unusual treat for recreationists living in an area of Charleston that has largely been developed. The Wallace-Hartman Nature Preserve is a welcome addition to public greenspaces like Kanawha State Forest, Coonskin Park, and Little Creek Park. "I want this nature preserve to offer an enthusiastic welcome to everyone in the com-munity to take a walk or run," says Dolly. "I see families coming to have picnics and to explore nature." And there is a lot to explore. Thanks to Dolly and the entire family of John M. Hartman MD, people throughout the Kanawha Valley have opportunities now and 100 years from now to explore and enjoy a special forest growing with family and natural history. See you at the Wallace-Hartman Nature Preserve!
"We have diminishing green space in
this country and that is a concern to my
four children and me. It is my children
who raised my consciousness of the im-portance
of protecting the environment.
They enthusiastically supported the idea
of keeping their grandparent’s land
green."
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by Greg Good, Past President Mon Valley Green Space Coalition (In sharing MVGSC’s vision and successes, Greg illustrates some possibilities for the Kanawha Valley Greenspace Coalition.)
Green space grows in many ways. We
discover it in playgrounds for kids, tree-lined
streets, quiet trails in neighborhood parks,
places to ride our bikes safely, rolling farmland
- still being farmed, outdoor classrooms, creeks
filled with fish, and woods that are home to
West Virginia plants and animals. We see it in
our travels to wild places, but also close to
home, in one of our city parks, the WVU Core
Arboretum, or on the Deckers Creek Rail-Trail.
The Mon Valley is growing a greater appreciation
and concern for our parks, trails, and other
green places.
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Run-down areas that
had become illegal dumps are restored green
spaces. As a coalition, we also work to restore
local watersheds, encourage smart growth
planning, develop walking and biking routes,
preserve endangered green spaces in our
region, and promote beautification in our neighborhoods
and downtown areas. MVGSC also
promotes and educates on the importance of
good stewardship of all green spaces.
Do you want to make a city park accessible to the handicapped? Do you want to save a school yard for your neighborhood? Do you want to connect you neighborhood to the growing regional rail-trail network, to be able to commute by bike or foot or exercise safely away from busy streets? The MVGSC envisions a greener community where we can live better, play better, work better. Greenspace Coalition! Joe Carney (344-2797)
Community Forestry:
Trails:
West Side parks & greenspace:
East End parks & greenspace: |
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by Roger Goad, Kanawha Trail Club
The Kanawha Trail Club is celebrating its
60th anniversary this year. The events will begin
with dinner and entertainment at the Trinity
Lutheran Church in downtown Charleston on
Friday, July 19 and continue through Saturday,
July 20 with hikes and a picnic at the Kanawha
State Forest club lodge. The Appalachian
Fiddlers will provide entertainment. Several
past and retired members from out of state are
expected to return for this big reunion.
by Joe Carney If you would like to help the Kanawha Valley Greenspace Coalition with an area clean up, please contact Linda at 346-5891. |
a Hike This Summer! Hikers meet at the Stonewall Station Post Office parking lot at the corner of Ohio and Randolph Streets on Charleston’s West Side to carpool to the hike locations (unless the schedule specifically indicates another meeting place). Please note that hikes can change due to weather and road conditions. If you have any questions, please contact Roger Goad at 304- 342-1040. The remaining hikes in June are: June 22 (Sat., 9: 30 AM): Kanawha State Forest. Park at entrance and walk to the KTC lodge. Leader is by Norma Levy.West Virginia Day and Father’s Day will be a combined celebration at Kanawha State Forest on Sunday, June 16 at 2:00 PM. The Kanawha Valley Community Band will have an open air concert near the pool area and play selections for the occasion with Director Lee McMillen telling short stories about the pieces or authors. Bring a lawn chair and picnic lunch and stick around for a short hike after the festivities with the Kanawha Trail Club! |
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Created June 18, 2002
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