Conserve and manage forests for sustainable ecological and economic health

Forests cover 78.5% of the land in West Virginia. These forests face challenges that include fragmentation, competing land use, and invasive species. Fewer parcels of 1,000 acres and up exist in 2018 than in 1975. Land use for development has nearly doubled in West Virginia between 1982 and 2017.

The conversion of forest land to other uses affects population density, water quality, and sustainable urban and rural forest health. Smaller tracts lead to higher costs, lower profits, and increased pressure to sell for other uses. Fewer working forests mean fewer logging, sawmilling and other forest industry jobs.

The WVDOF has identified five priority Forest Legacy Areas and several priority conservation forest ecosystems. The Forest Legacy, Fire, Conservation Education, Forest Health, Water Quality, and other programs are all being called upon to address these issues. Multiple programs and organizations are helping landowners to conserve their forest land through the strategic use of conservation easements.

Protecting forests from wildfires, invasive species, and other threats

WVDOF protects forest health in the face of wildfire, insects, diseases, and other threats. A healthy forest also plays a role in protecting water quality.

WVDOF manages fires through prevention, preparedness, and suppression. The major cause of West Virginia’s wildfires is debris burning, followed by arson and power lines. The WVDOF fire section is developing a training policy for wildfire. The new Special Operations Unit enforces forestry-related laws, responds to emergencies and handles canines trained to track.

Approximately 651,000 acres of forest land in West Virginia are at risk of suffering 25% or greater mortality in the next 15 years due to exotic insects, plants, and diseases. To combat this threat, the state participates in the West Virginia Invasive Species Working Group and other programs.

West Virginia’s forests help filter the waters that run through the state. WVDOF uses the Water Quality and Landowner Assistance programs to educate landowners on best practices. The Division continues to enforce the Logging Sediment Control Act. The WVDOF is turning to drones – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) – to improve inspection efficiency.

Improving program focus, communication, professional training, and public knowledge

To deal with ongoing and developing issues, the WVDOF is ramping up efforts in communication, education and training. Key areas are improving forestry education in public schools, informing public perceptions on timber harvesting and other forestry matters, enhancing internal formal training for WVDOF personnel, and capitalizing on available technologies.

A growing number of property-owners are focused on environmental protection, recreation, privacy, and wildlife viewing. While economic aspects such as timber harvesting should never be neglected, forestry must re-tool programs to embrace these new perspectives. State Forests support forest regeneration, habitat diversity and conservation. Demonstration areas on State Forests are educational and help improve public perceptions of forestry. Partnering with the state’s teaching colleges will allow access to pre-service teaching curricula and make environmental education resources available to future teachers.

Mobile platforms allow WVDOF to do more in the field and respond faster with 24-hour connectivity. Data collection for accomplishment reporting is also becoming critical for program accountability, planning and management. Public involvement through the WVDOF website is being leveraged through survey submissions and “webhooks” technology connecting the public to their nearest forester. The WVDOF is developing other mobile applications that will be used by the public to request services and by agency staff and for improved program delivery.

This summary captures only an overview of the West Virginia Division of Forestry’s challenges, opportunities, resources, and goals. The research, strategies and plans can be explored in more depth in the 2020 State Forest Action Plan.