A new destination for outdoor enthusiasts has just been permanently protected in Fayette County.

The West Virginia Land Trust has partnered with the City of Oak Hill to purchase 283 acres of land from the Berwind Land Company for public recreational use. This property will be the future site of the Oak Hill Needleseye Boulder Park, to include rock climbing, hiking trails and mountain biking.

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Just south of Morgantown, near Little Falls, sits an 84-acre mature forest, known as Elizabeth’s Woods Nature Preserve. In 1995, Elizabeth Zimmermann donated the property to the West Virginia Land Trust (WVLT) to be managed as a natural area available to the public for hiking and nature study. More than 20 years later, the land trust is tripling the size of the preserve and eyeing a way to open the property to the public.

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West Virginia Land Trust preserves site of Civil War battle, camp
News story by Rick Steelhammer, courtesy of Charleston Gazette.

The core section of Camp Bartow, a fortified encampment with still-visible earthworks built by 1,800 Confederate soldiers, has been preserved and will eventually be opened to the public following its recent purchase by the West Virginia Land Trust.

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“There’s more than meets the eye on this property,” said Ashton Berdine, Lands Program Manager for the West Virginia Land Trust, speaking about a Grant County property that the Land Trust recently protected.

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Accreditation Promotes Public Trust, Ensures Permanence

The West Virginia Land Trust (WVLT), a statewide nonprofit land conservation group, has achieved national accreditation, a mark of distinction in land conservation.

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Bring your flashlight and spooky stories as we hike to the cemetery located in the Wallace Hartman Nature Preserve!

When: Saturday, October 8
Time: 7pm
Place: Charleston
Cost: FREE
Level: Beginner / Easy

There is no cost to attend, but please register so we can plan accordingly!

Click here to register!

Oak Hill considers 300-acre rock climbing municipal park
(News story courtesy of Register Herald)

OAK HILL — Council moved forward on a large land conservation effort that could change the face of the city by making Oak Hill a destination for outdoor adventure tourism.

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Pack a picnic lunch and join us for a historical tour with Hunter Lesser, Author & Historian
When: Saturday, August 20
Time: 10am – 4pm
Place: Cheat Mountain (Huttonsville, WV)
Cost: $20
Level: Beginner / Easy
Optional lodging: Tent camping

Description: The raw beauty and natural wonders of Cheat Mountain will be on full display as we rediscover General Robert E. Lee’s first campaign of the Civil War. Aided by the letters, diaries and artifacts of soldiers and civilians, guests will explore the Cheat Mountain wilderness, the drama of war, and the flora and fauna of this unique ecosystem.

Click here to register!

One farmer’s dream of permanently conserving her land for agricultural use and habitat protection has been realized in collaboration with the West Virginia Land Trust. Hidden River Farm, a 110-acre working farm near the border of Randolph and Pocahontas counties, is located in the Elk River headwaters near Snowshoe. The conservation easement donated by the landowner will now be held in perpetuity by the land trust.

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The West Virginia Land Trust is pleased to announce that it is applying for national accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. The accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever.

The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications. (more…)

By Tina Alvey REGISTER-HERALD REPORTER

Read full story at The Register-Herald.

Hinton, W.Va. – Coming into December, the West Virginia Land Trust was expecting to hit a mark of protecting just over 1,000 acres across the state.  It was a sizable achievement, but the cooperation of a landowner in Summers County during the final hour allowed the group to push the tally to permanently protecting 1,400 acres statewide during 2014. (more…)